Ssangyong is slated to display a new concept SUV, the LIV2, at the Paris Motor Show in October. With the concept almost production ready, the LIV2 is touted to be the next Ssangyong Rexton.
The Limitless Interface Vehicle gets a customary high bonnet for the butch SUV look and LED headlamps that flank the hexagonal slatted grille. You get a meshed horizontal air dam with recesses for the LED fog lamps and a bash plate that adds brawn to the fascia. The side profile gets the distinctly large flared wheel arches that we saw first on the Tivoli. From what looks like a two-row cabin from outside, Ssangyong may add a third row for emerging markets. The tail design is simplistic but has creases that makes it look premium.
From the artist’s rendering of the cabin, it looks cleanly laid out and simple but replete with equipment. It will get a touchscreen infotainment system, digital instrument console, automatic gearbox, cruise control et al. Under the hood, the LIV2 is said to have a 2.2-litre turbocharged diesel engine. While we do not know the exact details, it may very well be the mHawk engine from Mahindra, Ssangyong’s parent company. The LIV2 will also get a 2.0-litre petrol turbocharged engine.
Ssangyong, in the recent years, has managed to establish itself as a formidable player in international markets and after the success of the Tivoli, the car maker would be betting big on the new Rexton. Whether it would make its way to the Indian subcontinent is another question, but if it does, it would compete with the likes of the Toyota Fortuner and the Ford Endeavour.
