17 December 2015

Samsung Production By Model : 2000-14


Samsung is a very large and successful Korean conglomerate which diversified into cars, commencing production in 1998. Almost immediately sales were hit by the Asian financial crisis and by the year 2000 it became part of the Renault Group with Samsung retaining a minority share.

The first model was the SM5, basically a Nissan Maxima. The next car was the SM3 in 2002, again a Nissan based model on the compact Sunny. The SM7 was also based on the Maxima and was a full sized luxury sedan that commenced production in 2004. In 2007 the QM5 SUV was released, also known as the Renault Koleos. Finally the QM3 or Captur was introduced, a small SUV.

Below are production figures as I understand them to be correct.


Yr SM5 SM3 QM3 QM5 SM7 Total

Lattitude Fluence Captur Koleos Talisman

1998 41,593 - - - - 41,593

1999 6,362 - - - - 6,362

2000 26,862 - - - - 26,862

2001 68,679 - - - - 68,679

2002 100,148 16,817 - - - 116,965

2003 84,999 32,631 - - - 117,630

2004 55,972 19,481 - - 5,453 80,906

2005 63,272 30,081 - - 25,085 118,438

2006 71,675 71,817 - - 17,807 161,299

2007 76,363 82,650 - 5,178 15,081 179,272

2008 54,188 65,190 - 9,935 14,687 144,000

2009 62,091 80,480 - 7,972 18,395 168,938

2010 82,316 120,394 - 5,844 14,288 222,842

2011 46,869 84,798 - 7,510 10,630 149,807

2012 34,032 46,560 - 4,747 3,816 89,155

2013 30,361 23,992 1,352 5,341 3,805 64,851

2014 27,808 21,467 20,553 9,234 4,801 83,863

Total 885,635 696,358 21,905 55,761 133,848 1,793,507

Data source: Michel Freyssenet & Renault.

It seems that Renault's Korean operation hasn't been as productive as hoped for. Domestic sales are muted and exports subdued. The Samsung brand was rarely seen outside of Korea and is no longer used on exported products.

With capacity to produce 300,000 cars p.a in Busan, Korea, there is potential utilisation going begging. In 2014 the Nissan Rogue (X-Trail) started to be made and exported from Korea which makes commercial sense. So what future does the Samsung brand have?

Don't these people get comfort breaks? Shameful

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