Showing posts with label gm korea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gm korea. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Quick rewind - Genesis Coupe vs. Camaro at a Top Gear Philippines issue

Camaro vs. Genesis Coupe


I'm sure most of you read the full comparison between the 5th-generation Camaro and the Hyundai Genesis Coupe at a Top Gear Philippines issue last year.

In case you want to see it again, here:

In my understanding, despite the Camaro being more expensive than the Genesis Coupe, it packs more performance than the Genesis Coupe.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

GM Korea Chevrolet Camaro

2011 GM Korea Chevrolet Camaro


*The 5th-generation Chevrolet Camaro is sold as the GM Korea Chevrolet Camaro in South Korea

After the 5th generation Camaro making a grand comeback in North America in the Spring of 2009, then later arrived in some countries including the Philippines, everyone's favorite Autobot, Bumblebee, is landed for shooting and this time, it's not for some Transformers movie (Dark of the Moon coming soon!), but Bumblebee's ready for his new challenge as a Korean celebrity and how will the GM Korea Chevrolet Camaro (쉐보레 카마로) stack up on Korean dramas and movies.

The Camaro is GM Korea's third out of the planned eight Chevrolet models according to GM Korea CEO, Mike Arcamone, after the successful transition from GM Daewoo Auto and Technology into GM Korea Company. The first two were the "Active Life Vehicle" Orlando MPV and the "Fun Riding" Aveo (coming soon in North America as the Sonic) 5-door.


2011 GM Korea Chevrolet Camaro


Although the Korean-spec Camaro was completely a CBU (Completely Built Unit) from North America, nothing's different from the Korean Camaro to the American Camaro except from the rear. The Korean Camaro has different tail lamps, making it slightly different to the American Camaro.


2011 GM Korea Chevrolet Camaro interior


Despite the different rear view of the Korean Camaro, the interior of the Korean Camaro remains the same, well for the speedometer set on the KM/H basis, which is a commoner to the Korean cars because the unit KM/H was used.

While the American Camaro has a host of automatic transmission, manual transmission, V6 and V8 engines, the Korean Camaro is different because the only offer from GM Korea's Chevrolet Camaro is the 3.6L V6 24-Valve DOHC engine that produces 312PS/6400rpm of power output and 9.1km/L of fuel economy. The 6-speed AT is the only transmission available for the Korean Camaro, which can be an unpleasant drawback for Korean fans.

The GM Korea Camaro comes with four introductory colors, which are Yellow, Red, Black, and Silver. That's less than the American-spec Camaro.

My Comment:
Despite offered less than the American Camaro, the Korean-spec Chevy Camaro from GM Korea Company is much more of a worthy competitor against the Korean FR Sports Coupe, the Hyundai Genesis Coupe. Well, don't ask me if which of these two will prevail because an article from Top Gear Philippines will explain. A minor drawback for the GM Korea Camaro is the pricing because the 47,000,000 Korean Won pricing sounds pricey than the Hyundai Genesis Coupe 380 GT-P's 33,480,000 Korean Won pricing. Despite pricing, the Korean Camaro has more power than the Genesis Coupe 380 GT-P because the Camaro gets 312PS while the Genesis Coupe only has 303PS. This leave those two a choice between the Mafias and the Triads.

Already reached its stardom as Transformers' Bumblebee, Ryan Agoncillo experienced it thanks for his role for Chevrolet to the Philippines, and now what will Bumblebee do on his new challenge in the land of Korean dramas and K-POP? Time will tell...

Photo: GM Korea Company

Saturday, April 9, 2011

A Perfect Balance of winning the 2010-2011 Philippine COTY and bragging them to others with the Chevrolet Cruze

In the 2010-2011 Philippine Car of the Year, presented by the Car Awards Group, there were fourteen category winners;

1) Ford Fiesta


2) Chevrolet Cruze (also available in South Korea as the GM Korea Chevrolet Cruze)


3) Hyundai YF Sonata


4) Jaguar XF line


5) Subaru WRX STi 4-door (GVB/GVF)


6) Kia Soul


7) Mitsubishi RVR/ASX/Outlander Sport


8) Hyundai Tucson iX/ix35


9) Hyundai Santa Fe


10) Nissan Murano Z51


11) Foton MPX


12) Toyota Alphard


13) Mitsubishi Pajero Sport/Montero Sport/Nativa


14) Foton SUP (known as the Blizzard in the PHL market)


The winner is...

THE CHEVROLET CRUZE!!!



A perfect balance between winning a contest and a victorious reverberation. The Chevrolet Cruze is proven worldwide and we award this car because of its style, performance, and fuel efficiency. It's world proven.

Congratulations to the Cruze for winning the Philippine COTY and for a bonus;




THREE CHEVROLET CRUZE SUPER BOWL 2011 ADS FOR US TO ENJOY! Time to say "Facebook News Feed" and we will hear "First Post: Chevrolet Cruze wins the 2010-2011 Philippine Car Of The Year! Epic Win!"

CONGRATULATIONS!

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

GM Korea Chevrolet Captiva

After the name change from GM Daewoo Auto and Technology to GM Korea Company since March 2011 and successfully transformed all Daewoo cars into Chevrolet cars except the Damas, Labo, and the flagship sedan Alpheon, the company seems to be gaining a lot of customers from South Korea to worldwide. With the introduction of the Orlando ALV, Aveo 5-door, Camaro, and the Corvette C6 to the Korean market, the fifth out of the eight planned models is now out and the new Chevrolet Captiva (쉐보레 캡티바) is the new name of the Daewoo Winstorm SUV, which was launched since Autumn 2006.


2012 GM Korea Chevrolet Captiva


The whole world will see this as a minor change but here in South Korea, it's their debutante. A new name for the once forgotten Daewoo Winstorm, which didn't share success against the Hyundai Santa Fe and the Kia Sorento. For the debutante in South Korea, the GM Korea Chevrolet Captiva gained an aggressive front view based on the Chevrolet Aveo/Sonic while the Winstorm rear was retained. With its strikingly bold design, I'm sure that there is hope for this crossover built from Bupyeong-gu, Incheon.


2012 GM Korea Chevrolet Captiva interior


The interior has mildly revised to be more premium while retaining its 7-seater capability. With equipments such as Bluetooth connectivity, leather-wrapped steering wheel, six airbags, USB Integration, Bluetooth connectivity, and Touch-screen system, the Chevrolet Captiva is one handy crossover suitable for your hectic lifestyles. This SUV can be perfect on your weekend getaway when you need it. Also, the seats can be folded for enhanced luggage-carrying conveniences and other things to do.

Two engine types are available for the Chevrolet Captiva such as the 2.4L Ecotec petrol engine and the 2.2L VCDi (Variable Turbocharger Common Rail Diesel Injection) engine. The 2.2L CRDi engine with VG Turbo intercooler makes 184 PS of power output and 40.8 kg.m of torque. In fuel economy, the Chevrolet Captiva 2.2L 6MT 2WD variant gets 15.9km/L of fuel economy while the Captiva 2.2L 6AT 2WD offers the fuel economy of 13.9km/L.

The available 4WD system on the GM Korea Chevrolet Captiva splits the torque between the front and rear wheels, depending on what road conditions this crossover may face. At first, it runs on 2WD mode for optimized fuel efficiency but when it seeks a 4WD-only terrain, about 50% of torque applies to the rear wheels. The Electronic Stability Control and ABS brakes are the major functions for the Captiva's 4WD system.

My thoughts about the Chevrolet Captiva:

The world market will see the new Captiva as a "kouki" or minor change but in the South Korean market, the Chevrolet Captiva name is a debut name and replaces the weakened Daewoo Winstorm as part of turning the weak Daewoo into the internationally-known Chevrolet. There is hope that The Covenant Car Company Incorporated will bring the Captiva minor change soon but even with the CRDi-VGT engine armed on the new Captiva, it still wont compete against our Mitsubishi Montero Sport GTV but the design is truly a global winner. Need I say more? Enjoy the debut, Chevrolet Captiva, and the 18 roses are waiting for you...

Photo: GM Korea Company

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Word? GM Korea Company in Arirang TV's Contenders this April!

This April on Arirang TV's employment survival reality TV project, Contenders (not to be confused with the boxing reality show The Contender or Aririang TV's former quiz show The Contenders) GM Korea Company (formerly GM Daewoo Auto and Technology) will be the participating corporation, looking for a new employee!

For those who don't know about Contenders; it is an employment survival reality TV project aired on a global Korean TV network, Arirang TV. Each month, there will be a participating corporation looking for a new talented and skilled employee. Eight will enter, only one will win his/her dream job at the corporation he/she wish to be a part of. It requires mental coordination, teamwork, cooperation, physical coordination, and determination to win that dream job. This show is just like The Apprentice.

Hosted by Lee Young Dae, Jahng Elloise, and PJ Rogers, this reality TV show airs at different timeslots depending on which country you are on every Sunday.

Now, this April on Contenders; GM Korea Company is looking for a new talented employee. Eight will enter, only one will work for Mr. Mike Arcamone! Which one of these eight will get a job with Korea's fastest growing car company that is a part of General Motors?

More about Contenders show at:

Chevrolet 5-year warranty! ^_^

Chevrolet print ad with Ryan Agoncillo


An award-winning customer care service that is brilliantly a good news for Chevy owners across the Philippines!

Since April 1, 2011 (they're not fooling), The Covenant Car Company Inc., the official distributor of Chevrolet in the Philippines, provided a 5-year warranty for every Chevrolet model they bought, from the Camaro, Cruze, Spark, and any other Chevy we know.


Buying a new Chevy never been this useful with this 5-year warranty that covers everything for your Chevy. As always,

"Chevrolet, is the car."

Friday, April 1, 2011

Aggressive Cruze for Malaysian customers

Chevrolet Cruze Special Edition '11


Exclusively for the Malaysian market and up to 300 units available, this Special Edition model of the global medium sedan, the Chevrolet Cruze (known in Korea as GM Korea Chevrolet Cruze), is loaded with some cosmetic mods from the front bumper, sporty rims, side skirts, and the rear bumper.

It pays tribute to the Cruze WTCC (World Touring Car Championship) car that won the Manufacturer's title and Yvan Muller for driver's title last year!

This kind of Cruze looks cool and I guess everyone's salivated it over for this! Especially the seniors who don't understand what 40 MPG (miles per gallon) is.



New Beginning of Another 100 Years

GM Korea Mi-Ray Concept '11


On the press day of the 2011 Seoul Motor Show, GM Korea Company (formerly GM Daewoo Auto and Technology), the Korean arm of General Motors, unveiled a concept sports car called Mi-Ray. Mi-Ray is derived from the Korean word "Mirae" meaning "future", which the Japanese word for "future" is "mirai" as well.

This is a new beginning of another 100 years for Chevrolet. For GM Korea, this is how the future shape up for the global American car maker reaching its centennial anniversary.

With the Chevrolet brand introduced to the Korean market and replacing the Daewoo nameplate, I think it was such a good idea for Mike Arcamone, the CEO of GM Korea Company.

For 100 years, Chevrolet runs deep. In South Korea;

"Chevrolet is the car."

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

The Prestige K7 vs. 5G Grandeur vs. World Class Luxury Alpheon

2011 Kia K7


2012 Hyundai Grandeur

2011 GM Korea Alpheon

A trio of luxury Korean premium midsize sedans are one of my favorites. The Kia K7 (known worldwide as the Kia Cadenza), the Hyundai 5G Grandeur, and GM Korea's world class luxury Alpheon, are highly luxurious and both have GDi engines depending on the Korean executives' tastes. I wonder which of these three is my pick?

CASE ONE: On February 2011, the Kia K7 made its transition that all of the engines offered on this premium midsize sedan are all Gasoline Direct Injection engines. Now called "The Prestige K7", the Kia K7 now offers the 2.4L Theta-II GDi and the new Lambda V6 GDi engine, first offered on the Hyundai 5G Grandeur. The fuel economy of the K7 2.4 GDi takes about 12.8km/L while the K7 3.0 GDi goes for about 11.6km/L. The styling of the Kia K7 was too plain and bulgy but the headlamps seem to be a shining inheritance because when night falls, expect these daytime running lamps shine through.

CASE TWO: After its surprise appearance at one episode of KBS' action drama, The Fugitive Plan B, and debuted in South Korean market since mid-January 2011, the term 5G in the 5G Grandeur naming stands for "fifth generation", meaning that the Grandeur (known in some markets as the Azera) is now on its 5th generation. A legendary evolution on Hyundai's legendary name that made it the Korean take of Toyota Crown. The 5G Grandeur packs two engine types; a 2.4L Theta-II GDi and the new Lambda V6 GDi engine. The front looks more of an oversized YF Sonata and the rear view kinda looks like a Maserati Granturismo but the new 5G Grandeur is one beautiful specimen thanks to Hyundai's fluidic sculpture. This exterior look is way better than the Kia K7!

CASE THREE: The GM Korea Alpheon (formerly GM Daewoo Alpheon, after this company switched its name to GM Korea Company) was just a rebadged version of the second-generation Buick LaCrosse and it replaced the poor-selling, Australia-built, Veritas as the flaghsip model that takes on the likes of the BMW 5-Series, Audi A6, Lexus GS, and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The gorgeous exterior and the swooping interior lines truly made the Alpheon the new class of world class luxury. The 2.4L SIDI and the 3.0L SIDI engine are the available engine types available for the Alpheon. The 2.4L SIDI is a GDi engine that has a fuel economy of 10.6km/L and the 3.0L SIDI is also a GDi engine, packing a fuel efficiency of 9.3km/L. Not quite fuel efficient but its design is truly a work of art for the Alpheon.

As for me, I think the GM Korea Alpheon and the Hyundai 5G Grandeur are my pick when it comes to the design but if I had to choose one of these, I'd say it would be the Alpheon because of its world class design. The 5G Grandeur looks more of an oversized Sonata to me but I think the new look would need to be more attractive to appeal more Korean executives. Both the K7 and the 5G Grandeur are more fuel efficient than the Alpheon because their advanced GDi engines are optimized to make it more powerful, emit less, and labeled as full-fledged eco cars. It's up to you to decide which of these three sovereign Korean sedans is your pick. ^^

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Alpheon World Class Owner's View

GM Korea Alpheon '11


Face it, even where you're in the North America, China, or in South Korea, it's good to say that the Buick LaCrosse/GM Korea Alpheon is truly a world class luxury sedan that is the new class of world class. The design and silence of the LaCrosse or Alpheon truly stands out against European and Japanese luxury cars, even the BMW and Lexus.




Now, what would the Japanese and the Germans said when they encounter the LaCrosse/Alpheon luxury sedan? Last February, GM Korea launched a test drive event to those who owned a Lexus, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, or Audi. It was made to check how does the Alpheon stacks up against the European and Japanese luxury cars of this category.

Pretty much to say that the Europeans and the Japanese who've indulged in the GM Korea Alpheon/Buick LaCrosse made them like this car because of its World Class Design and World Class Silence.

I hope I'll find either the LaCrosse or Alpheon as a grey import at Subic and see the difference.

Friday, March 4, 2011

And Cruze CRDi has landed...

2011 GM Korea Chevrolet Cruze


What a stroke of luck for those who are waiting for the diesel-fed Cruze to arrive in the Philippines for a long time. It seems that TCCCI has finally launched the Chevrolet Cruze 2.0L Diesel variant and this is what we've been waiting for!

Scoop:

Lucky for you, GM Korea sold this variant and we happy to see the Korean-made Cruze come equipped with this diesel engine, packed with 150 PS of power output (eh? the Korean-spec Cruze Diesel packs about 163 PS of power) and it's mated with a six-speed AT.

Pricing starts to a modest 1,288,000 Philippine Pesos, which is a not bad pricing, and best to hurry up because of its limited availability. First come first serve!!!

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Orlando vs. Fuzion

GM Korea Chevrolet Orlando


Mitsubishi Fuzion

Well, two crossover wagons can play that game. Both GM Korea's Chevrolet Orlando and Mitsubishi's Fuzion (known in Chinese-speaking countries as the Zinger) truly have in common; SUV ruggedness, minivan space, and sedan driving comfort. Just imagine, if The Covenant Car Company Inc. decided to bring the new Chevrolet Orlando (made in Korea by GM Korea) to the Philippines soon, what would the Mitsubishi Fuzion react?

First things first; in terms of height, the Mitsubishi Fuzion has the height of 1800/1805mm while the Chevrolet Orlando has 1635mm. I guess the GM Korea Chevrolet Orlando is about 20% shorter than the Fuzion, but if you check both of these MPVs' wheelbases, the Orlando wins. The Orlando's wheelbase is about 2760mm while the Fuzion's wheelbase is 2720mm. That's enough wheelbase and legroom for other people to fit inside the Korean-American Active Life Vehicle.

Both the Orlando and the Fuzion can seat up to seven people but thanks to its long wheelbase, I believe that the Orlando is best to fit inside. Accessing the third row seat is made simple by folding the seats from the 2nd row. Both the Orlando and the Fuzion truly have in common.

In terms of performance; the Orlando stacks up against the Fuzion. Why? Because the Orlando's 2.0L Turbo Diesel engine packs a punching 165 PS while the Fuzion's 2.4L 16-Valve Petrol engine packs just about 136 PS. With the Fuzion offered in just 4-speed AT, the Orlando has an additional two gears, making a total for the 6-speed Automatic transmission. The Orlando's also offered in the manual transmission, making it a fun-to-drive MPV like no other.

I strongly believed that the Chevrolet Orlando is the best pick against the Mitsubishi Fuzion despite both of these shared the same experiences; having the ruggedness of an SUV, spaciousness of a minivan, and sedan riding comfort. I guess the Mitsubishi Fuzion will wave the white flag, surrendering to the Chevrolet Orlando.

Let's hope that TCCCI will bring the Korean-made Orlando soon if they have that chance.

Monday, February 28, 2011

GM Daewoo (GM Korea) Chevrolet Aveo

2012 GM Daewoo (GM Korea) Chevrolet Aveo

The second out of the eight Chevrolet vehicles announced by GM Daewoo CEO, now GM Korea CEO, Mike Arcamone, is the Chevrolet Aveo (쉐보레 아베오). In other countries considering this is the new generation Aveo, and in North America with will be known as the Chevrolet Sonic (and the Sonic will be built in Michigan), the South Koreans seek the Chevrolet Aveo name as a debutante and it will be built in the Bupyeong plant in South Korea.

Available only in hatchback this March following with the 4-door variant this May, GM Korea's Chevrolet Aveo is a fun-loving vehicle intended for fun-loving young Koreans looking for some fun-to-drive cars. The outside view features dual crystal headlamps, sporty allow wheels, aggressive design in front and back, secret rear doors just like the Matiz Creative (soon to be renamed as GM Korea's Chevrolet Spark) and some hamburger-shaped grille. Although the hamburger-like front looks somewhat plain to me, the GM Daewoo/GM Korea Chevrolet Aveo looks like it's ready to show the rivals such as the Mazda Demio and the Ford Fiesta who's the man.

On the interior, it looks more similar to the Matiz Creative because of the high-tech dynamic meter cluster. Once you are inside the Aveo, there's no way you will ever go back to your ordinary hatchback again because this looks more enjoyable like you are playing your favorite racing game. Anyway, the rear seats of the Chevrolet Aveo can be folded for added space.

The main engine for GM Korea's Chevrolet Aveo is the 1.6-litre 16-Valve DOHC engine that produces 114hp of power and 15.1kg-m of torque. It comes in two transmission types; a 6-speed automatic and a 5-speed manual transmission. The fuel economy of the Chevrolet Aveo 1.6L 6AT grade is 14.8km/L while the Aveo 1.6L 5MT grade is positively 17.3km/L. Oh my gosh, if that arrived in the Philippines soon (if TCCCI has the chance), we could just go for the manual version because not only this 3-pedal bad boy is fun to drive, its fuel efficient than the Auto variant. If easy driving is just one thing, even the female drivers out there, we could just go for the Chevrolet Aveo 1.6L 6AT grade.

My thoughts about the Chevrolet Aveo:

Koreans prefer fun-to-drive compacts because they are suited on their free-time getaways and GM Daewoo (now GM Korea) has the answer to that. GM Daewoo/GM Korea Chevrolet Aveo is a mixture of business and leisure for the young Korean drivers in their 20's and 30's and guaranteed to be a global success. Like what Mr. Arcamone said, the 5-door hatchback is available in March while the 4-door is expected to be here this May. It will arrive in Europe and Asian markets soon, even in North America as the Sonic.

Do you think TCCCI will bring the Chevrolet Aveo soon? I hope so but I hope they'll offer the manual variant because of its fuel efficiency. I believe this is perfect for a night out at Manila or Metrowalk. A great urban hatchback for the urban egoists everywhere.

GM Daewoo (GM Korea) Chevrolet Orlando

2012 GM Korea Chevrolet Orlando
When GM Daewoo is still in the process of renaming it into GM Korea Company, the Korean division of General Motors launched the first of the eight Chevrolet vehicles to the South Korean market. Six of them will be made from Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, while the two Chevrolet models are imported from the North American market. The first Korean-made Chevrolet that will mark the beginning of Chevrolet and the countdown of renaming "GM Daewoo Auto and Technology" into "GM Korea Company" is the Active Live Vehicle known as the Chevrolet Orlando (쉐보레 올란도).

Made for the global market except the United States and Japan, the Chevrolet Orlando is the first Korean Chevrolet that will help revolutionize the Korean division of General Motors and to bring out the best for Korean families. With the concept of "Active Life Vehicle", the Orlando marks the new category because of its ruggedness of an SUV, sedan riding comfort, and spaciousness of a minivan. Think of it as the Korean-American take on Mitsubishi Fuzion/Zinger MPV.

GM Korea's Chevrolet Orlando is powered with the 2.0L DOHC Turbo Diesel engine, capable of releasing a fresh power output of 163hp and the torque output of 36.7kg-m. The 2.0L 6-Speed Automatic variant has a fuel economy of 14.0km/L while the 2.0L 6-Speed Manual variant has a fuel economy of 17.4km/L. In other terms, driving a manual variant of the Orlando takes you further if you are planning a trip from Manila to Cabanatuan.

My thoughts about the Chevrolet Orlando:
The Chevrolet Orlando marks the first of the eight Chevrolet vehicles to be launched in the Korean market. As always told from GM Daewoo CEO, now GM Korea Company CEO, Mike Arcamone said that six Chevrolet models are domestic while two are North American imports. As it gets near, the GM Daewoo Lacetti Premiere and the Matiz Creative will be branded as Chevrolet Cruze and Spark, planned to rename existing models while retaining the GM Daewoo brand on vehicles such as Damas, Labo, and the Alpheon premium sedan.

The Orlando is intended for the global market and it's not coming to the United States and Japan. If The Covenant Car Company Inc. plans to launch the Korean-made Orlando to the Philippines soon, the Mitsubishi Fuzion, Toyota Avanza and Innova, and the Nissan Grand Livina might be shocked to see such a worthy Korean-American contender stepping on the competition. Also, if someone plans a Philippine commercial for the Orlando, leave it to Ryan Agoncillo because he's the brand ambassador for Chevrolet Philippines. If Ryan Agoncillo's going for a joyride in Orlando, he'll bring the whole family for an entire trip around the country with the new Orlando, Chevrolet's Active Life Vehicle created from GM Korea (formerly GM Daewoo). Sales for the Orlando starts at March 2011 in South Korea and soon worldwide except USA and Japan.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Now on, Daewoo Matiz and Lacetti will be known as GM Korea's Chevrolet Spark and Chevrolet Cruze!

GM Korea Chevrolet Spark and Cruze


GM Daewoo's Lacetti Premiere (launched since late 2008) and GM Daewoo's Matiz Creative (launched since Autumn 2009), will be renamed as GM Korea Chevrolet Spark and GM Korea Chevrolet Cruze (differentiating from the US Chevrolet Cruze, launched since Autumn 2010) as part of the Korean launch of Chevrolet and the renaming of "GM Daewoo Auto and Techonology" into "GM Korea Company" starting late March 2011.

Despite renames, they are not counted as one of the eight new Chevrolet models coming to South Korea this year, ranging from the Orlando ALV, Aveo Sedan and Hatch, the Camaro (CBU from America), Captiva SUV, new midsize sedan, an unnamed imported Chevy model, and something that will built at the Bupyeong plant.

We already have these two in the Philippines so the new naming will take effect to South Korea this March.