Chevrolet Impala, General Motors’ flagship full-size sedan model with a history of 58 years, debuted in Korea on Wednesday seeking to raise the company’s domestic market share to 10 percent.

It is the first time for the automaker to enter the large sedan market in Korea.

“GM Korea is taking an exciting step forward by introducing the best-selling large sedan in U.S. history,” said Sergio Rocha, president and CEO of GM Korea. “We expect the new vehicle to expand the Chevrolet brand in the upper market segment.’’

GM debuted its iconic sedan brand in Korea at a time when the local auto market is undergoing transformation. 

Korean car buyers now want to express their individuality and enjoy technological and premium features, and the 10th generation of Impala targets these new breed of car buyers, the CEO said.

“The Impala has every feature that our customers in Korea are looking for in its segment: head-turning design, a comfortable and roomy interior, powerful performance, state-of-the-art technology and advanced safety features,” said Marc Comeau, who is responsible for sales, marketing and after-sales at GM Korea.

Impala, the longest sedan in the segment, which boasts 5.11 meters in length, comes with two engine options in Korea -- a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and a 3.6-liter V-6 engine.

Output for the higher trim is estimated at 309 horsepower, the highest level in the segment, according to the company.

As a latecomer in the competitive full-size sedan market where Hyundai Motor’s Grandeur has long been dominant, the company adopted the most aggressive pricing policy ever in its history, setting the price of the Impala in Korea below that of the U.S. market.

The price tag for the Impala starts at 34.09 million won ($28,900) for the 2.5-liter model, while that with a 3.6-liter engine begins at 41.91 million won.

“Compared to Hyundai‘s Grandeur, the Impala may be more expensive, but since the Impala provides more technical specifications as standard, there’s not much of a difference in price,” a company official said.

The company is satisfied with the result of preorders in the first week. GM Korea said it has received more than 1,000 orders for its flagship full-size sedan during the six days from July 31.

Depending on how the model performs in the South Korean market down the road, the GM Korea chief said the company may consider local production of the sedan.

By Seo Jee-yeon(jyseo@heraldcorp.com)