"Used Cars Sold Directly Too"... Imported Car Industry Expands Certified Used Car Business

[Asia Economy Reporter Su-yeon Woo] As consumer distrust in the domestic used car market deepens, imported car companies are expanding their "certified used car business," where they directly purchase, inspect, and sell used cars. Through the certified used car business, they can protect the residual value of their own used cars, enhance brand image, and secure profitability.

According to the automotive industry on the 22nd, Lamborghini recently announced that it will launch a certified used car business in Korea. Lamborghini opened an official certified used car showroom dedicated to used cars in the Dongdaemun area of Seoul and created a space where used car customers can receive consultations.

Lamborghini sold 255 units in Korea from January to October this year, nearly double compared to the previous year. As of October this year, the number of Lamborghinis running on Korean roads has increased to about 880 units. As new car sales increased, demand for selling and buying used cars began to emerge, leading the "supercar brand" Lamborghini to enter the certified used car market.

Lamborghini Seoul, Certified Pre-Owned Car Showroom Interior

Currently, there are 13 imported car brands operating certified used car businesses in Korea, including Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Volkswagen, Volvo, MINI, Lexus, Ford·Lincoln, Jaguar·Land Rover, Porsche, Peugeot, Maserati, and Ferrari.

Recently, Mercedes-Benz has been running a "Certified Used Car Safe Purchase Program" throughout November, offering benefits to customers selling used cars. When selling a Mercedes-Benz used car through the certified used car showroom, the program provides a reasonable price based on an accurate diagnosis and offers a one-stop service covering vehicle delivery, remittance, and ownership transfer.

Audi Korea opened "Audi Official Certified Used Car Showrooms" in Daejeon and Yangsan, improving accessibility and convenience for customers in the Chungcheong and Gyeongnam regions. Volvo Car Korea also opened its third certified used car showroom last month at Deutsche World in Suwon, following locations in Gimpo and Suwon. Deutsche World, the world's largest automobile shopping mall, has a vehicle registration office within the complex, enabling one-stop service from purchase to registration.

Volvo Cars Korea, Official Certified Used Car Volvo SELEKT Suwon Showroom II

Porsche Korea announced last month that it will extend the quality warranty period for certified used cars by 5 years from the previous term, expanding coverage to vehicles up to 15 years old. For vehicles with less than 200,000 km mileage and registered for less than 14 years, warranty extension is available for up to 12 months, and for vehicles less than 13 years old, a 24-month warranty period can be selected.

K Car, a direct-operated used car company, also launched a service providing certified used car listings by brand through strategic partnerships with imported car brands and official dealers. This service allows customers to check certified used cars directly verified by imported car brands on the K Car platform.

An industry insider said, "The imported car certified used car business not only improves consumers' negative perceptions of the used car market but also has enough profitability to justify investment." They added, "Therefore, imported car companies are expanding their business scale by opening more showrooms and introducing new platforms."