Sales of Trailblazer Picking up at Home and Abroad
GM Korea is undergoing a transformation based on improved labor-management relations and strong sales of a new model in the Korean and overseas markets. Auto industry observers say that if the current trend continues, it can emerge as an example for other foreign automakers running in Korea.
GM Korea sold 8,965 units in the domestic market in March, up 39.6 percent on year. Compared to the previous month, its sales increased 80.1 percent on the back of the launch of the new model Trailblazer.
The Trailblazer sold 3,187 units in March alone, accounting for 35 percent of the company’s domestic sales. It was the best-selling car among GM Korea models in the first month of sales. The Trailblazer was the first model GM Korea promised to produce in Korea after receiving 810 billion won in support funds from the Korean government in 2018.
GM Korea is also enjoying high growth in exports. The Trailblazer placed third among the most exported models during the first three months of the year.
GM Korea made a surprising announcement in August 2019. The carmaker decided to join the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association (KAIDA). Already a member of the Korea Automobile Industry Association (KAMA), GM Korea became a member of the two associations.
After introducing the Chevrolet brand into the Korean market in 2011, GM Korea has launched a variety of imported vehicles in the Korean market, including the Bolt EV, the Equinox, the Impala, the Camaro, the Colorado, and the Traverse.
GM Korea's 'two-track strategy' has met with a positive assessment. In the first quarter of 2020, it broke into the top three players in the imported car market in Korea. The pickup truck Colorado sold 1,764 units in the first three months of the year, ranking third among imported cars past the BMW 520i and the Mercedes-Benz E250. The Traverse (1,039 units) joined the top 10 in imported car sales in the first quarter.
The GM Korea labor and management wrapped up wage negotiations for 2019 on April 14. The two sides shared a sense of crisis as the global automobile market has been pushed into a slump following the spread of the novel coronavirus.