SsangYong Rexton gets two new limited editions in the UK
I had never heard of Korean carmaker SsangYong until about a year ago when I walked past a dealership in Switzerland, saw the vehicles on the showroom floor, and thought to myself, "Good Lord. It's like someone cross-bred an M-Class with a Lancia Thesis."
In case you're wondering, that's bad. That dealership, to me, was like some sort of automotive Island of Dr. Moreau.
Anyway, SsangYong UK has announced that it's releasing two new new limited edition Rexton SUVs, and when they say limited, they're really not kidding. The Rexton S Sport is limited to 90 units and comes with navigation, Texas alloy wheels and Chicago side bars with steps. It costs £19,995.
The Rexton SE Sport is limited to just 65 vehicles, and gets a Kenwood nav, Montana 18" alloys, Denver side steps and rear parking assist. It'll set you back £23,995.
What those American cities have to do with the accessories they're named after is a total mystery, but hey, if it wasn't bizarre, it wouldn't be a SsangYong.
(Additional info, photo after the jump)
[Source: SsangYong]
PRESS RELEASE:
SsangYong UK Ltd is pleased to announce the addition of two Limited Edition models to the well established Rexton range.
Rexton S Sport
Based upon the Rexton 2.7 S Manual 5 Seat, the Rexton S Sport features the following equipment upgrades:
- Satellite navigation system
- Texas alloy wheels
- Chicago side bars with steps
- Only 90 Rexton S Sport models will be offered for sale.
Rexton SE Sport
Based upon the Rexton 2.7 SE Manual 5 Seat, the Rexton SE Sport features the following equipment upgrades:
- Kenwood satellite navigation system
- Montana 18" alloy wheels
- Denver side steps
- Rear parking assist
The retail value of these special equipment items is £4,750, but the Rexton SE Sport is available at a retail price of £23,995, only £3,000 above the standard model.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Dan 8:41PM (7/19/2006)
But the Rexton looks nice next to the Rodius:
http://www.syukcars.co.uk/line_up/page4.asp
And what should we say about the front end of the forthcoming Actyon?
http://www.syukcars.co.uk/line_up/page3.asp
These trucks are ugly... and they have ugly names, too!
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Jinnah 9:14PM (7/19/2006)
Really, I think the people who buy this cars must be half blind. The designs are just super-horrible! How can it be possible that a company dares to build these vehicles?? Please can someone explain this!!!! I need to understand!!!!
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DJ 10:44PM (7/19/2006)
The cars look like MB for a reason. Ssanyong uses a generation old platforms, engines, and transmissions from MB among other things. For a while in the 90s, I think they even had MB logos on their cars. The vehicles not only look like MB. They are indeed MB!
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paul 10:48PM (7/19/2006)
this might be a long time ago..but last i knew was that ssangyong suv's use mercedes benz engines..
can anyone confirm that?
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Finished.Law.School 11:28PM (7/19/2006)
I emailed you guys a photo of the Rexton in the parking lot of a Best Buy something like 6 months ago.
It looks horrible...
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iQuack 2:45AM (7/20/2006)
Doesn't look any worse than most of these SUV things. Is the RAV4 any better looking? I don't think so.
The Koreans are industrious and smart--expect vehicles from them that do what they're supposed to do.
In any case, you have to like a company whose name begins with two esses. SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!
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julian 6:00AM (7/20/2006)
it may seem strange, but i think the purpose of ssyanyong is to deliberately design cars as badly as possible. but for some reason the rexton kidna grows on you, and to be honest, ken greenley's designs are no worse than chris bangles' work like the z4 or 7 series. no wonder both companies got the dubious honour of being on topgear's worst cars of the year last year.
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M. 6:49AM (7/20/2006)
SsangYong still uses -- last generation -- MB engines. And the Ssangyong Chairman is built on the underpinnings of the Mercedes E-Class W124 (from the eighties):
http://www.ssangyong.com.my/content_chairman.htm
The Rexton actually uses some parts of the platform of the W124 and AFAIK the rear axle from the old Steyr/MB G-Class.
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Work from Home 12:01PM (7/20/2006)
Well, they must be trying to tap some untapped markets. Korean companies are good in doing that. They are doing quite well in many asian countries already. They just use UK as a test market before trying anywhere else in the world.
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Tim C 2:01PM (7/21/2006)
Astonishingly some buyers here in the UK will deliberately put themselves in the position of owning one of these under-engineered monstrosities. My next-door neighbour has a Kia Sportage for example.
It's as inexplicable to me as Scientology or Heisenberg's uncertainty principle but you pays your money and you looks a twat.
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Japanese Car Exporters 10:41PM (8/27/2006)
Well, quality and price are always corelated. Japanese vehicles have high quality and performance, but they are expensive too. Since Japanese people can afford to buy expensive vehicles, Korean auto makers can not succeed in Japan. However, in other countries where the choice of buying a car is ruled by cost, people look at functionality rather than the aesthetic appearance, design. Korean auto makers are good in exploiting that market.
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Cams 10:49PM (8/27/2006)
Koreans are industrious people and maintaing good quality and are silently making inroads in markets all over the world. They are like Japan of yesteryears !
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