[THE INVESTOR] French carmaker Renault Group’s Espace minivan is expected to hit the Korean market next year, the Korean unit told The Investor on May 26.

Earlier in a news report, Renault Samsung Motor CEO Park Dong-hoon hinted the car could be released in the market year-end, saying the certification process is taking longer than expected.

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But the Korean unit denied it, saying they plan to release the Espace next year. The firm declined to confirm other details, including carrying the Renault emblem instead of its own. 

The seven-seater Espace, which made its debut in the country at the Seoul Motor Show in 2015, has created high expectations among customers amid a near monopoly of Kia Carnival in the nation’s growing multi-purpose vehicle market.

Renault Samsung is planning to launch more Renault-brand cars such as the two-seater electric vehicle Twizy in June and the Clio hatchback in the second half of this year. The carmaker said the Twizy will carry Renault’s diamond emblem for the first time in Korea, instead of the Renault Samsung badge, while the emblem for the Clio has not yet been decided.

By Ahn Sung-mi (sahn@heraldcorp.com)