The ratio of gasoline-powered vehicles to the total imported cars recovered the 30-percent level for the first time this year, data showed Monday.
The number of automobiles with gasoline engines totaled 5,105 units or 30 percent of the total foreign-brand vehicles registered with the authorities at the end of September, with diesel-powered vehicles accounting for 65.6 percent or 11,174 units. The remaining 4.4 percent or 743 cars were hybrid cars, according to the data compiled by the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association.
The ratio of vehicles with gasoline engines fell to a record low of 26.8 percent in August, while that of diesel automobiles rising to 69.5 percent.
Market watchers said gasoline-driven German models, such as Volkswagen's Passat 1.8 TSI and CC 2.0 TSI; BMW's 528 xdrive; and Mercedez-Benz's E300 4Metic, played a role in reviving sales of gasoline-powered cars.
For instance, sales of BMW 528 xdrives skyrocketed more than 200 percent to 341 units in September from 111 cars in the previous month, and Mercedez-Benz's E300 4Metic sold 317 units, up 66 percent from a month earlier.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
