Sketches of the the Samsung eMX concept have surfaced ahead of its April debut at the Seoul Motor Show. Produced by Renault-Samsung Motors, the concept is a preemptive look at what the 2010 Samsung SM3 sedan might look like. The concept is said to have been developed by over 400 Renault-Samsung engineers from France, Japan, and South Korea.
And yes, that is the same Samsung as the electronics company. The firm’s automotive division was created in the mid-90s, with Renault purchasing 70% of the division in 2000 after Asia’s late 1990s financial crisis hit South Korea. Renault now owns about 80% of the venture.
The company has yet to release more technical detail but we have learned that the eMX concept uses Nissans compact car platform as a base. It also features a modern 2.0L turbo engine and a plethora of advanced safety and eco-friendly technologies.
Renault Samsung Motors, the South Korean unit of France’s Renault SA, Monday unveiled the “QM5,’’ the automaker’s first sport utility vehicle (SUV) in an effort to boost domestic sales.
Company officials said that the mini SUV would be introduced the South Korean market from early December. It is also set to go on sale globally from next month, according to the officials.
The QM5 is the first SUV model of Renault Samsung, ranked fourth place in the country’s automobile industry. It has so far sold only small-, mid- and large-sized sedans, each named as the “SM3,’’ “SM5’’ and “SM7,’’ in South Korea.
Equipped with a two-liter diesel engine outsourced from Renault, the vehicle boasts of a maximum 173hp, which is pretty good for such a modest displacement. A gasoline version QM5 with a 2.5-liter engine will be introduced early next year.
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