SsangYong makes mark in local auto market

**BoEinG_747** · August 25th, 2005 11:01 PM

Korean automaker SsangYong recently embarked on a major advertising campaign to gain higher recognition among Filipino car buyers.

The campaign is hinged on SsangYong’s corporate global advertising strategy, which aims to promote the brand as Asian but with everything European, from engine to body design, including other luxurious amenities.

The campaign has a selling proposition called "German Engineered, European Styled." SsangYong claims to be the only Asian automotive brand powered by European technology.

SsangYong’s Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and luxury sedans have been steadily making their mark in the Korean domestic automobile market for the last two years, where it cornered a 39.4 percent share of the SUV market.

Due to the outstanding features and competitive pricing scales of its products, it’s no surprise that SsangYong is gaining recognition as a top-of-the-line brand in the global automotive market.

Unknown to many Filipinos and even some Asian car buyers, SsangYong vehicles are popular in major countries like the US, Europe and in the Middle East because of their quality engineering, performance, and overall reliability.

SsangYong vehicles also received numerous awards, like in Ireland, where the Rexton was landed as one of the top 10 preferred and only SUV in its class, and Bulgaria as "Best Selling SUV" and "Best Automotive Debut of the Year" awarded by Bulgarian Automotive Journalists last year.

Likewise in New Zealand and Malaysia, the Rexton bagged the "Best SUV of the Year" award.

With support from corporate headquarters based in Seoul, South Korea, SsangYong’s global distributors, particularly SsangYong Auto Philippines Corp. (SAPCO) here in the country, efforts to create extensive brand awareness among Filipinos is bound to succeed.

SsangYong’s vehicle models include the Rexton, one of the full-size SUVs in the market today, with state-of-the-art, third-generation common-rail direct-injection diesel engine with its patented 5-speed T-tronic automatic transmission system.

The other variant, the newer Stavic is the only multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) in its category that utilizes a 10-link rear suspension, and powered by the German-technology inspired engine and transmission found in the Rextons.

Another model is the Korando (short for "Korean can do"), the only compact diesel-fed SUV in the Philippines run by a 2.9 liter intercooler turbocharged diesel in-line 5 cylinder engine.

At present, SAPCO has two dealerships in the Philippines located at Wheels AutoMall along E. Rodriguez Ave. Ext. in Quezon City and SsangYong Pampanga of the Laus Group of Companies, located in Dau, Mabalacat.