South Korea's smallest automotive manufacturer is planning on entering the U.S. market by 2016.
Ssangyong Motor has filed trademark requests for the words "Tivoli" and Luvent" with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The automaker recently debuted its Tivoli overseas, an SUV similar in size to the Honda HR-V.
A source told Consumer Reports that Luvent would be a sedan or hatchback option from the same small-vehicle platform as the Tivoli. Interested customers can expect the Tivoli to launch in South Korea sometime in January at a price of $15,000.
The vehicle comes with a six-speed manual transmission, and a six-speed automatic transmission will add $1,500. The base two-wheel drive model will come equipped with a 125-hp, 1.6-liter gasoline engine. The all-wheel drive and a 1.6-liter diesel variant will be available as part of Ssangyong's build plan.
Standard safety features confirmed for the South Korean market includes:
-seven air bags
-electronic stability control
-brake assist
-hill start assist
-seat-belt pretensioners
The vehicle is designed to automatically illuminate the emergency flashers in the rear taillamp cluster when extreme brake force is applied.
Nearly 40 percent of the car's body will be composed of high-strength steel.
The automaker is targeting markets like Central America, Eastern Europe, Africa, China, and India. The Tivoli was designed with U.S. crash and emissions certification in mind as well, Ssangyong sources told Consumer Reports.
Entering America is not a done deal yet however. Over the last 20 years or so the automaker has for U.S. trademarks for its Rexton, Korando, Chairman, Actyon, and Musso vehicles. None of those models reached the U.S. however.
If any Ssangyong Motor vehicles do reach the U.S., there is a chance they could be sold under a different brand name as well, according to Consumer Reports.
Check back once more information is released regarding another Korean automaker entering the U.S.
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