Archive for Ssangyong

The theme for news on this blog today is obviously SUVs. This is the new Ssangyong C200 Aero and Eco concepts, I think you can guess which is Aero and which is Eco, just look at the more “Eco” colour for the Eco. Ssangyong calls this Audi-like machine tyled by Giugiaro ItalDesign a “CUV” or Compact Urban Vehicle when in reality it’s a compact SUV, but if BMW can call their X6 a coupe I suppose anything goes.

The new CUV has a 2,650mm wheelbase and a length of 4,400mm, which is actually smaller than the BMW X3. It’s more of the length of the short wheelbase latest generation RAV4 with the wheelbase of the long wheelbase RAV4.

The Ssangyong C200 Aero uses a turbocharged 1.8 liter engine while the C200 Eco uses a 2.0 liter turbodiesel. Both are mated to a 6-speed automatic by default but Ssangyong says they will also make available a manual for those who prefer to do their own cog-shifting.

More shots after the jump including one of the interior.

Click here to read the rest of Ssangyong C200 Aero and C200 Eco Concepts

Ssangyong is in dire straits and is currently under court receivership, but while its financial books get sorted out the show must go on, the Seoul Motor Show that is, and the company will be exhibiting the Ssangyong C200 Eco Concept there.

The C200 is a SUV similiar in size to the Tiguan, RAV4, CR-V and Qashqai and uses Ssangyong’s first monocoque chassis for an SUV. Under its hood is the same 175 horsepower 2.0 liter turbodiesel engine as the first C200 and this is mated to a 6-speed automatic. Ssangyong has also used alot of aluminium in its supension components to help reduce weight. They intend to give the C200 an European feel when it comes to ride and handling.

Also set to be released at the show is a hybrid turbodiesel Kyron, combining Ssangyong’s turbodiesel engine with a Torque Split Deevice which combines or cuts off power with an electric motor. Ssangyong says tests have shown that fuel efficiency can be improved by 25%, while emissions can drop by 10% for nitrogen oxide and 15% for particulates.

The pretty decent-looking Ssangyong C200 Concept may not see the light of day if things go the way they are

The first manufacturer to hit the dust in this depressing economy could be Chinese-owned South Korean manufacturer Ssangyong. There is a whole list of problems right now happening with the company, which makes trucks and SUVs based on Mercedes-Benz technology, such as the Ssangyong Actyon SUT.

First of all, a huge amount of debt is goin to mature early this year, and Ssangyong needs a cash injection from its Chinese parent SAIC to be able to settle these debts. Things aren’t going that well for Ssangyong financially, as it recently posted its 4th consecutive quarterly loss of US$21 million.

But before SAIC injects any cash into Ssangyong, it wants to make sure the cash will be well-spelt. Ssangyong must restructe its worker union and lower labour costs, which as usual is rejecting any changes, just like their overpaid counterparts in Detroit. Understandable of course, who would want to be paid less in this already tough times, but it’s better to have a job that pays less than no job at all?

The workers union are also asking for the Chinese executives in Ssangyong to resign, obviously oblivious to the fact that a Chinese company owns them. SAIC is obviously not very happy about all of this at all, and there is talk that it may just pull out of Ssangyong and let it sink. Ssangyong has also tried to get aid from the South Korean government, but all it got was a response from the Ministery of Knowledge Economy that the government “is not planning direct financial support” for Ssangyong.

Rather than go into bankruptcy for debt restructuring, an unnamed official from the Korea Development Bank says that it would liquidate the company instead, but no firm decision has been made on this matter.

You’ve seen the new Cosworth Range Rover Sports, now here’s something else by Azfal Kahn. Based on the Rexton 270 SPR, the Project Kahn Ssangyong Rexton R-Line features 22 inch Kahn Design RST alloy wheels, lowered springs, and a Kahn Design sports exhaust. On the interior you get a combination leather interior using black nappa leather and soft Alcantara, complete with red stitching. A rear spoiler is optional.

The equipment is the same as the 270 SPR, featuring automatic climate control, ESP stability control, active rollover protection, hill descent control, ABS brakes, automatic headlamps, rain sensing wipers, front and side airbags, electric folding door mirrors and heated seats. The audio system has been removed as it seems their target customer market would most likely want to install their own insanely pimped up sound system – think of multiple subwoofers in specially designed enclosures at the rear.

The 2.7 liter turbodiesel engine under the hood puts out 186 PS and 402Nm of torque from 2,400rpm, mated to a Mercedes-Benz T-Tronic 5-speed auto. The Ssangyong Rexton R-Line comes with a 3-year warranty and 3 years European roadside assistance. Look after the jump for a few more shots of the R-Line Rexton.

Click here to read the rest of Project Kahn Ssangyong Rexton R-Line

You may not recognise the car you see above as a Ssangyong. Granted its still in concept form but at the same time it’s still a far cry from the odd things you see coming out of their design studio. Trucks like the Actyon are actually very decent but sadly do not enjoy much sales in Malaysia because of its unorthodox looks.

This will all change from now on, and hopefully it will entice more people to try out the Chinese-owned Korean marque with German hearts. The concept above was styled by Giugaro ItalDesign, and is meant to showcase Ssangyong’s future design language. Giugaro is working on the designs of future Ssangyongs, including a total of 20 new models built on 5 new platforms over the period of 5 years beginning 2009.

The C200 is also the first monocoque Ssangyong, and the first front wheel drive car from the company, although an all-wheel driven version of the production car is also planned. Powering it is a 175 PS inline-4 petrol engine mated to a 6-speed auto.

The new model line-up will still consist primarily of the SUVs and trucks that Ssangyong has traditionally built, but more passenger cars other than the Chairman is in the works. Some of the new Ssangyongs will be based on Rover platforms, which parent company SAIC also owns.

Look after the jump for more angles of the C200 Concept.

Click here to read the rest of Ssangyong C200 Concept previews new Ssangyong design language

Competitive Supreme Sdn Bhd has launched an updated version of the Ssangyong Actyon Sports SUT with a major technical change that should be very welcome – a 6-speed automatic gearbox. This will allow the punchy 2.0 liter XDi 200 XVT engine to stay in its torquey diesel powerband more often, and the cheaper 2.0 liter road tax of RM439.20 will be easier on pockets as well.

The XDi 200 XVT engine is based on Mercedes-Benz technology and features 3rd generation common rail direct injection. It produces 141 PS at 4,000rpm and 310Nm of torque between 1,800rpm and 2,700rpm.

It is mated to a new 6-speed automatic gearbox with Thumbtronic manual shifting control, which allows the user to shift the automatic gearbox gears manually via button controls on the steering wheel. The new 6-speed automatic is sourced from Australian company Drivetrain Systems International. The 4WD system has electronic shift on the fly which allows you to switch from 2-High, 4-High and 4-Low via a dashboard switch.

Other updates to the new Actyon Sports includes a chrome front grille, a Shark Fin style radio antenna, chrome center adjustable air vents, the addition of rear seat belt buckles with storage pockets as well as a driver’s footrest. I noticed that the Actyon was missing the footrest when it was first launched forcing my left foot to rest at a slightly uncomfortable angle, so it is great to hear that Ssangyong and Competitive Supreme has taken feedback from the public into account.

More images of the updated Actyon SUT after the jump.

Related Posts:
Ssangyong Actyon Sports SUT Pick-up Truck Test Drive Review

Click here to read the rest of Ssangyong gives Actyon SUT a 6-speed automatic

Ssangyong has announced that the company will be exhibiting a turbodiesel-hybrid concept at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show which will improve efficiency of their existing vehicles by about 30%. No other details has been released, so we’ll just have to wait until Geneva rolls by just next month to find out what the Korean manufacturers have in store for us.

Related Posts:
Ssangyong Actyon Sport Pick-Up Truck Test Drive

Click to enlarge

Competitive Supreme Sdn Bhd recently entered their new Ssangyong Actyon SUT into the Rainforest Challenge Terengganu 2007. The SsangYong Adventure Squad consisted of driver Mr. Francis Khoo and co-driver Encik Mohd Sharul Bahrin, team manager Mr. Stiven Sim, a technical team consisting of Ho Siong Peng, Liau See On, Simon Sim, Chan Meng Wai, Kamal and Ken Chin, and of course a Ssangyong Actyon Sports SUT with some technical upgrading to meet the minimum technical requirements for participating vehicles according to the challenge rules.

Here is a list of technical upgrades:

Chassis

• 3 inch body-lift
• Heavy duty coil springs and shock absorbers.
• Mud terrain tyres – Simex Extreme Centipede – 32″ x 9.5″ x15″

Protection Equipment

• Custom built front bullbar.
• Reinforced rear towing points.
• Heavy duty Side Steps.
• Rear Deck Roll Bar complete with Hi-lift Jack and spare Tyre-Mount.
• Front cabin Roll Bar.
• Racing Seats with 5-point safety harnesses for the driver and co-driver.
• Removal of rear seats and floor carpet.
• Large survival box mounted in the rear cabin.

Recovery Equipment

• Warn Winch – 8274 rear mounted with plasma rope
• Warn Recovery Set
• Heavy Duty Ground Anchor

The Actyon SUT completed all the Special Stages successfully before the Elephant Mud-hole and clocked one of the fastest times in the Special Stage 4 during the Prologue Stage.

UPDATE: There was some errors in the blog post before this, it has been corrected!

What does the Subaru Tribeca and the Ssangyong Kyron have in common? They both had unorthodox design elements in their initial design, but after a facelift, they look alot better! Even though the Ssangyong Kyron was an able machine, alot were turned off by the fussy design and the shape of its rear taillamps which were somewhat shaped like a shield. The facelifted Kyron gets a new tail end design, a few other design updates here and there, and is 50mm longer and 10mm wider.

More shots of the facelifted Kyron after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Ssangyong Kyron gets a facelift

The Ssangyong Actyon Sports SUT is a pick-up truck that stands out among it’s competitors, and I’m not just talking about its somewhat unorthodox looks which resembles a shark with a gaping mouth, especially in white. But if you’re willing to put it’s looks aside and are interested to know more about the features and capabilities of the Ssangyong Actyon, look after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Ssangyong Actyon Sports Pick-Up Truck Test Drive