The local unit of Indian auto maker Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., Ssangyong Motor Co., saw their sales in Korea jump 11.1 percent on-year in September –much needed good news for the company looking to offset plunging exports with strong sales in Korea.
Ssangyong sold 11,489 units last month, said a press release from the company. Adding that these figures do not include complete knockdown kits that are assembled abroad, which could boost the numbers even higher.
Meanwhile, exports took a miserable turn in the other direction, heading downward 35.6 percent to 3,383 units over the same period.
Back in Korea though, sales on the year have soared 59 percent on-year to 8,106 units. This is primarily due to the popularity of its popular new Tivoli –a sporty designed SUV.
Since it was introduced in April, Tivoli sales reached 43,523 units, with cumulative sales during the January-September period hitting 103,651 units, down 1.9 percent from the previous year, according to Ssangyong.
The company will take any good news it can get –the Ssangyong saw it exports plunge by 40.5 percent from a year ago, largely affected by a slump in emerging markets including Russia and other unfavorable market conditions.
