New car news

06 April 2009 - 13:00

Not sso bad

Notorious for producing hideous cars with even worse names, it’s fair to say we’re not exactly Ssangyong’s biggest fans. Winner of WTF Car? Awards’ Minger of the Year 2009 with the truly terrible Rodius, they’re crap to drive and feel about as sturdy as cheap flat-pack wardrobes.

But the C200, just revealed at the Seoul Motor Show in South Korea last week is distinctly… okay. Not the best-looking car in the world, but not exactly repulsive either, eh?

Scheduled for production later this year, it will be available in two versions and three power choices – the Eco diesel hybrid and the actually not-bad-looking Aero 2.0-litre diesel or turbocharged 1.8-litre petrol.

Heralding something of a new era for the struggling Korean carmaker, the C200 was designed by Giugiaro’s ItalDesign - the clever Italians behind the Maserati Quattroporte.

Jumping on the already crowded green bandwagon, Ssangyong is calling the the C200 a ‘compact urban vehicle’ and emphasising the Eco’s emissions compliance at every available opportunity, mainly by painting it an arresting shade of bile green.

The C200 is the first major step in Ssangyong’s plans for global awareness as the Korean manufacturer prepares to introduce 20 new models over the next five years. Hell, this could be the start of a brave new Ssangyong dawn. Maybe...