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Tivoli adds momentum to Ssangyong Motor
Workers assemble parts on a Tivoli production line at Ssangyong Motor’s plant in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday. / Courtesy of Ssangyong Motor
By Lee Hyo-sik
By Lee Hyo-sik
Workers were busy assembling parts at a production line for the Tivoli, a compact sports utility vehicle (SUV), inside Ssangyong Motor’s plant in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday.
They have been working double shifts since the automaker began mass-producing the SUV to meet surging orders. According to company officials, those who want to drive the popular SUV have to wait at least a month for delivery of their vehicles.
The Tivoli has been selling well since it was launched on Jan. 13, attracting keen attention from motorists particularly in their 20s and 30s. Ssangyong sold 5,747 Tivolis at home and abroad in April, up from 4,598 in March. Of the vehicles moved in April, the automaker sold 2,327 in foreign markets, up from 1,771 a month earlier.
The Pyeongtaek plant, built on an 860,000 square-meter site, is operating three assembly lines capable of producing 250,800 vehicles annually. Of the three, the No. 1 line is dedicated to producing Tivoli and Korando C SUVs. The line, which is running at 82 percent of its full capacity, churns out 13 Tivolis and 6 Korando Cs each hour.
“Tivoli, the compact SUV with a gasoline-powered 1,600 cc engine, has exceeded our initial expectations, thanks to immensely positive response from consumers,” said Ha Kwang-yong, executive director at Ssangyong Motor, who oversees production and quality control at the plant. “We are doing everything we can to boost production to meet growing customer demand.”
Ha expects the demand for the Tivoli will continue to increase for the foreseeable future, adding that the carmaker will introduce the vehicle with a diesel-powered engine in June.
“We plan to start producing the diesel-engine model in June. We will first export the vehicles abroad to see how it fares in foreign markets. The diesel model will be available for local motorists from July,” the executive director said. “Tivoli means much more than just an SUV to us. We put our heart and soul into the vehicle. Tivoli has given us an opportunity to serve customers better.”
The Tivoli is the first new model introduced by the country’s fourth-largest automaker since it was acquired by Indian automaker Mahindra in 2011.
“We cannot say we are larger than our competitors, and lead in technological prowess. But I can say we treat our employees better than any others,” Ha said. “We will continue to value our talented workers and maintain a strong bond among every member of the Ssangyong family.”