Ssangyong to unveil Chairman W in mid-March

Ssangyong's current flagship sedan, the Chairman, had received negative reviews from the press and past owners. When you couple the fact that the car sits on Mercedes-Benz's aging W124 platform, and its mediocre and derivative styling, the Chairman really offers no advantages over its rivals.

The automaker has issued a statement regarding the release date of the anticipated Chairman-replacement today. To be badged as the Chairman W (pictured above), the car will feature an industry-first (South Korean) 5.0L V8 that is speculated to produce over 350 horsepower. Another industry-first accomplishment Ssangyong offers in the car is a Mercedes-Benz sourced 7G-TRONIC automatic transmission. The Chairman W will sit on an all-new platform. Spec-wise, the Chairman W has beaten the Hyundai Genesis in a number of areas already. However, to every seemingly-great deal, there is always a catch. Ssangyong plans to break the 100 million Won mark ($105 000 USD) for a loaded model, which means the Chairman W will compete with more high-end vehicles such as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the Audi A8.

The Chairman W will become the most expensive Korean-produced vehicle with its 100 million Won price tag. Currently, the one that holds the record is the Hyundai Equus 4.5L Limousine. It stickers for 90.78 million Won. Other outstanding features the car is equipped with include 4-Tronic 4-wheel drive system, Harman-Kardon premium audio system, ten airbags, and Active Cruise Control.

Even though the bounty of features are appealing to the least, we wonder how the Chairman W will actually fare in the heated luxury-car segment when it goes on sale in March. The Chairman marque has already gained considerable status in its domestic market. However, it is the first time Ssangyong has extrapolated into the segment long dominated by the likes of Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Will they be able to pull it off? We think Ssangyong will trek through treacherous grounds ahead. What do you think? Tell us via commenting after the jump.

[Source: Maeil Business]

Posted in: Ssangyong