SsangYong prepping 5.0L luxury sedan

Most readers would probably recognize SsangYong for its range of odd-looking SUVs but the South Korean carmaker also is responsible for a luxury sedan called the Chairman. SsangYong is now working on a successor for the Chairman to be launched next year and exported to markets outside of South Korea by 2010.

The new version, codenamed W200, will have more interior space than the current car and will be powered by an all-new 5.0L engine mated to a seven-speed transmission. One official told the Yonhap newspaper that SsangYong was planning to expand its range significantly over the coming years with help from its parent company Shanghai Automotive.

The W200 will be based on the WZ concept car presented at this year’s Seoul Motor Show and include new features such as adaptive cruise control, parking assist and a lane-departure warning system.

SsangYong will develop five new engines and 30 new SUVs and sedans by 2011, the official revealed. Until now, many of SsangYong’s models were based on outdated Mercedes-Benz platforms but it appears the carmaker is keen to inject some of its own engineering to help establish itself as an influential player in the automotive industry.