Korean Domestic Car Market: Renault Samsung

In addition to most global luxury brands now  available in Korea, domestic Korean car makers offer their own luxury models. 

In previous posts I have discussed the Korean car sectors move up market. ( See my previous post on Hyundai new Genesis).

 In this Blog, I highlight Renault Samsung. 

SM7

For those visiting Korea, you might be suprised that each of the domestic car makers have their own luxury model.  For example, Renault Samsung offers the SM7. The car is built on the Nissan Teana platform, which is somewhat similar to the Maxima offered in the states. 

Some Details

Renault Samsung Motors uses the Samsung brand name on the vehicles that it manufactures in South Korea.  

Renault Samsung is 80.1 percent owned by the French auto giant Renault and 19.9 percent owned by South Korea's Samsung Card.  The Samsung Group, however, does not participate in the management of the joint company.

Nissan Roots

In the mid-1990s when Samsung launched its car division, it looked to Nissan for technical guidence. Today the Renault Samsung models have strong Nissan influence. 

Samsung's affiliation with Nissan is the  main reasons Renault bought a major share of the company.  In turn, Renault had also become a major shareholder of Nissan

Renault signed the contract to use the Samsung brand name when it took over Samsung Motors in 2000.