Ssangyong Releases XIV-1 Concept Renderings Ahead of Frankfurt Show

Ssangyong releases full-color renderings of the XIV-1 compact-crossover SUV concept that will be shown Sept. 13 at the Frankfurt auto show.

Ssangyong XIV-1 concept.

The concept was designed in South Korea in cooperation with Institute of Development in Automotive Engineering (IDEA) Design Group in Turin, Italy, a Ssangyong spokesman says.

He declines to say where the prototype was built. But IDEA's Turin shop handles vehicle projects on a turnkey basis from concept design to prototype build, including powertrain engineering.

IDEA has offices in Turin, Brazil, China, Germany, Romania and India. It is the design house that developed the 2008 version of the Tata Nano minicar.

The XIV-1 could make its way into showrooms, the spokesman says. “It’s not 100% certain, but chances are that the XIV-1 will be developed into a mass-production car in the future.”

The XIV-1 has revolving front and rear seats, suicide rear doors, glass roof and wheels the size of those used on the Kia Soul compact.

Asked about the new concept’s apparent resemblance to the Range Rover Evoque, the spokesman says there could be some similarities. “The differences will show when it is released.”

The XIV nomenclature is derived from X (exciting) I (interface) V (vehicle).

The spokesman confirms Ssangyong also will show an advanced model of its SUT 1 (sport utility truck) SUV pickup at the Frankfurt show.

It is a step closer to production than the one shown in March at the Geneva auto show.

“The SUT-1 is changed from the version that was shown in Geneva and is close, very close, to the production model,” he says.

The diesel-powered SUT-1will be marketed in Europe and Asia but not North America.