Koreans to get a taste of Chinese vehicles next year
Dongfeng Motor Corp is set to export several of its goods vehicles into Korea starting next year according to various media reports. Wuhan based Dongfeng are starting their export drive to Korea with several of their light goods vehicles which are set to be targeted at private entrepeneurs in the South Korean market.
Dongfeng China reportedly signed a deal with with Dongfeng Motors Korea to import the vehicles into Korea early next year, and will be priced at around 30% less than its domestically built Korean rivals which will give it the edge price wise. The vehicles in question have reportedly already been exported to several European countries and are not expected to have any difficulties in meeting any Korean regulative standards.
Dongfengs own brand sedans are expected to follow the goods vehicles into Korea once they have reached Korean vehicle safety and emission standards, an eventual launch date for the sedans in Korea has not yet been announced.
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It’s worth a try, but the Korean market is a tough one for any foreign make.
I did find an English article for this news.
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2912032
Dongfeng is pricing its 1-ton truck at 8.9 million won, 3.1 million won less than Hyundai’s 1-ton diesel truck. Direct comparison is difficult because Hyundai has a more expensive direct injection diesel engine, while DongFeng’s 1-ton truck has a CNG engine.
amm … ur comparing a cruze to the new sonata ?
Compare it with the aging elantra ,, the cruze kicks the elantras butt in every aspect , we used to own an elantra and now we own a cruze .. the elantra is like a crappy chinese car compared to the new cruze.
the new sonata on the other hand … kicks butt
I love it ! hope they do the same to the new 2011 elantra and accent.
Compare a Cruze with an Elantra, you mean compare one Korean car with another. Why?
@ mark
> Compare a Cruze with an Elantra, you mean compare one Korean car with another. Why?
The point is that Korean consumers are price-insensitive; they prefer expensive models to cheaper models, and will not be swayed by cheaper Chinese prices.
Furthermore, services and maintenance cost only a fraction of the same on imported vehicles, even if that imported vehicle is Chinese.
Yeah right, you’re an idiot. Consumers everywhere CARE about the price, and they likely won’t spend extra for the same thing when they can get it for less.
Not necessarily. I used to live in Korea. You really don’t see many foreign cars and the story was if you did buy one you would have it deliberately scratched. Koreans don’t even smoke foreign cigarettes never mind about buy foreign cars.
They love Dunhill cigs though.
Your objective critique is appreciated…What happened to the Fiat?
I never knew that Hyundai is for image conscious people lol. oh boi this’s made my day.
You Korean idiots love to read up on Chinese cars. Are you afraid they will finally penetrate your zenophobic market?
@ Go Red
> Are you afraid they will finally penetrate your zenophobic market?
There is no place for Chinese automobiles in such a xenophobic market.
i think it is good news for Dongfeng, i think it has better image that rest of the Chinese automakers especially Great Wall, and the fact that it produces trucks for the Chinese military adds alot to its credibility. Just hope that it has great sucess in Corea.
@ jackson li
> Just hope that it has great sucess in Corea.
Unlikely. The problem is that DFM Mini K01 truck model in question really isn’t a 1-ton truck and is actually similar to Daewoo’s Kei light truck in size, payload, and horsepower.
Since there is NO price difference between Daewoo’s Kei Truck and DFM Mini K01, how is it supposed to compete? Why would a customer risk buying a Chinese truck with expensive maintenance when the local brand truck cost the same and the maintenance cost is much lower?
This is why Tata gave up on bringing its US regulation-compliant 1-ton pick-up truck to Korea, and why SAIC gave up on launching Roewe 750 in Korea under Ssangyong brand, because they understood they could not compete.
l___H a t e _C hi n a = Korean loser