When looking at South Korean car culture, the first two things you notice are that there are relatively few foreign cars on the road, and there are virtually no sports cars among them.
Both points are about to change with the Chevrolet Corvette going on sale in The Land of the Morning Calm on May 4.
While you were busy watching Kim Jong Un blunder missile testing, the U.S. and South Korea signed a free trade agreement, allowing for easier importation of America’s favorite sports car. Abroad, it’ll come with the standard Corvette 6.2-liter V-8 engine, which produces 430 horsepower. Actually, pretty much all of the car will be standard Corvette fare, albeit there will premium interior package for about $2,650 and some minor adjustments for international sale.
When it goes on sale, it’ll carry a starting price of 86.4 million won, or $76,300—a tad more than our equivalent car’s $50,575, including $975 for destination and handling. As the Corvette will be a niche vehicle, it doesn’t need to be particularly cheap, apparently.
And with nearly 90 percent of cars sold in South Korea coming from domestic brands, it’s not like a single sports car would do much to change that anyway. But those Chevrolet loyalists tiring of the current options on sale in Korea—the Spark, Sonic (nee Aveo), Cruze, Captiva, Camaro, Orlando, and Malibu—will certainly to revel in the added Americana.
Source: GM Korea
