[Asia Economy Reporter Changhwan Lee] Renault Samsung Motors announced on the 1st that it sold 8,846 units last month, an increase of 16.8% compared to the previous year.
Exports reached 4,242 units, up 189.4% year-on-year, while domestic sales decreased by 24.6% year-on-year to 4,604 units.
The flagship vehicle that played the biggest role in total sales in September was the XM3. The XM3 maintained steady popularity in both domestic and export markets, with a total of 4,658 units sold (1,114 domestic and 3,544 exports), accounting for 53% of total sales in August.
In particular, it has received positive responses in Europe for its excellent quality and marketability, with a total of 28,712 units exported this year.
The company explained that in the domestic market, customers have responded well due to enhanced convenience features such as the in-car payment system and stabilized quality.
However, for domestic vehicles, production volume has not met customer contract demand due to semiconductor parts supply disruptions, and currently, about 900 customers are waiting for delivery after signing contracts, the company added.
It is expected that if the supply situation of semiconductor parts and other components stabilizes in the second half of the year, continuous domestic sales growth can be achieved by the end of the year.
The QM6 sold 3,067 units domestically last month, a 3.8% decrease compared to the previous month, but it has maintained steady popularity in the mid-size SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle) market with sales exceeding 3,000 units for six consecutive months.
In particular, the LPe model, the only LPG mid-size SUV in Korea, accounted for 65% of total sales.
Among Renault brand models, the Renault Captur and TWIZY sold 109 and 15 units respectively, increasing by 7.9% and 25% compared to the previous month, while the Master model sold 31 units and the Zoe 100 units.
For Renault Samsung Motors' exports, besides the XM3 (export name Renault Arkana), 654 units of the QM6 (export name Renault Koleos) and 44 units of the TWIZY were sold.
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