SsangYong has officially unveiled a production-intent version of its C200 crossover at the Seoul Motor Show. The C200 should be one of the Korean automaker’s greenest models, with CO2 emissions said to be reduced by as much as 50 percent.
The C200 was first unveiled in concept form at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, with the latest version being more of a thinly veiled production model. Thanks to its Italian-penned design, the C200 will abandon SsangYong’s typical shark-nose styling, and will rival the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V in terms of size.
The C200 will ride on SsangYong ’s new monocoque platform, which should ensure car-like handling while also being adaptable enough to underpin front and all-wheel drive vehicles.
The production C200 will be offered in two guises: Aero and Eco. The Aero model will feature either an all-new 2.0L diesel powerplant – which will be compliant with Euro V emissions regulations — putting out 175 horsepower or a 1.8L gas engine. The Eco version of the C200 will feature a diesel-hybrid drivetrain, promising roughly double the fuel economy of a typical CUV. Buyers can opt for six-speed manual or automatic transmissions in both models.
No official launch date has been given for the C200, but SsangYong says work on the car is ahead of schedule, so we expect to see a launch later this year.
