November 22, 2024

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[THE INVESTOR] Mercedes-Benz Korea said on Nov. 30 it has recently signed a deal with Samsung C&T, Samsung Group’s de facto holding company, to transform the Everland Speedway into the world’s first racing track for its high-performance AMG vehicles.

“Only yesterday, we signed a final contract with the heads of Samsung C&T,” Dimitris Psillakis, Mercedes-Benz Korea CEO, said during the German carmaker’s 50th anniversary press conference in Seoul.

“Starting next year, we will be able to house all AMG activities here.”

 

AMG sedans sit on the Everland Speedway in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.

Everland Speedway, established in 1992, used to be affectionately called “Lee Kun-hee track” reflecting the bedridden Samsung chairman’s passion for cars, especially the Mercedes-Benz brand.

Before he was hospitalized in May 2015, he preferred to ride sedans ranging from Rolls-Royce to Maybach for his commute in Seoul. But his private car museum at the track was filled with the world’s fastest and priciest driving machines like Mercedes-AMG, Porsche and Bugatti.

He also hired a team of technicians specialized in repairing Benz cars, which has reportedly been almost dissolved after Lee’s hospitalization.

The 75-year-old tycoon, the richest man in Korea, was last spotted driving on the track in 2009. At the time, he used a Mercedes-AMG SL63 roadster.

Mercedes-Benz said the refurbished AMG Speedway will offer diverse services for AMG owners only, including an exclusive pit, a racing academy and a luxury lounge. This will be the first time for AMG to operate a race track under its brand name.

The Korean unit said Mercedes-AMG sold almost 100,000 units globally last year and this year the figure is likely to be exceeded. In Korea alone, a total of 2,359 cars were sold, a 34 percent jump from a year ago.

By Song Seung-hyun (ssh@heraldcorp.com)