Proto Motors
Proto Motors was a South Korean sports-car manufacturer and coachbuilder known for custom vehicles, conversions, and the Spirra sports car.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Proto Motors was a South Korean automotive company that combined sports-car manufacturing, coachbuilding, vehicle redesign, and low-volume special-vehicle development. Established in 1997 by Han-chul Kim and Ji-sun Choi, the company operated in a Korean market where large manufacturers dominated mass production but where specialist firms could address bespoke transport, styling, and performance projects. Proto Motors developed relationships with Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors, and GM Daewoo, using those connections to work with existing vehicle platforms and powertrains rather than attempting to compete with the major manufacturers across the entire passenger-car market. The company initially became associated with customized and converted vehicles. Its work included redesigning existing models and developing derivative forms such as convertibles, electric vehicles, and limousine-style vehicles. One notable commission was a custom convertible limousine based on the Equus, produced in 2001 for Cheongwadae, the South Korean presidential residence. This project illustrated Proto Motors’ role as a specialist coachbuilder capable of adapting a high-end domestic sedan for ceremonial and institutional use. Proto Motors also pursued an indigenous Korean sports-car program. The PS-II concept and development work led to the Spirra, which was presented as a production model at the fourth Seoul Motor Show. The Spirra became the company’s defining product and its principal attempt to establish a Korean-made performance-car identity. The program continued after Proto Motors was acquired by Oullim Motors in 2006. In 2010, the Spirra was introduced as Korea’s first locally made supercar, according to the cited reference material. The car represented a shift from Proto Motors’ earlier emphasis on coachbuilding and conversions toward a more recognizable, limited-production vehicle line. Proto Motors’ activities also extended to electric propulsion. In 2014, Oullim Motors introduced the Spirra EV, an electric version of the sports car. This development connected Proto Motors’ specialist-car expertise with the emerging electric-vehicle field, although the available reference material does not establish the model’s production volume, commercial performance, or market reach. The company’s broader approach remained centered on low-volume engineering and adaptation rather than mass-market manufacturing. The reference material identifies additional Proto Motors-related models and projects, including the RT-X, PS-II, Spirra, and a Kia Grand Carnival limousine. It also lists an SC24 associated with the brand, but the available information does not explain its relationship to the company’s later status. Because Proto Motors is reported to have closed in 2017, the SC24 listing should not be treated as evidence that the original company remained active without further verification. Proto Motors closed in 2017. No reliable information in the supplied material identifies a successor company, continuing corporate operation, current owner, or active official website. Its historical importance rests on its role as a Korean specialist manufacturer and coachbuilder, its partnerships with larger domestic automakers, its presidential limousine commission, and the Spirra program, which helped give South Korea a locally developed sports-car project.
History
Proto Motors was founded in South Korea in 1997 by Han-chul Kim and Ji-sun Choi. It entered the automotive industry as a specialist manufacturer and coachbuilder rather than as a high-volume producer. Its work included redesigning existing vehicles and creating specialized derivatives, including convertible and electric versions. The company established partnerships with Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors, and GM Daewoo, giving it access to established vehicle bases and supporting its focus on customization and low-volume engineering. A significant early project came in 2001, when Proto Motors built a custom convertible limousine based on the Equus for Cheongwadae, the South Korean presidential residence. The commission demonstrated the company’s ability to modify a large domestic luxury vehicle for ceremonial and institutional purposes. It also reinforced Proto Motors’ identity as a coachbuilder able to produce vehicles outside the normal factory model ranges of major automakers. Proto Motors’ best-known development was the Spirra sports car. The company showed the PS-II development at the fourth Seoul Motor Show and subsequently presented the Spirra as a production model. The car became the central expression of Proto Motors’ ambition to create a Korean performance vehicle. In 2006, Oullim Motors acquired Proto Motors, and development of the Spirra continued under the new ownership structure. The Spirra was introduced in 2010 as Korea’s first locally made supercar, as described by the available reference. The company and its successor also explored electric propulsion. In 2014, Oullim Motors introduced the Spirra EV, an electric derivative of the sports car. This project extended the original performance-car program into a new powertrain category, although the supplied material does not provide reliable details about production numbers, technical specifications, sales, or commercial success. The model history associated with Proto Motors includes the RT-X from 1998, the PS-II from 2000, the Spirra from 2007 to 2017, and a Kia Grand Carnival Limousine listed for the 2006–2017 period. The reference material also lists an SC24 beginning in 2024, but gives no explanation of its production, manufacturer, or relationship to the company. Since Proto Motors is reported to have closed in 2017, that entry requires independent verification and is not used here to classify the company as active. Proto Motors closed in 2017. The available sources do not identify a current corporate successor, current management, official website, or continuing production under the Proto Motors name. Historically, the company is notable for combining coachbuilding with indigenous sports-car development in South Korea and for contributing to the country’s limited but symbolically important domestic supercar activity.
- 2017
Company closes
[1]Proto Motors is reported to have ceased operations.
- 2014
Spirra EV introduced
[1]Oullim Motors introduced an electric version of the Spirra.
- 2010
Spirra presented as Korea’s first locally made supercar
[1]Proto Motors introduced the Spirra as Korea’s first Korea-made supercar, according to the reference.
- 2007
Spirra production period begins
[1]The Spirra is listed as a Proto Motors model produced from 2007 through 2017.
- 2006
Acquisition by Oullim Motors
[1]Oullim Motors acquired Proto Motors and continued work on the Spirra program.
- 2001
Equus-based presidential limousine completed
[1]Proto Motors custom-built a convertible limousine for Cheongwadae using the Equus as its basis.
- 2000
PS-II listed
[1]The PS-II development formed part of the company’s progression toward the Spirra sports car.
- 1998
RT-X listed among early models
[1]The RT-X is identified as an early Proto Motors model.
- 1997
Proto Motors founded
[1]Han-chul Kim and Ji-sun Choi established Proto Motors in South Korea.
Products and positioning
A South Korean specialist automotive manufacturer and coachbuilder focused on low-volume sports cars, bespoke vehicles, conversions, and derivative electric or convertible models.
Sports car · 1998
RT-X
The RT-X is listed among Proto Motors’ early models and is dated to 1998. The supplied reference provides no further reliable information about its body style, powertrain, production volume, or commercial distribution.
Sports-car prototype or development model · 2000
PS-II
The PS-II was an early Proto Motors sports-car development associated with the company’s later Spirra program. Proto Motors introduced the development at the fourth Seoul Motor Show. The available reference does not establish whether the PS-II itself entered series production.
Sports car · 2007
Spirra
The Spirra was Proto Motors’ signature sports car and its principal attempt to create a locally developed Korean performance vehicle. It was presented as a production model after the PS-II development and remained associated with the company from 2007 to 2017. After Oullim Motors acquired Proto Motors in 2006, development continued under Oullim’s ownership. In 2010, it was introduced as Korea’s first locally made supercar, according to the supplied reference.
Coachbuilt limousine · 2001
Equus convertible limousine
A bespoke convertible limousine based on the Hyundai Equus and built in 2001 for Cheongwadae, the South Korean presidential residence. It exemplified Proto Motors’ work adapting existing domestic vehicles for ceremonial and institutional requirements.
Limousine conversion · 2006
Kia Grand Carnival Limousine
The Kia Grand Carnival Limousine is listed among Proto Motors-related models for the 2006–2017 period. The reference does not provide enough detail to distinguish its exact specification, production arrangement, or sales channels.
Electric sports car · 2014
Spirra EV
The Spirra EV was an electric derivative of the Spirra introduced by Oullim Motors in 2014. It represented an effort to apply electric propulsion to the company’s specialist sports-car platform. Reliable information on battery capacity, production volume, pricing, and market performance is not provided in the available reference.
Automobile · 2024
SC24
SC24 appears in the supplied model listing with a 2024–present date range, but the reference gives no substantive description and does not reconcile the listing with Proto Motors’ reported closure in 2017. Its attribution and status require verification.
Brand decisions
2014
Spirra EV introductionProduct launchBackground
The company’s signature sports-car program provided a platform for exploring alternative propulsion.
Action taken
Oullim Motors introduced an electric version of the Spirra.
Aftermath
The launch extended the Spirra nameplate into electric vehicles, although the available material does not document its commercial scale or results.
2010
Spirra introduced as a Korean-made supercarProduct launchBackground
Proto Motors had pursued a locally developed sports car after presenting the PS-II development at the fourth Seoul Motor Show.
Action taken
The company introduced the Spirra as Korea’s first locally made supercar, according to the supplied reference.
Aftermath
The Spirra became the defining product associated with Proto Motors and later Oullim Motors.
2006
Oullim Motors acquisitionM&ABackground
Proto Motors had developed a specialist sports-car and coachbuilding business, with the Spirra as its central performance-car project.
Action taken
Oullim Motors acquired Proto Motors and continued development of the Spirra.
Aftermath
The Spirra remained in the model history through 2017, and an electric Spirra derivative was introduced in 2014.
Recent events
- 2017
Proto Motors closes[1]
Other
The available reference identifies 2017 as the year Proto Motors ceased operations.
- 2014
Spirra EV introduced[1]
Product launch
Oullim Motors introduced an electric version of the Spirra, extending the sports-car program into electric propulsion.
- 2010
Spirra introduced as a Korean-made supercar[1]
Product launch
Proto Motors introduced the Spirra as Korea's first locally made supercar, according to the cited reference.
- 2006
Oullim Motors acquires Proto Motors[1]
M&A
Oullim Motors acquired Proto Motors, after which development of the Spirra continued.
- 2001
Proto Motors develops a presidential residence limousine[1]
Other
The company custom-built a convertible limousine based on the Equus for Cheongwadae, the South Korean presidential residence.
- 1997
Proto Motors established in South Korea[1]
Other
Han-chul Kim and Ji-sun Choi established Proto Motors as a specialist Korean automotive company.
Sources1 sources
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