The press was given a preview of the 2005 Seoul Motor Show at the Korea International Exhibition Center (KINTEX) on Thursday.
Some 38 foreign and domestic automakers and 141 parts companies are attending the show, whose ambitious theme is "Endless Surprise in Our Motor Life.” Some 1,100 reporters and 5,000 overseas buyers attended press day.

Local producers put 22 new cars on display including Hyundai's Grandeur TG, a successor to its Grandeur XG, as well as 20 concept cars that will not hit the market for another three or four years like the four-seater sports coupe Fluence by Renault. A special feature is 10 environmentally friendly cars like BMW's hydrogen-powered vehicle.

The big names of the Korean domestic and import car industries were all there, from Hyundai Motor chairman Chung Mong-koo, Hyundai vice chairman Kim Dong-jin, Kia Motors president Kim Ik-hwan, Ssangyong president Soh Jin-Kwan, to Renault Samsung president Jerome Stoll, GM Daewoo senior vice president Lee Young-kuk, Audi Korea president Sohn Eul-Rae and BMW Korea president Kim Hyo-joon.

"This is the first motor show since 1997 where Korean and imported cars are shown side-by-side,” the chairman of the organizers Nam Choong-woo said, vowing, “We will develop [it] into one of the world's top five motor shows."

The show officially opens on Friday and is open to the public from Saturday until May 8. The organizers expect about 2 million spectators.

- Source from Digital Chosun (Apr 28, 2005) -