| New Korando C |
New Korando C emerging as top seller
By Park Si-soo
Ssangyong Motor is quickly recovering its financial health with robust sales overseas.
Its popular SUV model New Korando C is leading the drive in Europe and Central Asia with its design and functionality recognized recently in major car-exporting nations such as Germany, brightening Ssangyong's prospects there.
The company, which India's Mahindra & Mahindra owns, is also running aggressive marketing and promotional campaigns in emerging markets, including China and Kazakhstan, to bolster sales and brand recognition.
"This is part of efforts to diversify our markets," a Ssangyong spokesman said, pointing out unfavorable conditions in Russia and Chile, the company's two biggest overseas markets.
He said ongoing political uncertainty in Russia had resulted in lower-than-expected sales there in recent months, while Chile's move to levy an environmental tax on diesel-powered vehicles was another source of anxiety. Early this month, the Korean government expressed grave concerns over the move, calling on Chile to withdraw the legislation.
Despite these unfavorable conditions, Ssangyong's exports continue to increase.
In the first half of the year, the company exported 41,000 vehicles, up 2.1 percent from the same period last year. Ssangyong aimed to ship 81,500 cars by the end of the year, the spokesman said.
The company finalized a wage deal with its unionized workers last week, removing a major obstacle.
The company has high expectations for its Korando vehicles. Nearly 70 percent of vehicles exported during the first six months of the year were Korando cars. Of these, the popular SUV model New Korando C accounted for 46.4 percent or 19,033, playing the biggest role in Ssangyong's overseas expansion.
Another SUV, the Korando Turismo, continued the positive trend with brisk sales in Europe.
Early this month, Ssangyong won the right to sell 25 Korando Turismos to Flanders, a self-governing province in Belgium. The vehicles will be used to patrol highways.
Ssangyong said the deal would put the company in a better position to sell SUVs to other European nations.
The company said the Korando Sports was another big contributor to its exports.
Two weeks ago, Ssangyong launched the Nomad SUV in Kazakhstan, the automaker's first significant move into central Asia.
The vehicles will be shipped as complete knock-down kits, and assembled at a plant that can produce 10,000 cars annually.
The Nomad, a modified version of the Actyon compact SUV, has been tailored to meet Kazakhstan's driving conditions and consumer requirements.