Motoring: Capturing Korean charisma

The Chairman car from SsangYong is a stylish and impressive vehicle. Its interiors are extremely spacious and luxurious - and is particularly convenient for hotels and car rental firms

Those of us who enjoy the 'Beautiful Game' were in our element last summer when the FIFA World Cup was jointly hosted by Japan and the Republic of Korea. We admired the fighting spirit of the teams from the host countries as they fought their way to the latter rounds of the competition.

The determination to succeed apparently does not start and end on a football pitch in the Republic of Korea, as the recent turbulent history of the SsangYong Motor Company illustrates.

The history of the firm goes back to 1954 when a manufacturer of heavy duty trucks and SPV (Special Purpose Vehicles) - Hadongwahn Motor Company (later to become Dong-A Motor Company) - was founded.

In the mid 80's, Dong-A Motor Company acquired Keowha which was a specialist in 4WD SUVs and shortly after that Dong-A Motor Company became an affiliate of the huge commercial conglomerate, the SsangYong Group. The automobile company was then renamed as SsangYong Motor Company which then launched two versions of the Korando 4WD SUV in 1986.

The year 1991 saw a dramatic development in the fortunes of the SsangYong Motor Company when it concluded a strategic partnership with Mercedes-Benz AG (now DaimlerChrysler). The two companies signed agreements for engine development technology and the joint development of light commercial vehicles.

One of the first fruits of the partnership was the introduction of the first SsangYong Musso, complete with 'Mercedes' engine technology. Later, in 1995 and 1996, new models called the Istana (in van or coach specifications - but only sold in the domestic market) and an updated Korando were introduced.

In 1997, a large luxury limousine known as the Chairman was also launched. These were heady times for SsangYong, like surfing on the crest of a wave. But, potential disaster was just around the corner.

The company was growing and expanding too fast and it ran into financial difficulties just at the same time as Korea's economy entered a crisis stage. Daewoo Group stepped in and acquired the SsangYong Motor Company in 1998.

However, just two years later, despite record sales and production levels, Daewoo themselves teetered on the brink of financial disaster and became bankrupt.

Now, just three years later, the SsangYong Motor Company is alive and well and, in 2001, has just recorded its first profitable trading year out of the last ten years! Extensive debt restructuring with the co-operation of banks and creditors, plus management reforms, have given the company a new start and, hopefully, a prosperous future.

The partnership with DaimlerChrysler remains intact and will act as a springboard for future product research and development. The Mercedes MB100 panel van is made in Korea by SsangYong Motor Company for world markets.

The new Rexton upmarket SUV is yet another example of the never-say-die attitude of the company.

Currently, the company is making over two million vehicles each year but its product range is definitely very different from that of most manufacturers who tend to focus on the larger selling market segments of small and medium passenger cars.

SsangYong's range of vehicles can be called a 'specialist' range of just five models - three being SUV type vehicles (Musso, Korando and Rexton); one being a large luxury limousine (Chairman) and one being a light commercial vehicle (Istana), only sold in the home market and not for re-export.

The Chairman is a large luxury vehicle available in three engine sizes (2.3 litre; 2.8 litre and 3.2 litre), all of which are derived from the Mercedes-Benz relationship. It also comes in a long wheelbase version in the form of the CM600L; this model has had 30 cms added at the B pillar for additional internal space for the rear passengers.

The Chairman is a very impressive looking car and owes much of its visual appeal to its 'family' resemblance to certain models from DaimlerChrysler's range of Mercedes-Benz cars. It is a rear wheel drive car with full independent suspension.

One of the features of the front suspension is that the coil springs are mounted on the lower arm as opposed to being around the damper tube as in a McPherson strut system. SsangYong claim this arrangement, coupled with a larger castor angle, enhances steering responsiveness as well as directional stability.

The suspension system is electronically controlled and this responds to the continuous monitoring of speed, braking force, lateral and vertical movements and can adjust the damping on each of the four wheels independently.

The limo is supplied with a CAN (controller area network) data bus that enables the engine, brake, transmission and other control subsystems to continuously exchange data.

This, for example, allows the traction control system to do more than just applying braking to stop wheel spin as it can also instruct the engine to reduce torque and this offers better starting and traction on slippery road surfaces.

The external treatment of the body is excellent, as the sum of all the little detailed styling cues make for an overall stylish and impressive shape, highly suitable to convey the 'boss' of any company - large or small.

The interior of the Chairman is a statement of luxury, pure and undiluted, with liberal use of high quality Scottish calfskin leather surfaces on seats and door panels and judicious application of tasteful wood grain accents on the dashboard, doors and centre console.

The top-of-the-range CM600L comes with virtually every conceivable item associated with luxury limousines. This includes SsangYong's own Multivision system providing fingertip control over every aspect of entertainment (AM/FM Tuner; CD Changer and DSP/Equaliser) and Climate Control via a 5.6 inch TFT-LCD touchscreen display.

Summary

The Chairman is a brave statement by SsangYong Motor Company who believe they have identified a market niche for a 'budget' limo at a realistic price. This new entry in the luxury car segment of the market offers unbeatable value for money and a specification that equals those of more illustrious rivals from Europe and Japan.

It is a vehicle that will attract the attention of hotels seeking to supply luxury service to their guests for airport pick-ups or day tours, or car rental companies who specialise in limo services. It will also certainly appeal to many chairmen of the board who can satisfy their status at a price that should not upset their shareholders!

The entry model Chairman CM400S is priced in the UAE at Dh98,000 and the top-of-the-range CM600L at Dh147,000.