Ssangyong Cops SUV Deal With Peru’s National Police

Ssangyong’s Rexton W midsize SUV bests Hyundai’s Santa Fe in a competition to deliver a fleet of 2,108 patrol vehicles to the National Police Force of Peru.

A December agreement between the governments of Korea and Peru stipulates one of Korea’s automakers would supply 2,908 special-purpose vehicles to the South American country’s police.

The business was awarded in two phases. Hyundai won Phase One and delivered 800 Santa Fe units.

However, in the larger Phase Two competition, the nod went to the Rexton W.

Ssangyong Executive Director Song Young-han says the Rexton W scored the highest in the competition for durability and safety. He notes its Ssangyong’s largest ever single fleet sale to a foreign government.

The vehicles will be used for patrols and special purposes in 17 cities.

The Peruvian fleet has gasoline-powered engines, although the Rexton family’s mainstay in most markets has been its rugged diesel mills.

Song says the Peruvian police were impressed with the 3.2L all-wheel-drive vehicle’s off-road capabilities and its GPS and advanced communications equipment during road evaluations over mountainous terrain.

The Rexton W’s special features include bulletproof windows, license-plate recognition camera and high-performance searchlights.

The fleet will be delivered to Peru in phases through September. On May 30 the first 400 vehicles were loaded onto a ship at the port serving Pyongtaek, where the Ssangyong assembly plant is located.

Ssangyong planned to showcase the Peru police fleet in an effort to extend its special-purpose-vehicle initiative into other markets in Europe and the Middle East, Song says.

The Rexton W 4-door midsize SUV was upgraded in all markets for 2016. It was launched at the 2012 Busan auto show as a new version of the long-in-tooth Rexton SUV offerings which made their debut in 2001.

Ssangyong has pinned great hopes on an all-new Rexton SUV launching in first-half 2017.

Much under wraps, the new ’17 is said to be a distinctly differentiated vehicle. Ssangyong spokesmen say they hope it will match the success of the booming Tivoli family.

For the first four months of 2014, the Rexton W sold 4,822 units worldwide, including 3,220 in Korea and 1,622 overseas.