U.S. automaker General Motors Co. plans to add two more brands to its lineup of vehicles here, expanding it to four, the same number of GM brands currently sold in the United States, an executive of the automaker's South Korean unit said Sunday.
Mike Arcamone, head of GM Daewoo Auto & Technology, has already said the U.S. carmaker will bring its Chevrolet brand to South Korea in 2011.
GM Daewoo also plans to launch a new brand, Alpheon, when its new luxury sedan of the same name is launched later this year, according to a GM Daewoo executive.
"The Alpheon will not only be the name of the new vehicle, but also the name of a new brand just like Lexus of Toyota," the official told Yonhap News Agency.
"This means General Motors will have a total of four brands in South Korea starting next year, just like it has four brands -- Cadillac, Chevrolet, Buick and GMC -- in the United States," he added.
In addition to vehicles by its South Korean unit, General Motors currently sells Cadillac vehicles here through local importer and distributor GM Korea.
The Alpheon, a localized version of General Motors' luxury sedan Buick LaCrosse, is expected to be introduced to the media in August for the beginning of sales the following month, according to the company executive.
GM Daewoo's domestic sales have steadily increased since the beginning of the year, selling more than 10,000 units last month to take up 8.3 percent of the market for all domestically produced and imported vehicles.
The launch of the Alpheon and introduction of Chevrolet vehicles here are expected to help further boost its domestic and overseas sales.
"I am confident that the Alpheon will surpass the demands of the most sophisticated luxury sedan buyers in Korea," Arcamone said.//YONHAP
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