Dec. 31 – Monday, Korea’s Hyundai began exporting trucks to North America under the Bering name, according to published reports.

The company plans to sell 70,000 Class 3-8 trucks over the next five years, including 6,700 in 1999. Half of those trucks will be built at Hyundai’s Chunju plant in Korea. The rest will be assembled at a new plant in Front Royal, VA, established by Bering Truck Corp., a joint venture between Hyundai and a group of American investors.
Hyundai chassis and cabs will be integrated with complete North American powertrain options. Included will be two cabs, the smaller on Class 3 5 low cabovers powered by Detroit Diesel. A class-6 medium will have a larger cab and the Cummins ISB.
Bering intends to cover classes 7 through 8 with Cummins engines, tandem drives, and heavy steering axles that include tandem-tandem configurations with design weights to 94,800 pounds. Bering also plans to equip chassis with vocational bodies that include van, reefer, mixer, and dumps.
The first dealer is Central Truck Center in Landover, MD. The territory will cover Washington, DC, and the surrounding areas of Virginia and Maryland.