While Mahindra is busy working on their entry-level sub-4 meter crossover codenamed S101, group company Ssangyong will not make a product smaller than a B-segment SUV. Yoo il Lee, president and CEO of Ssangyong Motor Company, told Just Auto that the company does not see profits in the A-segment.
Lee says that Ssangyong will focus only on making SUVs, and as a result, successors to cars such as the Chairman W and Turismo are not planned for. The CEO acknowledged that he wants the brand to be seen as an SUV specialist, much like Jeep or Land Rover.
Ssangyong is currently working on a B-segment SUV, a concept version of which was shown at the Geneva Motor Show last month. While the XLV concept shown at Geneva was a seven seater, the production version would also offer a five seater variant. Lee says that only the five seater model will be sold in Europe.
When asked if Ssangyong is working with parent Mahindra on successors to SUVs like the Rexton, Lee says that he cannot comment. Its no secret however that the two companies will share engine technologies, and even the gearbox used on a future Ssangyong may find application in a Mahindra.
[Source - Just Auto]
