SsangYong Motors is remembered mostly for their tie-up with Mercedes-Benz producing products such as the MB100 (Istana) and Musso. Though that arrangement happened to span only three years (1991 to 93), it left an indelible mark on the company that remains with them until today. Moving forward from simple licensing agreements, SsangYong is inching towards a corporate vision of becoming the “most innovative and respected Korean automotive company”. Flush with cash from its acquisition by the Mahindra & Mahindra Group, SsangYong plans to expand its global footprint by selling 300,000 units globally.

In the past, SsangYong has made cars which were as visually challenging to understand as their nameplates: Rexton, Actyon, and Rodius. In fact, for decades, the brand seemed to look for inspiration from the West only to have the finished product look like something that was subjected to a Korean cultural blender. Well, SsangYong is putting that past behind them and now all eyes are on the double dragons and this time, it’s for a good reason.

The Philippines is welcoming back SsangYong Motor. The fourth largest Korean automaker has found a new distributor, Berjaya Philippines. Berjaya, the company who successfully turned around Mazda and made it one of the biggest nameplates in the country, is poised to weave its magic anew.