Jayatsu Motors
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Jayatsu Motor Company (more commonly known as Jatatsu Motors) is a Korean manufacturer of automobiles. Jayatsu Motors was originally founded in 1980 as So Motors.
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[edit] History
[edit] So Motors
When Kim Young So was young, he began working at a local bicycle repair shop in Seoul, South Korea. When AdY Bikes came up for sale, Kim Young So purchased the shop. In 1954, the name was changed to So Bicycle Shop. In 1957, Kim Young So purchased Lee's Bikes, a second bicycle shop.
In 1965, Kim Young So purchased a small local bicycle parts manufacturer. In 1971, Kim Young So built a new modern facility with the bicycle shop and manufacturing facility in one building outside Seoul, South Korea. In 1972, So Bicycle Shop was officially renamed So Manufacturing.
So Motors was created in 1980 as an experiment. It was a test to see if So Manufacturing could create a successful car. The car was the So Shi-Tei. The Shi-Tei was a compact car powered by the Si4. The Shi-Tei turned out to be a minor success until 1987 when sales began to fall. Production of the Shi-Tei stopped in January 1994.
The Shi-Tei was brought back into production in 2002 by J. Robert Motors. J. Robert Motors turned So Motors into a minor success. In 2005, So International was purchased by Jayatsu. Bill Kennedy became President of So Motors in 2006. The Shi-Tei was redesigned in 2007.
So Motors announced an electric version in 2008 named the So EC-1. In 2008 Bill Kennedy left So Motors to become President of Am-Kor Motors. Bill Kennedy oversees both Jayatsu Motors and RMC.
Outside of Korea, the car is known as the So Car.
[edit] Jayatsu
In early 2009, So International was purchased by Jayatsu Industrial. So International was merged with Jayatsu Industrial and the name was changed to Jayatsu Manufacturing. Soon after, So Motors was renamed Jayatsu Motor Company.
Jayatsu has announced that production of the Shi-Tei will end by 2010 and will be replaced with a new model. The new car is currently in development is currently called the Jayatsu Vee. Jayatsu is also keeping their electric car in development and is still planning to be released in the United States. However, the car may have a name change before it is released.
[edit] Closure
In eary 2012 it was announced that due to several factors Jayatsu Motors had closed.
[edit] Vehicles
[edit] Jayatsu Vee
Jayatsu Vee is the name of Jayatsu Motors first car. Jayatsu says the car will be a completely new car, similar to the So Car.
[edit] Jayatsu UL
The Jayatsu UL is a new vehicle currently in development by Jayatsu SK. The Jayatsu UL was announced in May 2009 and will be their first truck. The UL will be based off of a kei truck.
[edit] Partnership
In 1985, Toyota was showing interest in a partnership with So. However, by 1988 the Shi-Tei was selling badly and no deal was made.
A partnership was announced in 2001 with General Motors and Am-Kor Automotive. The deal would see the Shi-Tei produced and sold in North America. However, the deal fell through and General Motors bought Daewoo, also a Korean car company and formed GM Daewoo. Rumors say that the car would wave been called the Pontiac Pacific.
Am-Kor Limited is pushing the Shi-Tei to be sold in North America and hopes to have it on sale by 2010. In early 2009, So Motors made a partnership deal with Richards Motor Company. RMC plans to sell the So EC-1 as the RMC Charge.
