Renault Samsung Debuts First SUV

Renault Samsung Motors held a ceremony to launch its first SUV at its plant in Busan on Monday. Scheduled to hit the Korean market on Dec. 10, the QM5 is the product of cooperation between Renault, which designed it, Nissan, which worked on its research and development, and Renault Samsung, which is responsible for building it, the company said.
 
The company’s CEO Jean-Marie Hurtiger said Renault Samsung plans to produce 100,000 of the new SUVs annually from next year, 35,000 to 40,000 of which will be sold in Korea. The rest will be exported to Germany, Britain and France from next May, where it will be called the Renault Koleos.

The QM5 comes with a 2-liter diesel engine by Renault-Nissan that produces up to 150 horsepower. The two-wheel drive averages 12.8 km/ℓ and the four-wheel drive automatic 12.2 km/ℓ. The car will cost between W21.65 million (US$1=W919) and W29.90 million for the two-wheel drive model, with the four-wheel drive model costing an additional W1.9 million.

Renault Samsung Motors CEO and representative director Jean-Marie Hurtiger