[Car Talk Forest] First Encounter with Torres... Glad to See the 'Ssangyong Identity' Sharpened and Created

Ssangyong Motor's Unique 'Luxurious Toughness' Returns
"We Make Cars That Consumers Want" You Can Feel It

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] "I joined SsangYong Motor to create the Korando."

This was a statement I heard from a design team leader during the 'Design Vision Presentation' held at SsangYong Motor's Design Center on the 29th of last month. It was during a question about the ‘KR10,’ which can be considered the successor to the Korando. It showed how much they love the company and the brand. SsangYong Motor is making a fresh start with a new owner. The impression I got from meeting SsangYong employees right after the new owner was decided was simply, "They have sharpened their knives." What has changed? I was able to find some answers from the employees I met during the presentation.

The most important thing is the ‘vehicle design.’ As you can see from photos of the Torres, SsangYong Motor has defined its design philosophy as ‘Powered by Toughness.’ The recent trend in car design focuses on embedding a futuristic image in line with electrification. However, this trend does not satisfy everyone. Sometimes, designs come out that are so incomprehensible that you wonder if you are from an older generation. Starting with the Torres, SsangYong has delivered traditional yet modern designs that satisfy these consumer tastes.

You can also look forward to the KR10. SsangYong has already created large clay models and is receiving various feedback. I caught a brief glimpse in a video, and it was a strong design that anyone could associate with the Korando. I speculate that as SsangYong’s management faced difficulties, designers were able to freely incorporate their opinions into the vehicles without interference from executives, resulting in even more daring designs. The Torres emphasizes its English name instead of the brand emblem on the front and rear. If the management had been strict about design, such experiments would not have been easy.

There was also a strong sense of ‘making the car that consumers want.’ Every customer who purchases the Torres receives a tool that combines an escape hammer, flashlight, and seatbelt cutter into one. It has a built-in magnet so it can be attached to the outside of the vehicle, allowing hands-free use. A separate space was created on the driver’s door to store this tool. Lee Kang, Executive Director of SsangYong Motor Design Center, explained, "We planned this to give customers something extra and to convey the feeling that ‘when you buy a SsangYong, you get this too.’" Although I haven’t seen it in person, from the photos, it looks like something I would want to have in my own car.

The name Torres also has meaning. Torres is derived from ‘Torres del Paine,’ a national park in Chile, a popular travel destination in South America. One of SsangYong’s weaknesses is exports, but Chile is a place where SsangYong sells well. This made me think that the Torres was also designed with exports in mind. If we put ourselves in their shoes, if a vehicle made in one of the world’s top five car-producing countries were launched globally with names like ‘Jirisan’ or ‘Taebaeksan,’ wouldn’t it feel more familiar to Korean consumers? Recently, representatives from Chilean dealerships visited Korea and met the Torres in person, reportedly expressing great satisfaction with the vehicle’s name, design, and quality.

The labor union story cannot be left out. The current SsangYong Motor union has not gone on strike even once since the ‘SsangYong Motor incident’ in 2009. Recently, there are rumors that the union has been consulting various experts and professors on how to help the company normalize quickly.

The employees are doing their best for the company’s normalization. The vehicles have come out great. The prices are reasonable too. They have welcomed a new owner. I hope SsangYong Motor returns to normal as soon as possible.