Imported vehicles sales in South Korea surged by close to 21% to 20,234 units in September from 16,778 units a year earlier, according to a report released by the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association (KAIDA).
The association pointed out imports accounted for 15.2% of the total vehicle market last month with German brands accounting for 6 in every 10 of these. New models such as the Mercedes-Benz E220 and the BMW 520d continue to top the best selling models table.
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Cumulative sales in the January-September period amounted to 173,561 units, 5.1% higher than the 165,189 units sold in the same period of last year.
Audi and Volkswagen are set to return to the market in the fourth quarter of the year after most of their models were banned from the South Korean market in August 2016 due to their widely publicised emissions cover up scandal.
Local distributor Audi Volkswagen Korea last week recalled more than 82,000 vehicles across nine models fitted with the two litre EA189 diesel engine at the centre of the emissions scandal.
Last month the company had a number of new models homologated by the ministry of land transportation. It is currently preparing a strong online sales campaign to make up for its weakened dealer network.
