Paris Preview: Ssangyong in the house with C200
If you want an SUV that looks like what a really cool Saab 9-4 might potentially look like, but you want it to have a Mercedes model name and be from Korea, then you're looking for the Ssangyong C200. Known outside the U.S. for its 4-wheel drives like the Ssangyong Musso, which means "double dragon rhinoceros", the C200 is a four-wheel-drive, unibody CUV meant to grow Ssangyong's product range. It is packaged with a 2.0-liter engine and a 6-speed transmission, claimed to put out low emissions and be EURO V emissions-approved. Depending on how many horses they can squeeze out, it could be a nice little ride for Ssangyong money. That's all we know about it for the moment, but we'll bring you the full story when it's launched at the Paris Motor Show next month.
[Source: Ssangyong]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Torrent 11:36AM (9/12/2008)
Looks like Kia's grille with a line through it....
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Red 12:55PM (9/12/2008)
Really? I actually see an Accord from the top half of the front end.
And....wait, what's this? I think I actually.....PREFER this to the current Accord's front end? What is the world coming to?
JZeke 11:40AM (9/12/2008)
This is light-years away from their amazingly horrendous current products:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SsangYong_Actyon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SsangYong_Rodius
This is a revelation, pure and simple.
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freckles 11:50AM (9/12/2008)
my eyes!
Torrent 11:52AM (9/12/2008)
Don't ever post those devil links again. It's like someone threw acid in my eyes.
nighttime 3:32AM (9/13/2008)
I saw an actyon the other day.
...........in Metallic Gold
Red 12:55PM (9/12/2008)
If you ever post anything as horrible as that first link again, I will e-stone thee....
Soccer Mom 11:44AM (9/12/2008)
It will take decades of releasing immaculate products before I buy a Chinese car.
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homunculus 11:51AM (9/12/2008)
china does not equal korea.
i'm going to keep calling out bmw for copying ssangyong's actyon when they made the x6.
tekdemon 4:32PM (9/12/2008)
Ssangyong is now largely owned by SAIC. That said, unlike what i_hate_china claims, SAIC isn't responsible for Ssanyong's current lineup since those cars were designed before the Chinese bought Ssanyong. And quite frankly SAIC probably puts out better cars at it's own factories since they have joint ventures with both GM and Volkswagen, so their plants are up to GM/VW standards (although I guess VW standards are rather dubious).
SAIC has mostly used their purchase of Ssanyong to use a few car platforms (thankfully rebodied with less hideous designs), so the sheer ugliness of Ssanyong vehicles is still to be blamed on the Koreans (and possibly the English since that wikipedia article seems to indicate an English designer).
No Welfare for GM 11:46AM (9/12/2008)
I see this thing selling in big numbers is priced correctly
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J M C 3 12:08PM (9/12/2008)
Once the Chinese get it right it's going to be curtains for some other auto makers.
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JMC 3 2:22PM (9/12/2008)
It's coming.
ant_ 2:53PM (9/12/2008)
Looks somewhat like a new 4 door VW Corrado. I like it.
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J M C 3 4:24PM (9/12/2008)
I wouldn't poo poo the Chinese the way American industry poo pooed the Japanese.
The Chinese have even more potential to become an industrial juggernaught.
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