Proto Motors () was a South Korean

sports car A sports car is a type of automobile that is designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as Automobile handling, handling, acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving, and Auto racing, racing capability. Sports cars originated in ...

manufacturer and coachbuilder.

History

Proto Motors was established in 1997 by the couple Han-chul Kim and Ji-sun Choi. The company has forged partnerships with

Hyundai Motor Company Hyundai Motor Company, often referred to as Hyundai Motors, ( ) and commonly known as Hyundai (), is a South Korean multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturer headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, which ...

Kia Motors Kia Corporation (, formerly known as Kyungsung Precision Industry (京城精密工業) and Kia Motors Corporation) is a South Korean multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automobile manufacturer headquartered in Seoul, ...

, and

GM Daewoo GM Korea Company () is the South Korean subsidiary of American multinational corporation General Motors and the third largest automobile manufacturer in South Korea. GM Korea's roots go back to the former Daewoo Motors vehicle brand, which was ...

. In 2001, the company custom-made a convertible

limousine A limousine ( or ), or limo () for short, is a large, chauffeur-driven luxury vehicle with a partition between the driver compartment and the passenger compartment which can be operated mechanically by hand or by a button electronically. A luxu ...

for

Cheongwadae Cheong Wa Dae (), also known as the Blue House in English, is a public park that was the former executive office and residence of the president of South Korea. Located in Seoul's Jongno District, directly behind Gyeongbokgung Palace, it se ...

(the Equus), the South Korean presidential residence. Proto Motors introduced the Spirra (a production model of PS-ll) at the 4th

Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...

Motor Show. In 2006, Proto Motors was acquired by Oullim Motors and the development of the Spirra was continued, and in 2010 Proto Motors introduced the first Korea-made

supercar A supercar, also known as an exotic car, is a street-legal sports car with race track-like power, speed, and handling, plus a certain subjective ''cachet'' linked to pedigree and/or exclusivity. The term 'supercar' is frequently used for th ...

. In 2014, the Oullim Motors Spirra EV, the electric version of the Spirra, was introduced. Previously, the company specialized in redesigning existing models by developing

electric car An electric car or electric vehicle (EV) is a passenger car, passenger automobile that is propelled by an electric motor, electric traction motor, using electrical energy as the primary source of propulsion. The term normally refers to a p ...

s or

convertible A convertible or cabriolet () is a Car, passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary across eras and manufacturers. A convertible car's design allows an open-air drivin ...

s based on them. The company closed in 2017.

Models

* RT-X (1998) * PS-II (2000) * Spirra (2007–2017) * Kia Grand Carnival Limousine (2006–2017) * SC24 (2024–Present)

References

Car manufacturers of South Korea South Korean brands Sports car manufacturers Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1997 Car brands Luxury motor vehicle manufacturers Contract vehicle manufacturers Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 2017 {{motorvehicle-company-stub

History

Models

See also

References