Ferrari designers shape Korea and IndiaSsangYong’s next generation Rexton SUV is being designed by the famous Italian car design firm Pininfarina. Known for their excellence and work on multiple Ferrari models, as well as other commercial vehicles and supercars, the quality and care engineers in Pininfarina invest in their vehicles will be a major asset to SsangYong’s future.

Although initially what might seem as an unlikely partnership between the Korean based company and the Italian super designers, is in fact not so strange at all. Both companies form part of the Indian multinational car manufacturing corporation – Mahindra & Mahindra.

The Indian corporation is easily one of the biggest vehicle manufacturers by production in India, and the largest manufacturer of tractors in the world.Mahindra & Mahindra expanded into the Korean market after the acquisition of a 70% share of Ssangyong, back in February 2011. At the time they stressed an importance of harnessing energies of both companies, while protecting their respective brand. Dr. Pawan Goenka managing director of Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd, had also mentioned the importance of SsangYong’s Korean heritage, allowing the company to run independently. Mahindra group chairman Anand Mahindra stated that a total of $1.2 billion will be invested in SsangYong Motor within the next three to four years. Since then Ssangyong has been focused on strengthening their product pipeline, investing in their brand, and harnessing synergies between these two companies.

The Indian car manufacturing corporation continued their expansion into international companies, with the acquisition of Pininfarina in 2015. “The legendary high-end design credentials of Pininfarina will significantly enhance the design capabilities of the entire Mahindra Group. Given the increasing design sensibilities of today’s consumers, product design will greatly influence customer choice and experience, and hence our success,” said Anand Mahindra, Chairman of the Mahindra Group. With an expected investment of around €162 million into the Italian company, the Pininfarina style and elegance will be gracing the automotive world with full force, starting with ‘Automobil Pininfarina’, a new business conceived to create all-electric sports and luxury cars of unmatched performance and unprecedented heritage.

Initially confirmed by SsangYong’s CEO Jong Sik Choi, the next-gen SUV codenamed D200 design work, has already commenced by Pininfarina. The special relationship and endeavors between these companies will encompass Mahindra & Mahindra’s Dr. Pawan Kumar Goenka promise that “the coming together of Mahindra and Ssangyong will result in a competitive global UV player”.
To view the new SsangYong vehicles, visit the SsangYong Motors Malta dedicated showroom in Attard which is open from Monday to Friday between 9am and 6pm, and on Saturday between 9am and 1pm. For more information, call (+356) 2339 2340 or (+356) 233902341 or (+356) 7979 8998. You may also send an e-mail to info@smotor.mt for more details. SsangYong Motors Malta is a division of Famalco | Building Businesses.