Ssangyong Kyron News

Soaring fuel prices will change the driving habits of a nation with motorists driving 20 per cent less over the next 12 months, according to SsangYong boss Russell Burling.“It's only a matter of time before a pint of beer is cheaper than a pint of fuel,” Mr Burling says. “I reckon that in the next 12 months people will drive 20 per cent less to save on fuel costs.“If fuel keeps going up, and it will, people will look for ways to drive less, whether that is car pooling, catching the train or dropping one car."“It is going to be a massive change in lifestyle. Fuel relates to food, to transport, to goods . . . to everything we do and need. It's going to be a huge change and I don't think people realise that yet.”Mr Burling says the prospect of a fuel price spiral played a large part in SsangYong's of vehicles.“We reacted by going 100 per cent diesel,” Mr Burling says. “Diesel-fuelled cars are our most efficient and we believe diesel is the answer. I would think there is going to be a definite change in direction of what people drive . . . you can see that already in registrations. Small cars are booming and large cars are falling away.”While SsangYong is still a niche player in Australia - selling 200 cars last month and aiming for a 3000 total this year - Mr Burling is confident the diesel strategy will carry the company into the future.A drive of the current range illustrates that while SsangYong is not likely to challenge the established segment stars any time soon; there has been improvement.The Kyron medium SUV is a well equipped unit but the two-litre version, at least, suffers from a lack of performance. The optional five-speed automatic pales beside the DSI six-speed and the car will only be better once the new gearbox flows through.With select-on-the-fly all-wheel drive, the Kyron has a real off-road capability and is a less nervous drive on the road if left in 4WD high range.Standard fare on the car includes ESP, ABS, 18 inch alloys and front and side airbags.Sitting atop the SsangYong range is the giant Stavic people mover with seven and nine-seat capacity. In its home environment there is also an 11-seat option but it has wisely been ignored for Australia.If cars were rated on space for your dollar the Stavic would be at the top of the table. The car is huge - and it drives like it. The 2.7-litre diesel produces a handy 121kW of power and 340Nm of torque but the chassis and suspension can not disguise the bulk of the car.The model roll-out for SsangYong will continue over the next couple of years with a small SUV front-wheel drive with six-speed auto due early next year, a replacement for the Rexton large SUV in early 2010 and a full range of passenger cars still under consideration.“The final decision to take them has not been made yet,” Mr Burling says. “I have seen the cars and in the next six to 12 months we will make the final decision on price positioning and whether we should take them. The other thing is whether they are available. Our cars will be made in Korea but we will only get them after they have satisfied the home markets.”Mr Burling says that while some of the passenger cars were already on the design boards at Rover when the British company was acquired by SsanYong's owners, Shanghai Automotive Industries, they are all on new platforms.“The cars will have an east-west engine with a six-speed automatic gearbox,” he says. “We are not interested in entering a segment (light and small) where you can't be profitable. It is already overcrowded."“We certainly like being in the ute segment and the SUV segment and the people mover segment. Yes, we want to get into the car segments but it is going to be two-litre and up for us.” Small torqueThe star of the SsangYong range is undoubtedly the Dual Sports Cab Utility, above, which benefits immeasurably from the addition of the six-speed automatic gearbox from Albury manufacturers DSI.The extra cog - and the quality of the shifts - does sterling work in reducing the coarseness of the basic car, easing the strain on the two-litre diesel as it is much easier to keep the engine in the fat of the 310Nm torque band without hunting.“We will be launching a Tradie version in the next couple of weeks at $24,990 and that will have drum brakes on the rear but that is purely market demand,” SsangYong boss Russell Burling says. “People are looking for a lower price so we are getting in to launch what we will call the Tradie - it's a 4x2, white only, manual only, steel wheels and a diesel. A 4x4 version will also be available at $27,990.” 

The Chinese-controlled Korean brand Ssangyong wants to reinvent itself in Australia with a new distributor and a reinvigorated “100 per cent pure diesel engine” line-up. If they pull it off, it'll be some feat. Ssangyong has been derided in these parts as a poor person's Mercedes, partly because of the more than somewhat derivative Chairman executive car, while what might be politely termed as the “singular” styling of the Stavic people mover launched a thousand quips. Launching the 2008 range, though, the impression is very much that better established brands who would laugh at Ssangyong do so at their peril. The brand that sold a meagre 2123 vehicles in 2007 will surely surpass their unduly modest 3200-unit target for this year. A new distribution company, SsangYong Motor Australasia, allies current distributor Russell Burling with the West Australian-based Barbagallo Group. Operating from its own premises near Sydney Airport, Burling says the company has the pull to access all-new vehicles from Korea within two weeks of production, by far the fastest of any imported marque. This line-up consists of either all-wheel or rear-wheel drive SUVs, twin cab utes and people movers, all stuffed with standard equipment, all priced lower than last year and all powered by a diesel engine. “That Mercedes connection is not something we have to advertise, people are aware of it,” Burling says. “The engine blocks are cast in Mercedes' South African foundry and assembled in Korea. But we don't need that connection, we can stand on our own two feet.” Ssangyong has lately become the biggest client of the all-Australian, Albury-based firm Drivetrain Systems International (DSI); manufacturer of the sophisticated six-speed tiptronic automatics for Ssangyong's top spec models. Ssangyong, Burling says, will offer the cheapest six-speed-slushers and the cheapest diesels in their class. “There is a huge move from petrol to diesel at the coalface. Six cylinder sales are going to suffer." “As to the price gouging on diesel, I think the Rudd Government will deal with that and realise that diesel is the good fuel for Australia." “I'm not saying we'll see it go to 70 or 80 per cent diesels here as it has in France, but it will be a dramatic change.” Ssangyong is offering a four-model lineup — Sports dual-cab; Rexton and Kyron, SUVs; and Stavic people mover. Each is topped by a model designated SPR, save for the outgoing Actyon SUV, which will be no more by year's end and is being run out at $29,990 — the cheapest diesel SUV around. SPR features include anti-rollover protection, Brake Assist, T-tronic auto transmissions with thumbs up shift controls, full leather trim, climate control airconditioning, slide and tilt sunroofs, rain sensing wipers, auto dimming mirrors and automatic headlight controls. Standard features on all models — be they ever so humble — include Electronic Stability Program, ABS with four wheel discs, alloys, curtain airbags and parking sensors. While other budget brands offer SUVs, the newly redesignated Sports — a dual cab utility with standard tray liner — offers a point of difference. The Sports Dual Cab 4x2 starts from $28,990, the all-wheel-drive from $31,990. That six-speed auto with cruise control is a $3K option on both. The auto and standard SPR is $39,990. Power comes from a 2.0-litre turbo diesel, good for 104kW at 4000rpm and 310Nm from 1800rpm. “There is no doubt that if you have to spend more than two hours day in your work vehicle then this is by far the most comfortable,” Burling claims. “I'm happy to stand up and be tested on that.” The Kyron medium SUV has either the Sport's 2.0-litre engine (at $32,990) or, in the SPR, a 2.7-litre 121kW/340Nm common rail turbocharged diesel (from $39,990). The range topping Rexton SUV uses the 2.7-litre unit and is priced at $35,990. The new Rexton II RX270 SPR priced is $49,990 with a 137kW/402Nm variable geometry turbo version and maximum equipment levels. Amusingly, given the riot that is its rear-end, it's the Stavic's grille that has been restyled. The base model is $32,990, the SPR $39,990. Burling admits that the Ssangyong name still causes some confusion, as opposed to the old Musso moniker.  

Diesel fuel made from plant material may receive an environmental tick, but one importer has issued a stern warning about its use in their vehicles. Korean manufacturer SsangYong has released a facelifted all-diesel Kyron SUV. However, the importers have advised against using bio-diesel, which could compromise their warranty. Sales of sub-standard bio-diesel remain unchecked and there have been a growing number of cases of contaminated fuel systems, they say. SsangYong say they can't honour a warranty repair on damage, which has been caused by dodgy bio-diesel fuel. They say when a case comes in they take two samples of fuel; one for SsangYong with the other going to the owner for independent testing. Even if testing proves that inferior fuel has caused injectors, fuel pumps and rails to fail it can often be a hard task determining when and where the dirty fuel was put in the car. The owner is often caught in the middle with car companies and service stations absolving themselves of blame. An owner could face a bill of up to $6000 if it is found in the injectors, fuel pumps, rails and fuel lines need to be replaced. SsangYong is advising against using bio-diesel, reinforced by a warning sticker placed inside the fuel flap of its diesel-fuelled vehicles. There have been a number of cases reported in the past year. Ssangyong Australia managing director Keith Timmins says faulty fuel will not completely void a warranty but he says his company cannot pick-up the bill if some service stations are “selling rubbish.” “If it's proven with our test of the fuel that it's faulty then whatever repair needs to be done is not warrantable. However, the rest of the vehicle's warranty remains intact." “There hasn't been a lot of them full stop but there's been enough to worry about and the problem is broader than just ourselves. I know of a $23,000 repair job on a Range Rover because of dirty bio-diesel.” There are no known hotspots where inferior bio-diesel is sold in Queensland; however some parts of Western Australia have come under the microscope. Timmins says the problem with bio-diesel and new age diesel engines is amplified by the non-enforcement of standards. “The standards for bio-diesel in Australia are not really enforced.” Ssangyong Australia sales and marketing general manager Brad Larkham says dirty bio-diesel is a growing issue. “It's a growing issue as diesel gets more accepted in the mainstream and no one wins." “It's a three-way tussle (car maker, fuel provider, owner) over who's going to hurt the least,” Larkham said. Is it fair that manufacturers and service stations to absolve themselves of liability? Are you a bio-diesel 'home brewer'? Are there manufacturers whose warranties aren't voided by using bio-diesel? Tell us what you think below...

Mothers around the world have long advised that “You should always tell the truth.” And it seems it can pay off. Take the peculiar-looking Kyron, for example. In March last year, SsangYong attracted plenty of attention in Australia when it launched its Kyron SUV with looks only its mother could love. With its “ugly-duckling” appearance, SsangYong admits the attention wasn't all positive. But the South Korean manufacturer took the criticism on board and made some changes. The facelifted Kyron has just hit town with a cleaner, more modern look. It's not quite the swan of the segment, but a big improvement over its predecessor. The new Kyron has fewer lines for a cleaner, smoother look and features completely new front and rear ends. It wears the SsangYong family grille on its nose and while the design has been altered, it still has that identifiable SsangYong and Kyron DNA. It continues to be available with two diesel engines with the block and cylinder heads sourced from Mercedes-Benz. And while changes have been more than skin deep, the powertrains deliver the same performance. The smaller 2.0-litre engine produces 104kW and 310Nm from as low as 1800rpm, while the 2.7-litre, five cylinder turbo diesel extracts 121kW and 340Nm also from 1800rpm. There has been some engine tweaking, with the main improvement an Exhaust Gas Recirculation system to satisfy the latest emission standards. This means the Kyron now meets Euro IV. The fuel consumption sits at a claimed 7.7-litres per 100km for the smaller engine and 8.7-litres per 100km for the larger one. Although there's no onboard fuel consumption reading to confirm this, the needle barely moved after 200km of mainly highway driving. The price tag has also been 'tweaked' and is now $2000 less than the previous starting prices. The 2.0-litre manual, known as the M200XDi, starts at $32,990. The 2.7-litre M270XDi is priced from $36,990. The five-speed T-tronic automatic transmission adds $3000 to the price. Despite the price drop and a reasonable package, it still seems a little too expensive for what it is. On the road, the 2.0-litre automatic we tested was an adequate drive. While the almost truck-like noise of the engine was loud at slow speeds and when working up through the gears, it was less noticeable once we hit the highway. At faster speeds it cruised along discreetly and was a comfortable drive, although feeling a little bouncy at times. There's a noticeable delay in power delivery, especially from a standstill, which can be a problem when you think there's enough break in the traffic, but it takes you a little longer to get up to speed. For most of the time, the Euro IV Kyron operates in rear-wheel-drive, but head off-road and there's a knob that allows you to manually switch into high or low-range four-wheel-drive. The Kyron proved quite strong on the dirt track, even powering through a steep incline. The new 18-inch wheels provide a strong stance on the road and grip nicely off-road, too. Inside, the setting has been updated with a black theme throughout, changed gauges and a new cloth seat trim. The centre console is positioned towards the driver and has a very simple layout. At this stage, the Kyron doesn't come standard with Electronic Stability Control and it's not even offered as an option. But SsangYong says it may be available in the near future. Keith Timmins, managing director of Rapson Australia, which distributes SsangYong here, says it's currently a pricing issue. The company is not convinced there would be a big take up of the feature if offered at the price it would be given. But it is something the company is considering. SsangYong has added side curtain airbags to the front and rear of the 2.7-litre. Standard equipment on both models includes ABS, dual front SRS airbags, reverse parking sensors, a single-disc CD player and roof rails. SsangYong sees its main competitors as including the Holden Captiva and Kia Sportage, and while the Kyron comes in at $500 dearer than the starting diesel Sportage model, the Captiva base model is $2000 more expensive. The face-lifted Euro IV Kyron is an improved model but in such a competitive segment, seems to be priced a little too high for what it is.   Snapshot Ssangyong Euro IV Kyron Price: M200XDi $32,990 (manual), S35,990 (auto), M270XDi $36,990 (manual), $39,990 (auto) Engine: 2.0L/4-cylinder turbo diesel, 104kW/310Nm, 2.7L/5-cylinder, 121kW/340Nm Economy: M200XDi 7.7L/100km, M270XDi 8.7L/100km Transmission: 5-speed manual, 5-speed T-Tronic auto  

SsangYong has slashed up to $3000 off the price of most of the cars in its range. On the back of the strong Australian dollar, which is making imports cheaper, the South Korean carmaker has passed on currency savings to Australian buyers.Prices have been slashed up to 8.3 per cent, translating into savings of up to $4000 depending on the model.And it has repositioned some models, the Kyron and Rexton off-roaders and Stavic people mover. Only Actyon pricing remains the same.The Actyon, which was launched in April, had already benefited from the more competitive dollar when it was released.The Australian dollar is trading at an 18-year high of more than US85c and some economists are predicting it may reach as high as 90c by the end of the year.SsangYong Australia's general manager sales and marketing Brad Larkham says, the price cuts makes the company's range better value, especially when combined with high equipment levels and the low operating costs of its turbodiesel engines.“It is simply a matter of giving customers the benefit of the increased competitiveness of the Aussie dollar and ensuring we are ahead of the game in a fiercely contested market,” he says.“Automotive companies are quick to pass on the cost when our dollar depreciates but often slow to return the favour when dollars goes up. We thought it was time to reverse that trend.“The fact is we have been able to secure a much better buy price from the Korean factory and that means better value on all fronts.”Larkham says SsangYong considered adding electronic stability control to its vehicles but thought the price cuts were of more value to customers and would also help raise brand awareness. However, stability control will be offered at some point, he says.“We'd love to have it across the board and the day will come when it will happen,” he says.The top-of-the-line Rexton Auto Limited is now $4000 cheaper with a new price of $49,990. The entry-level Stavic is $32,990, a saving of $3000.Larkham says the Stavic in particular is one of the best-value packages on the market.“The facelifted Euro IV-compliant Kyron is also a great example of our enhanced value,” he says.The top-of-the-range 2.7-litre auto Kyron has had $3000 cut off its price to $38,990 while the 2.0-litre manual drops $2000 to $32,990.Modest equipment changes mean the Stavic gets steel wheels in place of the alloys, while the Rexton gets 16-inch alloys rather than an 18-inch alloys. So far this year SsangYong has sold just over 1400 vehicles and it remains a small player in the local automotive scene. 

But now SsangYong, one of South Korea's newer entrants into the Australian market, wants to play with the big boys.It will launch a range of large, medium and small cars in many export markets, including Australia, by as early as 2010.SsangYong Australia managing director Keith Timmins says the operation is ready for the cars when, and if, they are offered in right-hand drive.“They present opportunity for us and we'd be really keen to get them,” he says.The first of the new-look SsangYongs is the replacement for the luxury Chairman, codenamed the W200. The carmaker rolled out the W200 at this month's Seoul Motor Show and although no specifications were released, the car is tipped to have adaptive cruise control, parking assist and a lane-departure warning system.The Chairman replacement provides some clues to the direction the Korean carmaker is taking with its crisply styled contemporary European exterior and funky interior. The current model Chairman has been around since 1997 and uses Mercedes-Benz technology from the W124 E-Class, which was built between 1984 and 1995. Although it is one of the most popular luxury cars in Korea and China, the Chairman has been a slow seller in Australia, largely because it remains an unknown quantity.But this is set to change with theW200, which goes on sale in left-hand drive at the end of the year in Korea, with other markets following late next year.Proof that SsangYong is getting on board with less confrontational styling is the revised Kyron, which arrives in June with better looks and improved interiors.Timmins believes the company's low-key strategy of establishing itself as a niche player with its sturdy four-wheel drives has paid off.“We have a very good, solid following, albeit off a low base . . . we're ready to move forward,” he says.The move to smaller passenger cars is a big shift in attitude for SsangYong, which is 49 per cent owned by the Chinese-based Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation. SAIC also owns the rights to build Chinese versions of Rover cars through a new company called Roewe.It has just launched a Rover 75 clone, called the Roewe 750, and has unveiled the smaller W2 concept at the Shanghai motor show.However, Timmins says none of the new SsangYong export cars will be rebadged Roewes.Given the increasing segmentation of the Australian market, he says SsangYong's window of opportunity for expansion is narrowing with the imminent arrival of Indian carmaker Mahindra and some new, as yet unnamed, vehicles from China due next year to be imported by the Ateco Automotive Group.But he is confident SsangYong can fight off any newcomers.After NZ-based Rapson Holdings took over distributorship here in 2002 it set about rebuilding the marque, entering a licensing agreement with Mercedes-Benz to use its technology.SAIC has bold forecasts for its models out of Korea and China, predicting that by 2010 it will sell 200,000 new sedans, with 25 per cent slated for export.

The show has been moved back from February to March 3-12 this year so it doesn't clash with the Melbourne Motor Show which opened last week. The Melbourne event was staged earlier to avoid a clash with the Commonwealth Games.Diesel cars, an Aussie supercar and hybrid technology were the highlights of the Melbourne show.Brisbane show organiser Michelle Ramsey said manufacturers usually held back the launch of new models until the Melbourne show, which meant Brisbane missed out.However, with the unveiling of several new and exciting models in Melbourne last week, Ramsey said most of these would be coming to Brisbane providing one of the biggest automotive feasts yet seen here."It's very nice of Melbourne to have this practice run for us," Ramsey said.She predicted a record of more than 50 new models would make their Queensland debuts.The Melbourne show not only unveiled several new models to the Australian market but also featured the return after 18 years of the Fiat brand with the Punto hatchback and Dodge with the Caliber compact SUV to go on sale about September.In an acknowledgement of record fuel prices, Holden, BMW, Jaguar, Fiat, VW, SsangYong and Alfa Romeo announced new diesel-powered passenger cars.For the first time in Australia, BMW will introduce diesel power to its four-cylinder cars, with the 320d at $56,700 and the 120d at $47,800 in the next quarter.The most significant of diesel releases is Holden's Astra diesel.The car will feature a 1.9-litre turbocharged diesel engine and be available later this year. No prices are yet set.GM Holden boss Denny Mooney said it would "not be high volume but it might be a surprise".Volkswagen Group Australia managing director Jutta Dierks said the diesel Astra would increase interest in diesel and not take sales from their range, which this year will feature an oil burner in every model."We have a head start on diesel and it (Astra) will only lift sales," she said.Several manufacturers also announced new fuel-miserly hybrid petrol-electric models, while Korean manufacturer SsangYong said it would introduce a hybrid diesel-electric Kyron sports utility vehicle later this year.However, fuel-hungry supercars were also on the agenda, led by the Australian-made bespoke Redback Spyder which is coming to the Brisbane motor show.The $250,000 mid-engined 335kW V8 two-seater weighs 900kg and has a top speed of 320km/h. It goes from 0 to 100km/h in three seconds and will be a highlight of the Brisbane Motor Show.The current model can only be driven on a racetrack but the Melbourne-based builders plan to build a street-legal version.Builder Nick Tomkinson said American talk show host Jay Leno was considering buying one.