Burning Competition in Domestic Car Sales

The domestic automobile sales market will get even hotter this year in spite of the economic situation.
Although the national car market picture has been somewhat fixed with only Hyundai and Daewoo emerging as major players, all carmakers have raised their sales goals by 30 to 80 percent or combined sales of 1,135,000 units in 1999. This number is 235,000 units higher than that which auto experts earlier expected.
Hyundai, Daewoo and even the struggling Kia are thinking that hand-to-hand combat is inevitable, and are revving up their fighting spirit at the beginning of the season.
Daewoo held a meeting last weekend in Yongin and decided its goal for 1999 will be 400,000 units sold, up 71 percent from 1998's sales total. It will bring out a slightly altered model of the Nubira in June and a Musso Longbody capable of holding seven people in the latter half of the year.
Hyundai is targeting a 30 percent increase to 435,000 units and increasing its retail outlets to 450 places nationally.
Hyundai will issue a new Dynasty LZ model as well as a mini van before July.
Kia will also set a goal of 300,000 units, an 80 percent rise over the previous year.