Paris show: Near-production SsangYong concept teased

SSANGYONG has teased the latest in a long line of motor show concepts, with the LIV-2 likely to preview the next-generation version of the Rexton large SUV.

The LIV-2, due to be revealed in full in Paris on September 29, is the last concept that SsangYong will show that uses the Y400 development model, a large SUV concept that the company has used in recent years.

Standing for Limitless Interface Vehicle, the LIV-2 is the next iteration of the LIV-1, a similar concept uncovered at the 2013 Seoul motor show.

SsangYong has only released sketches of the LIV-2, showing a car that stylistically looks far more sophisticated than the ageing Rexton, a design theme that the car-maker has called ‘dignified motion’.

The horizontally-lined grille has been dropped in favour of a more chequered look, while the front fender has a streamlined, smooth appearance with gills below the headlights rounding out the front fascia.

The Rexton’s chunky, boxy headlights have been removed in favour of a more complex and sleek horizontally orientated design.

The rear is reminiscent of the Ford Everest, with a large, rounded overall shape accentuated by a chunky rear bumper, roof lip spoiler and angular tail-lightsThe sole interior sketch shows a four-seater with a large infotainment system in the centre console, while the rear seats are separated by a compartment that follows the line of the seats all the way up to the roof.

The LIV-2 is powered by either a 2.2-litre Euro 6-compliant diesel unit which in its current form makes 131kW/400Nm, or a new 2.0-litre GDi turbo-petrol engine, but the South Korean car-maker has not provided power and torque outputs.

It is the latest of many SsangYong SUV concepts revealed at international motor shows, continuing a five-year trend.

Other SsangYong SUV concepts shown in the past five years that we have noted include the SIV-2 (Geneva 2016), XAV Adventure and XLV Air (Frankfurt 2015), XIV Air and XIV Adventure (Paris 2014), XLV (Geneva 2014), LIV-1 (Seoul 2013), SIV-1 (Geneva 2013), e-XIV (Paris 2012), XIV-2 (Geneva 2012) and XIV-1 (Frankfurt 2011).