At the Busan Auto Show yesterday, Ssangyong lifted the veil on the Rexton facelift placing a full stop to speculations on the kind or nature of change.
On releasing teasers of the new Rexton a few believed this would be a new generation model. But now we know that's incorrect.
Ssangyong has presented the Rexton facelift dubbed Rexton W that sports an all-new 2-liter diesel engine that produces 154bhp of peak power and 367Nm of peak torque. A bi-turbo version of this engine is in the works which produces up to 200bhp/500Nm. The facelift was completed over a period of two and a half years and the W stands for "Work of Art." Since a new engine is part of the changes, the testing period was long.
The 2L diesel engine returns a fuel efficiency of 13.7 km/l (2WD A/T), an improvement of about 20% as compared to the existing Rexton. It is mated to a Mercedes-sourced 5-speed automatic transmission.
Coming to the cosmetic changes, the front-end transformation is a delicate chrome affair. The front-grille looks classy and projector headlights with LED light guide have been installed. The hood has been redesigned and turn indicators are installed on the car's wing mirrors.
Ssangyong Rexton W official video presentation
[can't see the video above? Head over to the Youtube page for direct viewing]
The car is mounted on new 18-inch alloy wheels. Ssangyong has mentioned in the press release that the vehicle will be available at dealerships in Korea during June.
The car continues to boast of a decent level of safety features such as ESP (Electronic Stability Program), ARP (Active Roll over Protection), TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) and UWS (Ultrasonic Warning System). Convenience features such as smart key, cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity and rain-sensing wipers are also available. Ssangyong has mentioned that a power socket is provided on the dashboard so that its customers can charge their accessories on the move.
We have no word from Mahindra if the Rexton facelift is the model the company's supposedly bringing out later this year. Mahindra has tested and showcased the pre-facelift model at the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo.
Ssangyong Rexton W Image Slideshow
Can't see the image slideshow above? Head over to the Flickr Gallery page to catch it!
