E 200 gets 350,000 won monthly; GLC 450,000 won; GLE 600,000 won over 6 months

Benefits apply to customers using the Ansim guaranteed installment plan

Returning buyers and trade-in customers receive an additional 1% discount

Consultation and test-drive events held at showrooms nationwide throughout September

Mercedes-Benz ranked third in August imports; E-Class logged 1,404 registrations

Hanse Motors, the official Mercedes-Benz partner in South Korea, is running consultation and test-drive events alongside purchase promotions at showrooms nationwide throughout September, targeting fall car demand. [Hanse Motors]
Hanse Motors, the official Mercedes-Benz partner in South Korea, is running consultation and test-drive events alongside purchase promotions at showrooms nationwide throughout September, targeting fall car demand. [Hanse Motors]

Hanse Motors, the official Mercedes-Benz partner in South Korea, is holding consultation and test-drive events alongside purchase promotions at showrooms nationwide throughout September to capture fall car demand.

The company announced Friday that it is running the "Hanse Autumn Driving Festa" at showrooms across the country. Customers who take part in a purchase consultation or test drive will receive gifts including an umbrella, a parking notification board and a portable battery, while light refreshments such as yakgwa, a traditional Korean honey cookie, will be available every weekend.

Financial support for buyers is also on offer. Mercedes-Benz Korea and Mercedes-Benz Financial Services will cover a portion of monthly payments on select models for six months starting in September.

Customers using the Ansim guaranteed installment plan can receive monthly support of 350,000 won ($257) on the E 200 Exclusive, 450,000 won on the GLC 300 4MATIC AMG Line and 600,000 won on the GLE 450 4MATIC, each for six months. The total support over the period amounts to 2.1 million won, 2.7 million won and 3.6 million won, respectively.

Returning Mercedes-Benz owners and trade-in customers who sell their current vehicle and purchase a new one will receive an additional 1 percent discount off the new car price. The company is also running a "Golden Time Program" that offers a separate gift to customers who pay the remaining balance within seven days of placing a deposit, along with discounts on select showroom display vehicles.

The campaign is drawing attention as the first major promotion since Mercedes-Benz overhauled its domestic sales model. Starting in April, Mercedes-Benz Korea introduced its "Retail of the Future" system, shifting price and inventory management from individual dealers to the Korean subsidiary. Under the new structure, all official showrooms nationwide offer uniform pricing and inventory information, while dealers focus on customer-facing roles such as consultations and test drives.

Competition in the domestic imported-car market has intensified as electric vehicle sales surge, led by Tesla. Mercedes-Benz recorded 4,037 new domestic registrations in August, placing third behind Tesla (10,400 units) and BMW (6,180 units). The E-Class alone accounted for 1,404 registrations, making it the third best-selling imported model overall.

Since the Retail of the Future rollout, Hanse Motors has been strengthening consultation-focused sales by making greater use of its nationwide showroom network and test-drive programs.

"We have put together this event so that customers can experience a wide range of models in person and choose the vehicle that suits them best, backed by an even richer set of purchase benefits in September," said Kim Marco, chief executive of Hanse Motors. "Going forward, we will continue to expand the premium customer experience unique to Hanse Motors, built on the professional consultation capabilities of our nationwide showrooms and our differentiated customer programs."


kwater@heraldcorp.com