Rapidly growing car brand SsangYong, has become title sponsor for three of the most prestigious horse trials.

• Eridge Horse Trials, East Sussex, near Tunbridge Wells - July
• South of England International Horse Trials, Ardingly - September
• South of England Horse Trials - South of England Show Ground, Ardingly, Sussex - April 2017

Rapidly growing Korean car brand SsangYong, has become title sponsor for three of the most prestigious horse trials in south east England, following a three year agreement with the organisers, South Eastern Equestrian Services.

With over 500 horses competing across different class levels, and with both local and international riders appearing at all three weekends, these are three of the best equestrian events of the year in the region.

Commented Tim Nolan, joint organiser at South Eastern Equestrian Services Limited, “We are absolutely delighted to have SsangYong Motor UK take up the title sponsorship of these three events; it’s a superb boost to the sport of eventing.  We very much look forward to working with the company over the next three years.”

Added Paul Williams, CEO of SsangYong Motor UK, “This is a great opportunity to demonstrate the off-road and towing capability of our range of 4x4 cars to the equestrian community, and to support our growing number of dealers while underlining our commitment to the area.”

In addition to its title sponsorship, SsangYong will also sponsor the top sections at each event which will be called The SsangYong Open Intermediate at South of England in April and Eridge in July, and the SsangYong CIC** at South of England International in September.

The next event, set in beautiful parkland, Eridge Horse Trials attracts up to 6,000 spectators, and also now incorporates a country market with over 60 trade stands and the popular ‘Dogs in the Park’ on the Sunday.

SsangYong vehicles such as the Rexton 4x4 and Korando Sports 1 tonne pick-up will demonstrate their towing and off-road abilities at all three events, while the Tivoli and Korando SUVs and Turismo MPV will also be on display.

The events take place as follows: The Eridge Horse Trials in East Sussex, south of Tunbridge Wells, 16-17 July 2016; the South of England International Horse Trials at the Show Ground, Ardingly, 24-25 September 2016 and The South of England Horse Trials again at the South of England Show Ground, Ardingly, April 2017.

What started as a fun Limited Edition looks like turning into a great addition to the Korando Sport line up.

• SsangYong pick-up range now starts from just £14,495 CVOTR
• New DMZ ‘camo’ limited edition now on sale
• 1 tonne payload, 2.7 tonne towing capacity
• Coil spring multi-link rear suspension and great NVH give car-like driving experience

SsangYong is earning a solid reputation for value and quality, and nowhere is this more evident than with its Korando Sports 1 tonne pick-up.

Korean engineered and built, the Korando Sports has a reputation for durability, and is the only pick-up to come with a 5 year limitless mileage warranty.  The range now comprises three models, the S, SX and EX with prices from just £14,495 - £18,195 (ex VAT).

Limited edition DMZ

Based on the top of the range EX automatic, the new Korando Sports DMZ is a limited edition model featuring full camouflage paintwork, roof rails and 18” alloy wheels, and priced at £19,195 (ex VAT).

Commented Paul Williams, CEO of SsangYong Motor UK,  “With its keen price and comprehensive list of standard equipment, Korando Sports gives you a lot of vehicle for the money - from £14,495 (ex VAT), and the reassurance of a 5 year limitless mileage warranty for complete peace of mind.

“It can be loaded like a truck yet still drives like a car, and really is the best value pick-up you can buy!

“The DMZ is a bit of fun.  We ordered a short run initially but they were instantly snapped-up by our dealers, so we think it could prove particularly popular with owner drivers.”

Korando Sports is powered by SsangYong’s e-XDi 2 litre diesel engine, and provides maximum power of 155PS and peak torque of 360Nm delivered between 1,500rpm and 2,800rpm providing ample performance both on and off road, and fuel economy of up to 37.7 mpg on the Combined Cycle*.  The vehicle has very good levels of NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) and comes with on-demand 4-wheel drive, a full 1 tonne payload and a towing capability of up to 2.7 tonnes.

A real workhorse, the pick-up features a large, flat rear deck giving a 2.04m² load area to take a Euro pallet, and fitted with load deck liner and anchor points.  A range of optional rigid hard tops to provide weather protection and security to the load area is also available.

Also and unusually for the segment, the SsangYong Korando Sports also features a live rear axle supported by a sophisticated multi-link rear suspension system with progressive coil springs to give a comfortable, car like ride, instead of the more dated leaf springs employed on many other pick-ups.

Three models - S, SX & EX

In addition to DMZ there are three models to choose from.  The S is the lowest priced double cab pick-up on the market at just £14,495 (ex VAT).  The SX is a step up and extremely well equipped with 18” alloy wheels, tinted glass, air conditioning, leather covered steering wheel, remote central locking, an MP3 CD & RDS radio with a USB & auxiliary port and Bluetooth connectivity as well as speed sensitive power assisted steering.  The Korando Sports SX costs £15,395 (ex VAT).

The EX also features 18” alloy wheels, and adds the luxury touch of leather upholstery with heated front seats, powered driver’s seat, heated, electrically adjustable and power folding door mirrors and rear parking sensors.  A Mercedes-Benz 5 speed automatic transmission with cruise control is also available as an option.  The EX with manual transmission is £16,995 (ex VAT), and with automatic transmission, £18,195 (ex VAT).

5 year limitless mileage warranty

As with all models in the SsangYong range, the new Korando Sports 1 tonne pick-up is covered by a 5 year limitless mileage warranty.

Designed to be totally transparent and give customers complete peace of mind, ‘limitless’ means just that: not a maximum mileage condition that some brands impose in their small print.

All the major mechanical components are covered including wheel bearings, suspension joints and bushes, steering joints, shock absorbers and even the audio system.  Wearable components such as clutch discs and brake friction materials which could have their life reduced by poor driving are covered for one year or 12,000 miles, and the battery and paintwork for three years.

SsangYong

SsangYong cars are manufactured in South Korea by SsangYong Motor, which is 73 per cent owned by the Indian engineering conglomerate Mahindra & Mahindra, and imported into the UK by SsangYong Motor UK.  Established in 1954 it is Korea's oldest vehicle manufacturer and only 4x4 and SUV specialist producer.

There are currently some 60 SsangYong dealers covering England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, with new locations being added to the network all the time.

*Fuel Consumption: Korando Sports manual - Urban: 29.4mpg  Extra urban: 44.1mpg  Combined: 37.7mpg

Ssangyong aanounces five more dealers, and with new cars, sales should rocket - I am still waiting for the promised test.

• Five new SsangYong sales & service dealerships appointed in Batley, Doncaster, Horsham, Stockton-on-Tees and Telford

A further five new dealers have joined the SsangYong franchise, with new appointments currently running at around one a month.

The new appointments are:

• Burrells Motor Group - Doncaster
• Driven Car Sales - Stockton-on-Tees
• Hammertons - Batley, West Yorkshire
• Horsham Car Centre - Horsham, West Sussex
• Shukers - Telford

“The arrival of the new Tivoli B-segment crossover, has certainly increased interest in the franchise from across the motor trade,” said Paul Williams, CEO of SsangYong Motor UK.

“Confidence in the SsangYong brand has been growing steadily as our sales performance indicates, but Tivoli has really fired-up enquiries from potential dealers.  We’re also now hearing from businesses representing premium brands looking for another string to their bow.

“Additionally, we’re finding that existing SsangYong dealers are wanting to add the brand to other locations they either already have or want to open for us, Shukers in Shrewsbury and now Telford being a case in point.  This is hugely encouraging,” added Mr Williams.

SsangYong is actively looking for the right quality of dealers, with an entrepreneurial ‘can do’ attitude, to represent the brand in a number of locations, and current open points include: Aberdeen, Ayr, Barnstaple, Basingstoke, Bedford, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Cambridge, Chester, Derby, Dover, Dundee, Edinburgh, Folkestone, Greater Manchester, Grimsby, Hull, Inverness, Isle of Man, Kings Lynn, Leicester, Liverpool, London, Mid & North Wales, Newbury, Nottingham, Orkneys, Perth, Portsmouth, Reading, Salisbury, Shetlands, Southampton, Worcester and York.