As regular Indian Autos Blog readers may be aware, Ssangyong will world premiere a near production ready mini SUV at the Geneva Motor Show in March this year. The compact crossover, codenamed X100, will be a global model for the brand with sales set to start in Europe, Korea and China later this year.
The Mahindra S102 SUV, according to an earlier newspaper article, will be based on this very vehicle. However before the S102 is launched, Mahindra will introduce the S101 SUV to compete with B Segment hatchbacks, positioning the S102 against bigger SUVs such as the Renault Duster.
A camouflaged X100 test mule was snapped recently in China. The overall proportions of the crossover resemble that of the Ssangyong XIV-1 concept shown at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. Seen here is the five-seater variant of the X100, and if an earlier report is to be believed, the Indian-owned Korean carmaker is also developing a 7-seater version.
The X100 is reported to use an all-new platform, and the engines powering this baby Ssangyong are also newly developed. Starting the range could be a 1.6-liter turbocharged petrol engine, while a diesel engine of similar displacement will also be seen.
Competition wise, the X100 will take on the Nissan Juke, Honda Vezel, Dacia Duster, Vauxhall Mokka and Peugeot 2008. Ssangyong has indicated that the price will start from below 15,000 pounds (INR 15.44 lakhs).
At the beginning of this year, the Korean company announced its "Promise 2016" plan to double sales within the next three years. Models such as the X100 will play a major role in achieving that target.
Ssangyong X100 Spy Image Gallery
[Images from Auto.Sohu.com]
