SsangYong Motor remains a small firm and yet it was able to outsell Renault Samsung Motors in the home market last year, rising to third position from fourth in 2016. Europe and China remain tricky markets, though, and SsangYong has not mentioned its planned entry to the US for some time.
Out with the outdated, in with the new (SUVs)
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In 2017, the SUV specialist make sold 106,677 vehicles (+6%) in South Korea while RSM managed only 100,536 (-10%), which was mainly due to the ongoing popularity of the Tivoli (55,280). Some encouraging news was that while this registrations of this compact SUV and its long-body XLV derivative dipped by three percent, that was more than offset by rising sales of newer, larger and therefore more expensive vehicles.
SsangYong has also been quietly phasing out old models such as the Actyon and Kyron SUVs, as well as winding down production of the aged Chairman W. A mere 517 units of the big luxury sedan were registered in 2017 and there is no scheduled replacement.
SUVs
The XIV-1 concept, which had its global debut at the Frankfurt motor show in September 2011, offered an initial preview of two SUVs for SsangYong. These additional models slot in below the Korando C (Korando in some markets) as rivals for the Chevrolet Trax, Peugeot 2008, Renault Captur etc…
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By GlobalDataThe Tivoli was revealed to the media in South Korea in January 2015, while a long-body one, the Tivoli XLV (Tivoli Air in South Korea), had its world premiere at the Geneva motor show in March 2016. The lengthened car was previewed first by the XLV, a design study preview which debuted at the Geneva motor show in March 2014, and then by the XLV-Air concept at September 2015’s Frankfurt motor show. The Air went on sale in Korea in March 2016.
Trademark applications for both Tivoli and ‘Luvent’ have been filed in the US.
A potential future open-top version of the Tivoli premiered as the XIV-2 concept at the Geneva motor show in March 2012, while a range-extended EV variant, the e-XIV, followed at the Paris show in September 2012.
Tivoli production commenced in late 2014. European sales would start in 2015, the brand’s UK importer told the media in January 2014. This B-SUV became available across Europe from mid-2015.
The Geneva 2014 concept was called XLV (eXciting smart Lifestyle Vehicle). It was 290mm longer than the XIV-1 that preceded it, and had a 2+2+2+1 seating arrangement, where the seventh seat slid between the second and third rows. Dimensions of the XLV concept were as follows: length, 4,430mm; width, 1,845mm; height, 1,600mm; wheelbase, 2,600mm. There were two further concepts, the XIV-Air and XIV-Adventure, both of which premiered at the Paris motor show in October 2014.
Trademark applications for both Tivoli and ‘Luvent’ were filed in the US during June 2014, adding to the likelihood of SsangYong entering that market in the coming years. Luvent could be the US market name for the next generation Korando. Whatever the name turns out to be, the car will be one of the launch vehicles for SsangYong’s long anticipated entry to the US market. This was confirmed in an interview with SsangYong’s CEO Choi Johng-sik, speaking at the 2016 Paris motor show. He noted that the other model would be a modified Tivoli and that the SUVs would be powered by turbocharged 1.5- and 2.0-litre petrol engines.
A further PHEV concept had its world premiere at the Geneva motor show in March 2015. This was the Tivoli EVR (Electric Vehicle with Range-extender). A production plug-in Tivoli is expected to be released in 2018 or 2019. It might be an EV rather than a PHEV.
In China, the model name for the Tivoli is Tivolan. The car’s local debut was at the Shanghai motor show in April 2015, two months ahead of the commencement of imports. In October 2016, SsangYong announced that it was in talks with Shaanxi Auto over a potential joint venture in the Chinese commercial vehicle maker’s home city of Xi’an. Should this venture and its planned production plant be approved by the relevant government authorities, the Tivoli is considered likely to be the main product for local manufacture.
CEO Choi Johng-sik told the media in October 2017 that there had been no progress in a proposed Chinese JV with Shaanxi Auto.
SsangYong president and CEO Choi Johng-sik told the media in October 2017 that no progress in its proposed JV with partner Shaanxi Auto could see the company cancelling these plans and finding another way to enter China as a manufacturer.
In June 2016, SsangYong stated that it had built 100,000 units of the Tivoli and its derivatives since the start of production 17 months previously.
One size class up from the Tivoli is the Korando. Production of this rival for the Kia Sportage had been due to start in November 2009 but was delayed until July 2010. Sales in the Korean market finally started in September 2010. The world premiere of a second near-production ready concept had been at the Seoul motor show in April 2009.
Engineered by Giugiaro’s ItalDesign in Italy, the Korando C had its world premiere in production form at the Busan motor show in April 2010. This was also when its model name was revealed. Its monocoque platform was SsangYong’s first SUV architecture not to be of body-on-frame construction.
In May 2010, Sollers announced that it would assemble the then-new model at its Vladivostok plant.
The Korando C looks very similar to the C200 concept from October 2008’s Paris motor show and the concept from the 2009 Seoul show.
An EV prototype, the KEV2 concept, premiered at the Seoul motor show in March 2011. No production version ever followed, though.
Mahindra & Mahindra reached an agreement with SsangYong’s creditors in November 2010 for control of the company, paying Won 427bn for a 70% stake. The deal closed in March 2011. The Indian firm stated in December 2010 that it would begin assembly of the Korando (and the Rexton) at its Chakan plant during 2011.
A facelifted Korando C was announced in South Korea in August 2013. It reached European markets from November 2013.
A revised 2.2-litre diesel engine went on sale across Europe in October 2015. This is Euro 6 compliant and produces 178PS plus 400Nm of torque.
A second facelift for the Korando took place in February 2017 (South Korean market). The car’s motor show debut was at Geneva the following month.
C300, the next Korando, is expected to enter production in the second half of 2019.
C300, the next Korando, is expected to enter production in the second half of 2019. Styling wise, it should look like the SIV-2, a concept from March 2016’s Geneva motor show.
The Korando successor might also be built in China. In August 2014, SsangYong Motor’s then CEO told a Chinese newspaper that his firm would consider a manufacturing JV with Pang Da, its distributor, should brand sales reach 50,000 units a year. He anticipated this might happen in 2017. However, these plans came to nothing.
The next model will be one of the launch vehicles for SsangYong’s long anticipated entry to the US market. This was confirmed in an interview with SsangYong’s CEO Choi Johng-sik, speaking at the 2016 Paris motor show. He noted that the other model would be a modified Tivoli and that the SUVs would be powered by turbocharged 1.5- and 2.0-litre petrol engines.
There will also be an electric Korando.
A project to create a rival for the Jeep Wrangler reportedly exists within SsangYong. The ‘Luvu‘ model name is rumoured and this vehicle might be sold in the USA. It could be marketed there as a Mahindra, a SsangYong or some other brand name. Its release in South Korea is expected to take place in 2019.
The Rexton G4 is one of SsangYong’s newest models. This 4,850mm long replacement for the Rexton W had its world premiere at the 2017 Seoul motor show. In South Korea, the model name is G4 Rexton and in most other countries, it is simply, Rexton. There are two turbocharged four-cylinder engines: a 2.2-litre diesel and a 2.0-litre petrol.
There are also two automatic gearboxes. The e-XDi220 diesel is linked to a seven-speed Mercedes-Benz auto while the self-shifting transmission for the 2.0-litre petrol is a six-speed Aisin unit.
Even though it has a separate chassis with the steel frame supplied by Posco, this SUV is a rival for the unibody Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento in the home market. A design study, the Limitless Interface Vehicle 2 (LIV-2), offered a preview of the new generation Rexton. This was displayed at the 2016 Paris motor show.
The Rexton G4 SUV is the name of the seven-seat variant. Sales commenced in South Korea during August 2017.
SsangYong’s smaller models, the Tivoli and Korando are unibody SUVs.
Mahindra & Mahindra is planning to build the Rexton at a plant in India, badged as a Mahindra and with slight styling changes. This should take place from the fourth quarter of 2018.
The D200 project is due to become a production model in 2021 or 2022.
SsangYong’s CEO Jong Sik Choi spoke at an event in Italy in August 2017 and announced that the D200 project is due to become a production model in 2021 or 2022. This will be the next generation Rexton.
Pick-up
A new model which has replaced the Actyon Sports/Korando Sports is aimed at the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux. It was revealed in South Korea in January 2018 as the Rexton Sports. The public debut outside the home market will take place at the Geneva motor show. In many European markets, the model name is to be Musso.
The Q200 is manufactured at SsangYong’s Pyeongtaek plant in South Korea. It will also be assembled in partnership with Saudi National Automobiles Mfg (SNAM). CKD assembly will take place in KSA by 2020, according to the terms of a signed agreement.
Saudi Arabia has selected five ‘strategic-partner nations’ to help it attain the goals of ‘Vision 2030’. This is a development programme, the aim of which is to broaden the base of Saudi industry. South Korea is one of the five countries and SsangYong has been charged with helping the kingdom create its own vehicle manufacturing industry.
While the Ssangyong-SNAM plant will start off as a CKD assembly facility, the plan is to eventually make it a CBU factory. Its location is to be within SNAM’s one million square metre manufacturing site. This is in the Plaschen Park industrial complex near Jubail Industrial City. As well as vehicles for the domestic market, the factory will export to regional countries.
The history of SNAM has strong Korean links in that it was established by Daewoo Group.
There will also be SKD assembly in India from the second half of 2018. This will take place at an M&M plant, most likely Chakan.
The arrival of the Rexton Sports saw SsangYong announcing that it would from that point on divide its line-up into three ranges: Tivoli, Korando and Rexton.
It seems unlikely that cash will be spent on creating a successor for the Korando Turismo.
There is one model left over from the days when SsangYong’s product line tried to cover too many bases with not quite enough resources. There were several reasons for the company’s collapse into receivership but this was a major one.
Happily, Mahindra & Mahindra seems to understand the importance of steadily expanding the SsangYong range yet only when there is a strong business case for each model. For this reason, it seems unlikely that cash will be spent on creating a successor for the Korando Turismo, the brand’s only people carrier/MPV/minivan.
Sold as the Stavic or Rodius in some countries, it went on sale in South Korea, its first market, in February 2013. Depending on the market, the vehicle is available with the choice of 2.0-litre diesel and 3.2-litre petrol engines and with up to 11 seats.
While the name was new, this vehicle is closely based on the first generation model. This means it uses a very old Mercedes-Benz architecture – the same basic platform as the W124 E-Class which was first seen more than thirty years ago.
SsangYong stated at the vehicle’s launch that it was hoping for 20,000 global sales each year, with half of those in the domestic market.
A facelifted Korando Turismo went on sale in South Korea just a few weeks ago. Production will likely be wound down during 2020 or 2021. SsangYong will likely use a large SUV to cover this end of the market from the early 2020s.
it seems unlikely that cash will be spent on creating a successor for the Korando Turismo.
Summary
Under Mahindra ownership, SsangYong is finally beginning to thrive even though capacity utilisation at Pyeongtaek, its only factory; a JV for China; exports; and most importantly, profits are all areas with room for improvement. On the plus side, collaboration with M&M in the areas of EVs, powertrains and platforms should continue to keep a lid on costs, while helping to strengthen SsangYong Motor and keep its future free of the financial crises which defined much of its pre-M&M era modern history.
Future model plan reports for other manufacturers can be viewed in the OEM product strategy summaries section of just-auto.com.
Future product program intelligence
More data on vehicle lifetime and future product plans is available in PLDB from QUBE.
The next OEM to have its divisions’ current and future passenger vehicles looked at will be Hyundai Motor Group.
