Just so y'all know, I was listening to the Business Wars podcast about the Samsung/Apple competition for smart watches, and in one episode they mentioned the Samsung Car. I was like... "WHAT?", and here we are! :) This is the kind of off-the-wall car history I get obsessed about (even though people in Korea probably think "of course they did!") Thanks for being here!
I heard about them in like year 2014-15 first time when i had magazine with like 2000 cars and there was samsung. About that time I had samsung galaxy a5 and i was surprised. But from that time i didnt hear about them
And finally, Renault decided to change their brand name in 2022, and they removed original Samsung logo in April 2024. And only SM6 maintained that logo, QM6 only maintained its name, XM3 changed to Arkana.
then CEO of Samsung was a car nut, and avid collector of automobiles. He really, really, really wanted to have an automobile manufacturing division. There still is a private auto museum that displays his auto collection.
Except the only difference this time is that people would have bought the Apple car because it had Apple in the name and it was from Apple. I say would, because there is conflicting reports that have stated that they have canceled development.
The difference is Apple use existing technology in new ways. Samsung make the technology. Add to the fact that Samsung is a mega company and Apple isn't.
I saw some Samsung-badged cars in Paris nearly ten years ago, and indeed they were very Renault in their origins but my goodness, I couldn't believe it when I saw them!
@@HowardLeVertmakes sense because if you pay close attention to the previous gen Nissan Rogue if it’s made in Korea it reads as follows: *MFD BY RENAULT SAMSUNG LTD*
Yeah. The X-Trail Mk3 actually became the first Japanese-branded automobile assembled in South Korea in over 30 years over that deal back in 2013. Didn’t mean much, though. Nissan left the South Korean market in 2022 over low sales and all X-Trails are now made elsewhere
I own one of those 1998 SM525V. Just hit 100,000miles(160,900km) on the odometer today(there are 1st gen SM5s with over 1,000,000km on the odometer; my car is still pretty much brand new). It is really a KDM version of A32 Maxima/I30/Cefiro(many parts are literally "NISSAN" stamped) but with added SR engine choices(SR18DE and SR20DE) and features(such as optional sat nav system or adaptive dammper control). 2002 model year offered mobile internet based navigation and voice command system(this was 22 years ago). Now that its very last production is 19 years ago(2005), these cars are the most abundant 20+ year old passenger car in S.Korea(coz it is the first Korean car that doesn't rust away). Trivia: 11 units were modified as long wheel base(10cm longer; only 1 unit is 20cm longer) version for use by Samsung executives. Trivia 2: that very car which is featured in comercial is a pre-prduction version and has VIN of "970001". That car under went restoration program(took 2 weeks) last year and is still being driven. Trivia 3: one of the pre production version drove the entire silkroad route(from China to Portugal) to prove its durability.
Really, most of the 1995-1999 Maxima's these are based on have been junked long ago due to rest. Cool cars though , in USA they were all VQ30 6 cylinder engines
I used to own an A32 Infiniti I30. I really enjoyed driving that car for 10 years until the exhaust system rusted and the CV joints needed replacing. It was such a smooth and plush near luxury car.
@@xiondFirst They have no more interest in this than they had in the 50s in the USA with their propaganda film asking road users to put pressure on their congressman to build more roads.
@@xiondFirst Many of them do make buses, but trains are a whole different game, very different from what they specialise in. While companies like Mercedes Benz do make Buses, only Hyundai and Mitsubishi to my knowledge make trains.
My father drove a 2002 Samsung SM5 from 2016-2020. It was basically the Korean cousin of the Nissan Cefiro A32 and I quite liked that car. It was a comfortable, reliable sedan that rarely broke down. The downside was that it had poor fuel efficiency, crash safety, and was a boring old 90's car. (My father scrapped the car in the fall of 2020 because he had an opportunity to get a better car.) Additionally, SM5 was popular with taxi drivers in South Korea in the 2000s due to its high reliability. These are the most common 90s cars on South Korean roads today! They now sell for less than $1,500 on the used car market. Sadly, after the 2010s, Samsung completely gave up on the car industry, and since Renault started making cars, they lost a lot of customers and their cars became terrible. (Technical issues. Expensive repair costs. Complex and difficult maintenance.) Now all dealerships have switched to French Renault with a yellow sign.
I am Korean. I love cars. Thank you for introducing Korean brands that are not easy for foreigners to understand (which sold too quickly to Renault and no longer have a reputation). Gen 1 SM5 is often seen in Korea. It's always beautiful but looks sad. Maybe you won't see the design again in the future. Looking at the car, I think it's a combination of the first attempt, growth through transition, and unfortunate times. It's starting to be treated as a durable, old-fashioned car, so prices are going up. People jokingly say that they don't know what engine oil is, but it's a car that goes without a problem until it's scrapped. I don't know what you mean. Maybe it's a zombie like Volvo? Anyway, thank you for explaining the first and last history of our country's short but intense Samsung car. 😅
Nissan Rogues were built at the Renault Samsung plant in Busan, South Korea from 2014-2020. Many Rogues sold in the US with a VIN beginning with "K" from those years wear that placard.
SM3, QM3, SM6, QM6 are actually french Renault Fluence, Captur, Talisman and Koleos II rebadged as Samsung QM5 and SM5 where the only Samsung sold badged as Renault. SM5 is technicaly based on the Renault Laguna III
@@xperiasony6304The Fluence is actually a Samsung rebadged as a Renault. Renault never intended to design a sedan Megane 3, so they had Samsung build it and rebadged it as a Renault for markets that needed a sedan. I own one and there are Samsung Motors logos on the windows.
My parents had an SM5 back in Korea actually, was a very nice and reliable car that far surpassed its Korean competitors (at the time) in durability due to the use of Nissan technology and facilities when other manufacturers were starting to steer towards domestically developed technology. It didn’t sell very well initially due to the high pricing and the IMF crisis, however after the acquisition of Renault (who lowered prices significantly) these sold like hotcakes, threatening the sale of Hyundais. Renault Samsung continued to be a viable competitor in the Korean market in the 2000s with the continued sale of badge engineered Nissans (SM3, SM7), with the main selling point being the merit of experiencing a Japanese car at Korean car pricing. Things went downhill when they switched to Renault-based models in the 2010s which didn’t suit the Korean market as well as the Nissans however, they changed their name to Renault Korea motors in 2022 and is basically just a production plant for Renault now.
I used to work for Samsung in Suwon, SK in the late 90s. I had some idea of Samsung when I joined the company but little did I know that Samsung and Hyundai were the two companies that literally propped up the entire economy of S. Korea, esp after the war. I was surprised to find out that Samsung made EVERYTHING, from Manhole covers to helicopters, I even had an opportunity to take a ride in one of their limousines. The size of this company and its contribution to the economy is such that even the local humble taxi driver was worried about Samsung and Hyundai shares and their performance more than anything else. No wonder, as these two companies account for nearly 30% of entire SK's GDP!. And for those you wondering, LG is not as big. Samsung is MUCH bigger than LG, almost 30+ times. Cheers
When I went to Korea in the mid 2000's for work Samsung-Renaults were pretty common on the road. But I had to ask what they were because unlike every other brand the only brand identification on the outside of the car was the logo.
@@zeruiahwild1 it sucks I had to sell it because electronic issues and the axle were getting too expensive to replace, and now I have a 2024 Civic Sport manual. I miss the Infiniti, but I’ll get another one someday, (or another Lexus)
Whats crazy is I was laying in bed before sleep thinking "I wonder why Apple tried a car but Samsung hasn't" and then BOOM this video. GET OUT OF MY HEAD JON!!!!!!!
Very interesting video, though I did already know about the SM series. Back around 2010, I lived in Korea for a few years working for a publishing house and enjoyed seeing the different cars. One thing that a lot of people are forgetting is that Samsung was not a household name in America until at least 2005. Also, in Korea the really big companies are known to have their branding all over various products from hotels to cars to electronics and shopping centers, etc.
I had a work colleague once who was basically a gruff but gentle giant of a guy - with one hard and fast rule (never explained). Nothing Korean, especially the cars. He was fine with Japanese, but (and we traveled frequently together) god help Hertz if they only had Hyundais on the lot. I swear he'd move up 3 classes and take a Suburban before a Sonata. It was such a strange fixation - the only thing I could think of was that maybe his Dad served (died?) there -he was older than me, so timeline might have fit.
Sounds like an irrational mentality going on with him. Did he have beef with Korean people themselves? Wouldn't be surprised his bigotry is so surgical 😅
More than likely he just had an experience with Hyundai, Kia, or Daewoo in the 80's or 90's,,which all had atrocious quality and reliability. Ihad a first gen Sonata as a hand me down and with only 40k on the Odo, not only was the transmission shot(only had 3 gears, 4th was MIA, the engine would bog and die suddenly, AC was out, and so were 3/4 power windows (imagine driving around in 85+ degrees. I swore I would never buy Hyundai, and by the same token Kia/Daewoo...ever. They were just that bad, and to a certain extent, looking at engine and ignition/mobilizer failures, they are quite far from being quality cars.
Thanks Jon, this is a timely history lesson. The other day at work I had a Rouge in the shop, and the Vin tag is marked “Samsung-Renault” under manufacturer. It made me curious, but I hadn’t gotten around to reading up on that just yet.
This was the time many companies spawned up Hyundai ,kia ,Daewoo , ssangyong and Samsung Hyundai acquired kia Daewoo owner ran off with money , gm purchased passenger cars and Indian tata purchased their truck bus division Ssangyong has been sold away numerous times Renault took over Samsung cars
In Saudi Arabia we had Samsung cars in the late 90s early 00s and I particularly remember seeing a couple SM5s at the time, but the dealership didn't last long.
This was amazing! Thank you for all the great information! I heard of the Samsung car just this morning, and this video did a great job explaining what of was :)
I remember the Samsung SM5 sedan. It was an interesting car from South Korea. I guess that because of the 25 year rule, many old ones can be imported into the United States now. I wasn't aware of a Nissan 2.5 liter V6. That could have been used in the first and second generation Altimas.
Im pretty sure the VG was too big for the first two generations and it adding a lot of cost and complexity for 100 more ccs... and the altima had the dohc version of the ka24 so it had enough power. Also nissan has a couple small displacement v6es in asia vg20, vq23, vq25 (the one in the video) and a vg20 (vg is the engine family from the first generation 300zx) Japan taxes car on displacement and thats the only reason stuff like that gets made, hence why it never gets exported (although we did get like a 2.3 mazda v6 or something like that in the mx6)
@@livvy4333 The VQ25 V6 would have been perfect for the first and second generation Altimas. The 2.3 liter V6 you are thinking of from Mazda was a Miller Cycle supercharged 2.3 liter V6 in the Millennia S sedan. Mazda did have a 1.8 liter V6 in the MX-3 GS model.
Fantastically interesting Jon, all new information for me. Enjoy automobile product history. Thank you best regards, Peter Mac Donald ( Penang, Malaysia).
I had a 1999 SQ5 here in Chile back in 2010, it's the most comfy car I've ever had, plenty of room inside and in the trunk. It has a little too soft suspention though, and some lack of power from it's Nissan SR20DE engine coupled with a 4 speed auto. I also had that exact combination of engine and transmission in a Nissan Primera P11 which I think was quite ligher because that car moved way better.
I owned a third generation Samsung SM5 sedan here in Australia, where it was sold as the Renault Latitude. It had a 2.0L diesel engine, was very economical and was a great motorway cruiser! I had the top spec Privilege dCi spec and was packed full of features. In Australia, the South Korean built Renault Latitude (Samsung SM5) replaced the French built Renault Laguna, of which I also owned a second and third generations of (in wagon forms). In Australia, the Samsung QM5/QM6 SUV was sold as the Renault Koleos over two generation, it's still currently on sale in Australia and is one of Renault's most popular selling vehicles on sale here. There is also another Renault badged SUV that is sold in Australia from South Korea, the Renault Arkana, which is sold as the Renault Samsung XM3 in South Korea. Renault Korea Motors is currently working on a JV with China's Geely Motors, where Renault will start manufacturing Geely based vehicles for both the domestic and export markets.
And the XM3 was initaly sold as Samsung in Korea, and it arrives 2 years after here in France. But still assembled in Korea. It looks like a real Renault but it's initialy made for the Korean market.
The Qm5 crossover was sold in Chile by the name of Renault Koleos. It is a reliable and good car. Nothing sparkling, but terrific if you have kids to protect.
Wow! Thank you for blowing my mind! This is wild, and how did i not know about this???? as I type on my Samsung galaxy and curse my Samsung refiridgerator as it randomly pukes ice cubes hours after I tried to put ice in my solo cup? I am worried that Mitsubishi is in a decline. I remember, (like it was yesterday), when they had a prominent electronics line, as well as a amazing rally car. (I also have a box of Mitsubishi graphite drawing pencils that I think i should hold on to....) Time is cruel
I've never heard of the Samsung car. Auto parts suppliers have gone on to be full fledged manufacturers, but it's rare. Bridgestone, mostly known for tires, tried making a motorcycle for a while. There were a few factors that caused it's failure. Rumored, but I don't think it was ever documented, was the other motorcycle companies telling them that they wouldn't buy parts from a competitor. So either make bikes, or bike parts. They decided the latter was more profitable.
My uncle owned a 3rd gen SM5 for a few years. In Israel and some other export markets this car was known as a Renault Latitude, it came with a 2.0 litre Nissan diesel engine. Overall, the car was quite punchy and comfortable to drive, and everything felt well put together. It still wasn't a runaway sales success tough.
my cousin was one of developer of 1st SM5, this shit was literally undestructable tank, still running around nowdays, koreans replace their cars really often consider that, it's really amazing
wow My parents first car is samsung motors SM520 This car is useing Nissan SR 2.0L 1998cc Gas Engine But my parents tuning then LPG Buy Last 2000 17 year Driveing My old Brother and me I think you are the first foreign TH-camr to make a video about Samsung Motors. thank you (I'm Korean Please understand if my comment is inaccurate.)
First SM5 was really amazing. they really did their best to build it, had the best durability among korean cars then. A LOT of them still running in good condition and can be seen everytime I ride highways
Samsung has had relatively good sales in Jordan, with an estimated few thousand units sold since the early 2000s, starting with the SM5 MK-I. This model gained significant popularity, especially as an international travel taxi car between Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine. This success is likely due to the Nissan Maxima's good reputation and the availability of spare parts. The popularity continued with the later 2nd and 3rd generations, which encourage the parent company (Renault-Nissan Alliance) to sell them under the Renault Safrane/ Latitude and Nissan Teana names. All these models were extensively used in fleets, taxis, and car rentals. Samsung's relative popularity extended to other models, including the Samsung SV110 Truck (Nissan Atlas) for commercial use, the Samsung SM3 petrol & electric (also sold under Renault Fluence Z.E.), the Samsung SM6 (Renault Talisman), and the Samsung QMF (Renault Koleos). Selling a few thousand units over twenty years in Jordan is considered an excellent performance for an unknown young brand, especially since consumers tend to buy grey market imported cars, both used and new, rather than from official channels.
I have stayed in Korea twice as an expat, for a total of 3 years. During my first stay in 2009-2010, I used to drive a small sedan, Samsung SM-3. (Smaller than SM-5). I think they sold quite a bit of them to China. It was a quick and agile car to drive, building quality seemed good. We knew there was a relationship with Renault-Nissan. Note that Japanese cars are not welcome in S. Korea. The Koreans have not forgotten WWII. You wil not find any Toyotas there, or Lexus (insted they make their own luxury car Equus, a subsidiary of Hyundai) During my next stay 2017-2018 I could still see a lot of the SM3 and SM5 on the roads, along with newer and bigger models. Not as many as Hyundai/Kia, but still as many as some of the other brands like Daewoo and Ssang Yong. I am not surprised at all than Samsung makes cars because they make about everything. Washing machines, refrigerators, TV`s, mobile phones, ships, drilling rigs and why not cars?
My father brought home a 98' SM525V when I was little. We had that car for 13 years and hit 300k km (186k miles for 🦅) until we sold it. Now, I drive a Mazda CX-8 as a daily car, but I recently bought a 97 Nissan Cefiro 2.0 V6 because I just love this car so much. (I wasn't able to get the Samsung version as I no longer live in Korea.)
In chile its fun to make sleepers with the SM5 model bc of its sr20, replace the head with a vvl head or a turbo kit and you have power while looking like an old man
There are a ton of these cars here in Libya where I live. The quality is sub-par and are not well liked. However, some people buy them. Always wondered where these cars come from and why are they so bad! Thank you for this video.
As an 80s kid, ive found it fascinating to watch the auto market over the past 40 years...In the 80s/90s you couldn't get a better product than something from Japan. Thats not untrue wholely today, however their prices have elevvated them beyond some folks means. At the same time, Korean products were generally garbage. Samsung used to be the drug store boombox brand, or goldstar (lg). Korea has almost become today, what the japanese makes were in the 90s. Atleast by sales, id still never buy one, but tons of people do. Hyundai used to be a throwaway car, still true to some (myself included) but no denying their recent success. This is a fascinating video, and subject to me. As for the A32 Maxima, it may have been long in the tooth at the time, but you couldnt emulate a much better car. They were a fantastic car at the time. I still like Nissans (w\out cvts) but i miss THAT Nissan. Cheers
Well said. The Koreans are what the Japanese were in the 90s... but without the absolute bullet-proof reliability. While there are tons of people who have great service from Hyundai/Kia, there are plenty others who will say they had engine, etc issues. But that leaves the Chinese as the 70's Japanese waiting in the wings. Lower cost, high tech, and ready to take market share.
Samsung is still somewhat relevant in its home country but it's cars are just rebadged Renaults and Nissans. We had some of there cars imported to my country briefly in the beginning of 2000's they were just rebadged Sunny/Almera (from Nissan).
I always remembered Samsung as a savage knockoff of Japanese products, but I didn’t know the name itself was also a knockoff. Lol. This was fascinating. Just out of curiosity I once in awhile check on the Korean car industry like Renault Korea, Ssangyong (now KG Mobility), and Hyundai Motor, so this is very informative. Samsung totally failed cars but they are huge in electronics. I don’t understand how Samsung electronics are so popular when they are so poorly built, especially the wash machines and refrigerators. But anyways, interesting story on the car division.
Well, for me I had NO idea Samsung had ever even tried to become a car company, and I acutally heard a comment about a "samsung car" on a podcast and was like "huh?".... and here we are! I had to share!
When they used to sell Nissan based cars, it was very popular because of its high quality. However, when they switched to Reanult based vehicles... that was the start of the fall. The quality wasn't impressive enough like the old days while competitor, Hyundai and Kia started to boost up their quality, performance, and design. Plus, the Renault's line-up is rather focused on smaller hatchback and wagons which are not popular in Korea since market preference is rather focused on large sedans and SUVs. Now, due to the drop of the sales, Renault Korea is having pretty hard time and hestitating to show brand new models to the market which makes them to get neglected by customers even more.
Fresh update: Renault Korea just ditched their original typhoon logo and switched over to the one used by Renault HQ at France. I guess they wanted to emphasize their "french" identity from now on. Kinda interesting because one of their past slogans was "We make these at Busan".
When Saturn was going out of business, GM was approached by Penske Automotive Group (dealerships) to buy the brand Saturn. Then they were going to sell re-badged Renault Samsung cars from Korea as Saturns. Obviously the plan didn't come to fruition, but it's fun to think in an alternate universe that Saturn lives on!
At one time there was talk of Hyundai Group swapping its' consumer-electronics division (Hyundai phones are sold only in Korea) for Samsung Motors, which would be a break from the *chaebol* model to companies focusing more on their international strengths, but apparently it didn't come through.
Hyundai phones arent exclusively sold in Korea, here in my country (somewhere in latin-america) you can buy a Hyundai Phone and sometimes if you'r lucky a hyundai Tablet
Thanks man, this kind of stuff I absolutely obsess over... and honestly why I started the channel AND why my wife hates to ride in the car with me! Just FYI, I was listening to the Business Wars podcast about the Samsung/Apple competition for watches, and in one episode they mentioned the Samsung Car. I was like... "WHAT?", and here we are! :) Have a great weekend!
Hey Jon, you caught my ear when you mentioned heavy industries. In addition to the ls400 I own, that I have talked about in other comments. I have a 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX bug eye. All in the door jambs and under the hood are lables that read Fuji Heavy Industries. Not really sure what it is- would you be willing to do some research on this and put out a video on Subaru and it's relation to Fuji industries- Just a thought. Thx.
I don't think that'll take a whole video. Fuji Heavy Industries was an aircraft manufacturer that grew massive, and at one point they started to build cars under the Subaru name. For "reasons" Fuji is now known as Subaru. Yes, there's more to the story there - being broken up, coming together, etc. - but that's what I know off the top of my head. It's similar to Mitsubishi, just the name the car brand is the same as the parent conglomerate. :)
I wonder what a car company owned by Samsung would look like today a company that makes electronics making a car it might have been really something special especially considering what other Korean manufacturers have done
How did they spend so much money creating a badge-engineered Nissan? Is it that they built all the parts in Korea? It seems like they could have dipped their toe in the auto manufacturing waters with 60-90% of the car built in Japan and then finish it with a few Samsung parts. Definitely sounds like the failure was almost all due to the economy.
License fees to nissan was one factor, but the plant in Busan was also a huge money sink as well. The Busan factory site was originally just mudflat, not so ideal for building a factory without performing significant foundation work on the terrain. Samsung was forced to build it there however as the government was reluctant to let Samsung enter the automobile business, and Samsung needed a way to convince then-president YS Kim who was politically based in Busan.
Just so y'all know, I was listening to the Business Wars podcast about the Samsung/Apple competition for smart watches, and in one episode they mentioned the Samsung Car. I was like... "WHAT?", and here we are! :) This is the kind of off-the-wall car history I get obsessed about (even though people in Korea probably think "of course they did!") Thanks for being here!
I heard about them in like year 2014-15 first time when i had magazine with like 2000 cars and there was samsung. About that time I had samsung galaxy a5 and i was surprised. But from that time i didnt hear about them
And finally, Renault decided to change their brand name in 2022, and they removed original Samsung logo in April 2024. And only SM6 maintained that logo, QM6 only maintained its name, XM3 changed to Arkana.
then CEO of Samsung was a car nut, and avid collector of automobiles.
He really, really, really wanted to have an automobile manufacturing division.
There still is a private auto museum that displays his auto collection.
I can't believe Samsung beat Apple to the punch on making car
Except the only difference this time is that people would have bought the Apple car because it had Apple in the name and it was from Apple.
I say would, because there is conflicting reports that have stated that they have canceled development.
Huh? Apples isn't building a car. Nor where they
they were but they stopped@@samholdsworth420
The difference is Apple use existing technology in new ways. Samsung make the technology. Add to the fact that Samsung is a mega company and Apple isn't.
@@samholdsworth420Apple are going into the car market.
Renault Galaxy S24...
almost!
I saw some Samsung-badged cars in Paris nearly ten years ago, and indeed they were very Renault in their origins but my goodness, I couldn't believe it when I saw them!
@@HowardLeVertmakes sense because if you pay close attention to the previous gen Nissan Rogue if it’s made in Korea it reads as follows: *MFD BY RENAULT SAMSUNG LTD*
Yeah. The X-Trail Mk3 actually became the first Japanese-branded automobile assembled in South Korea in over 30 years over that deal back in 2013.
Didn’t mean much, though. Nissan left the South Korean market in 2022 over low sales and all X-Trails are now made elsewhere
Crossover with GM on pontiac fiero 2
LOL
I own one of those 1998 SM525V. Just hit 100,000miles(160,900km) on the odometer today(there are 1st gen SM5s with over 1,000,000km on the odometer; my car is still pretty much brand new).
It is really a KDM version of A32 Maxima/I30/Cefiro(many parts are literally "NISSAN" stamped) but with added SR engine choices(SR18DE and SR20DE) and features(such as optional sat nav system or adaptive dammper control). 2002 model year offered mobile internet based navigation and voice command system(this was 22 years ago).
Now that its very last production is 19 years ago(2005), these cars are the most abundant 20+ year old passenger car in S.Korea(coz it is the first Korean car that doesn't rust away).
Trivia: 11 units were modified as long wheel base(10cm longer; only 1 unit is 20cm longer) version for use by Samsung executives.
Trivia 2: that very car which is featured in comercial is a pre-prduction version and has VIN of "970001". That car under went restoration program(took 2 weeks) last year and is still being driven.
Trivia 3: one of the pre production version drove the entire silkroad route(from China to Portugal) to prove its durability.
Really, most of the 1995-1999 Maxima's these are based on have been junked long ago due to rest. Cool cars though , in USA they were all VQ30 6 cylinder engines
I used to own an A32 Infiniti I30. I really enjoyed driving that car for 10 years until the exhaust system rusted and the CV joints needed replacing. It was such a smooth and plush near luxury car.
Awesome!
Apple just canceled their car project once and for all. Mass market car production from scratch is hard.
Automotive is really a captive capital industry
Hell even Tesla is struggling to stay afloat rn
All car manufacturers should now start making public transit such as buses, trains, and diversify. Just making cars is limiting a lot of them.
@@xiondFirst They have no more interest in this than they had in the 50s in the USA with their propaganda film asking road users to put pressure on their congressman to build more roads.
@@xiondFirst Many of them do make buses, but trains are a whole different game, very different from what they specialise in. While companies like Mercedes Benz do make Buses, only Hyundai and Mitsubishi to my knowledge make trains.
Samsung built excavators as well, the Samsung excavator company was subsequently bought out by Volvo excavators
My father drove a 2002 Samsung SM5 from 2016-2020. It was basically the Korean cousin of the Nissan Cefiro A32 and I quite liked that car. It was a comfortable, reliable sedan that rarely broke down. The downside was that it had poor fuel efficiency, crash safety, and was a boring old 90's car. (My father scrapped the car in the fall of 2020 because he had an opportunity to get a better car.) Additionally, SM5 was popular with taxi drivers in South Korea in the 2000s due to its high reliability. These are the most common 90s cars on South Korean roads today! They now sell for less than $1,500 on the used car market.
Sadly, after the 2010s, Samsung completely gave up on the car industry, and since Renault started making cars, they lost a lot of customers and their cars became terrible. (Technical issues. Expensive repair costs. Complex and difficult maintenance.) Now all dealerships have switched to French Renault with a yellow sign.
I am Korean. I love cars. Thank you for introducing Korean brands that are not easy for foreigners to understand (which sold too quickly to Renault and no longer have a reputation).
Gen 1 SM5 is often seen in Korea. It's always beautiful but looks sad. Maybe you won't see the design again in the future. Looking at the car, I think it's a combination of the first attempt, growth through transition, and unfortunate times. It's starting to be treated as a durable, old-fashioned car, so prices are going up.
People jokingly say that they don't know what engine oil is, but it's a car that goes without a problem until it's scrapped. I don't know what you mean. Maybe it's a zombie like Volvo? Anyway, thank you for explaining the first and last history of our country's short but intense Samsung car. 😅
Nissan Rogues were built at the Renault Samsung plant in Busan, South Korea from 2014-2020. Many Rogues sold in the US with a VIN beginning with "K" from those years wear that placard.
We had some Samsung sourced products sold in Australia rebadged as Renault
Here in Turkey, we also have QM5, SM3, SM5, QM3, SM6 and QM6 sold as Renault
SM3, QM3, SM6, QM6 are actually french Renault Fluence, Captur, Talisman and Koleos II rebadged as Samsung
QM5 and SM5 where the only Samsung sold badged as Renault. SM5 is technicaly based on the Renault Laguna III
@@xperiasony6304The Fluence is actually a Samsung rebadged as a Renault. Renault never intended to design a sedan Megane 3, so they had Samsung build it and rebadged it as a Renault for markets that needed a sedan. I own one and there are Samsung Motors logos on the windows.
XM3 as Arkana as well
Awesome
My parents had an SM5 back in Korea actually, was a very nice and reliable car that far surpassed its Korean competitors (at the time) in durability due to the use of Nissan technology and facilities when other manufacturers were starting to steer towards domestically developed technology.
It didn’t sell very well initially due to the high pricing and the IMF crisis, however after the acquisition of Renault (who lowered prices significantly) these sold like hotcakes, threatening the sale of Hyundais.
Renault Samsung continued to be a viable competitor in the Korean market in the 2000s with the continued sale of badge engineered Nissans (SM3, SM7), with the main selling point being the merit of experiencing a Japanese car at Korean car pricing.
Things went downhill when they switched to Renault-based models in the 2010s which didn’t suit the Korean market as well as the Nissans however, they changed their name to Renault Korea motors in 2022 and is basically just a production plant for Renault now.
I used to work for Samsung in Suwon, SK in the late 90s. I had some idea of Samsung when I joined the company but little did I know that Samsung and Hyundai were the two companies that literally propped up the entire economy of S. Korea, esp after the war. I was surprised to find out that Samsung made EVERYTHING, from Manhole covers to helicopters, I even had an opportunity to take a ride in one of their limousines. The size of this company and its contribution to the economy is such that even the local humble taxi driver was worried about Samsung and Hyundai shares and their performance more than anything else. No wonder, as these two companies account for nearly 30% of entire SK's GDP!. And for those you wondering, LG is not as big. Samsung is MUCH bigger than LG, almost 30+ times. Cheers
When I went to Korea in the mid 2000's for work Samsung-Renaults were pretty common on the road. But I had to ask what they were because unlike every other brand the only brand identification on the outside of the car was the logo.
I was stationed in Korea in 98' and saw several of these " Samsung Maxima " (or I30) I was always puzzled by these cars...lol
Yeah this video caught my eye because I own a 98 Infiniti i30 and saw the car in the thumbnail and went "wait I know those lines" 🤣
@@zeruiahwild1the grill especially. I loved the I30, with its lights that illuminate the turns when the signal is on
@@scottoleson1997 Thats the one I've got! Mine has those side lights and the big grin of a grill lol
@@zeruiahwild1 it sucks I had to sell it because electronic issues and the axle were getting too expensive to replace, and now I have a 2024 Civic Sport manual. I miss the Infiniti, but I’ll get another one someday, (or another Lexus)
Whats crazy is I was laying in bed before sleep thinking "I wonder why Apple tried a car but Samsung hasn't" and then BOOM this video. GET OUT OF MY HEAD JON!!!!!!!
Hahahahaha..... you've been talking near your Apple/Samsung/Amazon devices again, and the NSA gave me a 'heads up'.
Thanks for the great idea! :)
I never knew Samsung was actually in the automotive business!!
Very interesting video, though I did already know about the SM series. Back around 2010, I lived in Korea for a few years working for a publishing house and enjoyed seeing the different cars.
One thing that a lot of people are forgetting is that Samsung was not a household name in America until at least 2005. Also, in Korea the really big companies are known to have their branding all over various products from hotels to cars to electronics and shopping centers, etc.
very interesting story! now i want to find a samsung car!
I had a work colleague once who was basically a gruff but gentle giant of a guy - with one hard and fast rule (never explained). Nothing Korean, especially the cars. He was fine with Japanese, but (and we traveled frequently together) god help Hertz if they only had Hyundais on the lot. I swear he'd move up 3 classes and take a Suburban before a Sonata. It was such a strange fixation - the only thing I could think of was that maybe his Dad served (died?) there -he was older than me, so timeline might have fit.
Sounds like an irrational mentality going on with him. Did he have beef with Korean people themselves? Wouldn't be surprised his bigotry is so surgical 😅
Yea but Americas fought both for Koreans (South Koreans, capitalists) and against Koreans (North Koreans, communists) so I'm not so sure that's it
More than likely he just had an experience with Hyundai, Kia, or Daewoo in the 80's or 90's,,which all had atrocious quality and reliability. Ihad a first gen Sonata as a hand me down and with only 40k on the Odo, not only was the transmission shot(only had 3 gears, 4th was MIA, the engine would bog and die suddenly, AC was out, and so were 3/4 power windows (imagine driving around in 85+ degrees. I swore I would never buy Hyundai, and by the same token Kia/Daewoo...ever. They were just that bad, and to a certain extent, looking at engine and ignition/mobilizer failures, they are quite far from being quality cars.
Thanks Jon, this is a timely history lesson. The other day at work I had a Rouge in the shop, and the Vin tag is marked “Samsung-Renault” under manufacturer. It made me curious, but I hadn’t gotten around to reading up on that just yet.
REally?? That's pretty cool, and I'm glad to have gotten this one out when I did! :)
You can tell a Samsung-made Rogue because it uses a Renault keyfob instead of Nissan.
They stuck the SR20 in a few SM cars, even had a Samsung valve cover. Ive been searching for that absolute grail piece for 10 years at least.
This was the time many companies spawned up
Hyundai ,kia ,Daewoo , ssangyong and Samsung
Hyundai acquired kia
Daewoo owner ran off with money , gm purchased passenger cars and Indian tata purchased their truck bus division
Ssangyong has been sold away numerous times
Renault took over Samsung cars
Need a Samsung car
douk
Me too
That first gen looked a lot better than the Maxima did here in the states. That's a great car to start with though. Very reliable.
Agreed, many comments here on the video praising it's durability.
In Saudi Arabia we had Samsung cars in the late 90s early 00s and I particularly remember seeing a couple SM5s at the time, but the dealership didn't last long.
Cool!
This was amazing! Thank you for all the great information! I heard of the Samsung car just this morning, and this video did a great job explaining what of was :)
Glad you enjoyed it!
I remember the Samsung SM5 sedan. It was an interesting car from South Korea. I guess that because of the 25 year rule, many old ones can be imported into the United States now. I wasn't aware of a Nissan 2.5 liter V6. That could have been used in the first and second generation Altimas.
Im pretty sure the VG was too big for the first two generations and it adding a lot of cost and complexity for 100 more ccs... and the altima had the dohc version of the ka24 so it had enough power. Also nissan has a couple small displacement v6es in asia vg20, vq23, vq25 (the one in the video) and a vg20 (vg is the engine family from the first generation 300zx) Japan taxes car on displacement and thats the only reason stuff like that gets made, hence why it never gets exported (although we did get like a 2.3 mazda v6 or something like that in the mx6)
@@livvy4333 The VQ25 V6 would have been perfect for the first and second generation Altimas. The 2.3 liter V6 you are thinking of from Mazda was a Miller Cycle supercharged 2.3 liter V6 in the Millennia S sedan. Mazda did have a 1.8 liter V6 in the MX-3 GS model.
Fantastically interesting Jon, all new information for me. Enjoy automobile product history. Thank you best regards, Peter Mac Donald ( Penang, Malaysia).
Glad you enjoyed it!
I had a 1999 SQ5 here in Chile back in 2010, it's the most comfy car I've ever had, plenty of room inside and in the trunk. It has a little too soft suspention though, and some lack of power from it's Nissan SR20DE engine coupled with a 4 speed auto. I also had that exact combination of engine and transmission in a Nissan Primera P11 which I think was quite ligher because that car moved way better.
I owned a third generation Samsung SM5 sedan here in Australia, where it was sold as the Renault Latitude. It had a 2.0L diesel engine, was very economical and was a great motorway cruiser! I had the top spec Privilege dCi spec and was packed full of features. In Australia, the South Korean built Renault Latitude (Samsung SM5) replaced the French built Renault Laguna, of which I also owned a second and third generations of (in wagon forms).
In Australia, the Samsung QM5/QM6 SUV was sold as the Renault Koleos over two generation, it's still currently on sale in Australia and is one of Renault's most popular selling vehicles on sale here. There is also another Renault badged SUV that is sold in Australia from South Korea, the Renault Arkana, which is sold as the Renault Samsung XM3 in South Korea.
Renault Korea Motors is currently working on a JV with China's Geely Motors, where Renault will start manufacturing Geely based vehicles for both the domestic and export markets.
The QM6 is a french Renault Koleos II rebadged as Samsung. It was assembly in France and China. But only in France since 2020
And the XM3 was initaly sold as Samsung in Korea, and it arrives 2 years after here in France. But still assembled in Korea.
It looks like a real Renault but it's initialy made for the Korean market.
Sam, please sing us a song. And then, Sam sung.
LOL
The Qm5 crossover was sold in Chile by the name of Renault Koleos. It is a reliable and good car. Nothing sparkling, but terrific if you have kids to protect.
Just like in Europe, the Renault Koleos.
Wow! Thank you for blowing my mind! This is wild, and how did i not know about this???? as I type on my Samsung galaxy and curse my Samsung refiridgerator as it randomly pukes ice cubes hours after I tried to put ice in my solo cup? I am worried that Mitsubishi is in a decline. I remember, (like it was yesterday), when they had a prominent electronics line, as well as a amazing rally car. (I also have a box of Mitsubishi graphite drawing pencils that I think i should hold on to....) Time is cruel
I was researching on Samsung Motors and Ssangyong in the 90's but not much information was available on Auto magazines. Thanks for uploading.
Hope you enjoyed it!
I've never heard of the Samsung car. Auto parts suppliers have gone on to be full fledged manufacturers, but it's rare.
Bridgestone, mostly known for tires, tried making a motorcycle for a while. There were a few factors that caused it's failure. Rumored, but I don't think it was ever documented, was the other motorcycle companies telling them that they wouldn't buy parts from a competitor. So either make bikes, or bike parts. They decided the latter was more profitable.
Interesting!
Briggs and stratton try to make cars to
Fascinating! Thanks, Jon.
My pleasure!
My uncle owned a 3rd gen SM5 for a few years. In Israel and some other export markets this car was known as a Renault Latitude, it came with a 2.0 litre Nissan diesel engine. Overall, the car was quite punchy and comfortable to drive, and everything felt well put together. It still wasn't a runaway sales success tough.
my cousin was one of developer of 1st SM5, this shit was literally undestructable tank, still running around nowdays, koreans replace their cars really often consider that, it's really amazing
wow My parents first car is samsung motors SM520
This car is useing Nissan SR 2.0L 1998cc Gas Engine
But my parents tuning then LPG
Buy Last 2000 17 year Driveing My old Brother and me
I think you are the first foreign TH-camr to make a video about Samsung Motors.
thank you
(I'm Korean Please understand if my comment is inaccurate.)
The Renault Koleos MK1 is a Samsung QM5 and sold in Europe.
great and very interesting video i never knew samsung made a vehicle
First SM5 was really amazing. they really did their best to build it, had the best durability among korean cars then.
A LOT of them still running in good condition and can be seen everytime I ride highways
Can someone from America purchase one?
@@BruceDragon-sf1tr Yes. If you can import it yourself... almost nothing exists outside korea
..or buy Nissan Maxima A12 instead
@@JBH2192 great info yo, thanks 😎
Samsung has had relatively good sales in Jordan, with an estimated few thousand units sold since the early 2000s, starting with the SM5 MK-I. This model gained significant popularity, especially as an international travel taxi car between Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine. This success is likely due to the Nissan Maxima's good reputation and the availability of spare parts. The popularity continued with the later 2nd and 3rd generations, which encourage the parent company (Renault-Nissan Alliance) to sell them under the Renault Safrane/ Latitude and Nissan Teana names. All these models were extensively used in fleets, taxis, and car rentals.
Samsung's relative popularity extended to other models, including the Samsung SV110 Truck (Nissan Atlas) for commercial use, the Samsung SM3 petrol & electric (also sold under Renault Fluence Z.E.), the Samsung SM6 (Renault Talisman), and the Samsung QMF (Renault Koleos).
Selling a few thousand units over twenty years in Jordan is considered an excellent performance for an unknown young brand, especially since consumers tend to buy grey market imported cars, both used and new, rather than from official channels.
I have stayed in Korea twice as an expat, for a total of 3 years. During my first stay in 2009-2010, I used to drive a small sedan, Samsung SM-3. (Smaller than SM-5). I think they sold quite a bit of them to China. It was a quick and agile car to drive, building quality seemed good. We knew there was a relationship with Renault-Nissan. Note that Japanese cars are not welcome in S. Korea. The Koreans have not forgotten WWII. You wil not find any Toyotas there, or Lexus (insted they make their own luxury car Equus, a subsidiary of Hyundai)
During my next stay 2017-2018 I could still see a lot of the SM3 and SM5 on the roads, along with newer and bigger models. Not as many as Hyundai/Kia, but still as many as some of the other brands like Daewoo and Ssang Yong.
I am not surprised at all than Samsung makes cars because they make about everything. Washing machines, refrigerators, TV`s, mobile phones, ships, drilling rigs and why not cars?
Muito Interessante!!! Nunca imaginei que a Samsung tivesse fabricado carros
Samsung saw what Hyundai was doing and was like “I can do that”
My father brought home a 98' SM525V when I was little. We had that car for 13 years and hit 300k km (186k miles for 🦅) until we sold it. Now, I drive a Mazda CX-8 as a daily car, but I recently bought a 97 Nissan Cefiro 2.0 V6 because I just love this car so much. (I wasn't able to get the Samsung version as I no longer live in Korea.)
Always wondered why there was a option for Samsung on automotive scantool now i know.
In chile its fun to make sleepers with the SM5 model bc of its sr20, replace the head with a vvl head or a turbo kit and you have power while looking like an old man
Good video. Quite informative.
Glad you liked it!
There are a ton of these cars here in Libya where I live. The quality is sub-par and are not well liked. However, some people buy them. Always wondered where these cars come from and why are they so bad! Thank you for this video.
As an 80s kid, ive found it fascinating to watch the auto market over the past 40 years...In the 80s/90s you couldn't get a better product than something from Japan. Thats not untrue wholely today, however their prices have elevvated them beyond some folks means. At the same time, Korean products were generally garbage. Samsung used to be the drug store boombox brand, or goldstar (lg). Korea has almost become today, what the japanese makes were in the 90s. Atleast by sales, id still never buy one, but tons of people do. Hyundai used to be a throwaway car, still true to some (myself included) but no denying their recent success. This is a fascinating video, and subject to me. As for the A32 Maxima, it may have been long in the tooth at the time, but you couldnt emulate a much better car. They were a fantastic car at the time. I still like Nissans (w\out cvts) but i miss THAT Nissan. Cheers
Well said.
The Koreans are what the Japanese were in the 90s... but without the absolute bullet-proof reliability. While there are tons of people who have great service from Hyundai/Kia, there are plenty others who will say they had engine, etc issues.
But that leaves the Chinese as the 70's Japanese waiting in the wings. Lower cost, high tech, and ready to take market share.
Took me a moment to realize the "Renault Korea" is basically the Samsung Motor logo but with two sets of lines like the Renault logo
Samsung is still somewhat relevant in its home country but it's cars are just rebadged Renaults and Nissans. We had some of there cars imported to my country briefly in the beginning of 2000's they were just rebadged Sunny/Almera (from Nissan).
Looks like a infinity
You should make a video about the other unknown Korean car maker: Ssangyong Motors now known as KG Mobility
Good idea. Unfortunately their history is more takeover, takeover, takeover. :)
Now you wonder will Renault try to use the former Samsung facilities to build the Renault 5 E-Tech there.
Some Renault car in asia imported from korea
I found out that Samsung actually sold cars really close to the US actually the SM5 was sold as the Renault Safrane in Mexico!
Good vid btw
I had no idea, gr8 auto history story.
It’s funny last year I had the first gen Infiniti I30 from 1998. It looks a lot like the Samsung SM5
well if you own a samsung vehicle, you can officially say it's an android.
I've been considering getting a used Samsung car, I've been told they're ridiculously reliable.
ironically, renault could now tap on samsung's experience in electronics in their new electric cars
Great Up to Speed replacement series
I'd never heard of that so just searched it. Thanks for mentioning it, I'll be watching a few this morning!
I had no idea, but I am from Scotland. We don't get allot of Samsung dealerships
I always remembered Samsung as a savage knockoff of Japanese products, but I didn’t know the name itself was also a knockoff. Lol. This was fascinating. Just out of curiosity I once in awhile check on the Korean car industry like Renault Korea, Ssangyong (now KG Mobility), and Hyundai Motor, so this is very informative. Samsung totally failed cars but they are huge in electronics. I don’t understand how Samsung electronics are so popular when they are so poorly built, especially the wash machines and refrigerators. But anyways, interesting story on the car division.
Well, for me I had NO idea Samsung had ever even tried to become a car company, and I acutally heard a comment about a "samsung car" on a podcast and was like "huh?".... and here we are! I had to share!
@@AllCarswithJonWell, it was a very entertaining video. I wanted to know the backstory of Samsung cars too.
Renault Korea btw is just RSM rebranded. And it happened in the back end of last year
@@tarkanbashllari1627Yep.
This mf said "poorly built"
When they used to sell Nissan based cars, it was very popular because of its high quality.
However, when they switched to Reanult based vehicles... that was the start of the fall.
The quality wasn't impressive enough like the old days while competitor, Hyundai and Kia started to boost up their quality, performance, and design.
Plus, the Renault's line-up is rather focused on smaller hatchback and wagons which are not popular in Korea since market preference is rather focused on large sedans and SUVs.
Now, due to the drop of the sales, Renault Korea is having pretty hard time and hestitating to show brand new models to the market which makes them to get neglected by customers even more.
In Korea there's tons of Samsung Renault cars around
Fresh update: Renault Korea just ditched their original typhoon logo and switched over to the one used by Renault HQ at France. I guess they wanted to emphasize their "french" identity from now on. Kinda interesting because one of their past slogans was "We make these at Busan".
It looks like an Acura legend
The face of the SM7 (1st Gen) looks like a Chrysler Sebring after too many coffees 😂
LOL!
When the Samsung electronics brand first emerged in Australia in the 90's, people thought they were lowest of the low quality.
Sadly, I am afraid that is what will happen with the CCP and their Hisense brand.
They are excelent cars btw, cheap and reliable AF.
When Saturn was going out of business, GM was approached by Penske Automotive Group (dealerships) to buy the brand Saturn. Then they were going to sell re-badged Renault Samsung cars from Korea as Saturns. Obviously the plan didn't come to fruition, but it's fun to think in an alternate universe that Saturn lives on!
The QM5 was marketed in Europe as the Renault Kaleos.
It was widely criticized at the time for it's poor refinement, and was not a success.
If only we could see one of these on "Dank Pods"
smasnug
That’s a Nissan Cefiro A32/ Infiniti I30/ Nissan Maxima
I wonder if it’s possible to find a Samsung car in the U.S.
interesting video.
Just subscribed.
Smasnug!
First time I ever heard of it and I`m a car guy!
interesting video.
Having been in Korea many a time, Samsung is on just about EVERYTHING they even made commercial box trucks.
At one time there was talk of Hyundai Group swapping its' consumer-electronics division (Hyundai phones are sold only in Korea) for Samsung Motors, which would be a break from the *chaebol* model to companies focusing more on their international strengths, but apparently it didn't come through.
Thanks! I haven't heard that, only when Daewoo offered!
Hyundai phones arent exclusively sold in Korea, here in my country (somewhere in latin-america) you can buy a Hyundai Phone and sometimes if you'r lucky a hyundai Tablet
@@theuncalled_64 TIL
i still have a nx1 camera really good for the price then they pulled out in like 2 years....
nice vid
leave it to Jon to dig up some random thing from the 90s that I, born in 1988, never knew existed.
Thanks man, this kind of stuff I absolutely obsess over... and honestly why I started the channel AND why my wife hates to ride in the car with me!
Just FYI, I was listening to the Business Wars podcast about the Samsung/Apple competition for watches, and in one episode they mentioned the Samsung Car. I was like... "WHAT?", and here we are! :)
Have a great weekend!
The sm 525 looks like a 90s Buick and Nissan maxima
It is a Nissan Maxima car from Japan,,
Just emblem,,
🙂
I forgot about this!
Hey Jon, you caught my ear when you mentioned heavy industries. In addition to the ls400 I own, that I have talked about in other comments. I have a 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX bug eye. All in the door jambs and under the hood are lables that read Fuji Heavy Industries. Not really sure what it is- would you be willing to do some research on this and put out a video on Subaru and it's relation to Fuji industries- Just a thought. Thx.
I don't think that'll take a whole video. Fuji Heavy Industries was an aircraft manufacturer that grew massive, and at one point they started to build cars under the Subaru name.
For "reasons" Fuji is now known as Subaru.
Yes, there's more to the story there - being broken up, coming together, etc. - but that's what I know off the top of my head.
It's similar to Mitsubishi, just the name the car brand is the same as the parent conglomerate. :)
@@AllCarswithJon wow, ok did not know they were into aircraft. I am going to do some reading on my own. Thanks for answering my question.
@@markbader31 Enjoy your searching!
I drive a Samsung 😎
I wonder what a car company owned by Samsung would look like today a company that makes electronics making a car it might have been really something special especially considering what other Korean manufacturers have done
I never knew this. Wow.
I love my Nokia Car, it never dies.
Samsung still make cars like the Renault Koleos.
They also made a sports car concept.
any info on how I can google that? Name or anything?
@@AllCarswithJon Samsung SSC-1
How did they spend so much money creating a badge-engineered Nissan? Is it that they built all the parts in Korea? It seems like they could have dipped their toe in the auto manufacturing waters with 60-90% of the car built in Japan and then finish it with a few Samsung parts. Definitely sounds like the failure was almost all due to the economy.
@alexsaffamericaNissan cars in South Korea rebadged Daewoo and / or Samsung
License fees to nissan was one factor, but the plant in Busan was also a huge money sink as well.
The Busan factory site was originally just mudflat, not so ideal for building a factory without performing significant foundation work on the terrain.
Samsung was forced to build it there however as the government was reluctant to let Samsung enter the automobile business, and Samsung needed a way to convince then-president YS Kim who was politically based in Busan.
Seen plenty of SM5 taxis. If they are good enough for that then they cant be bad cars.
Now If I had the disposable money I would import one as a joke
My honest Renault-Samsung reaction: