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| Ssangyong Tivoli |
Ssansgyong Motor’s long-awaited U.S. entry seems to be gaining fresh momentum as the Korean carmaker recently filed trademark requests for its two car names with the U.S. patent agency.
According to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Tuesday, Ssangyong registered two words “Tivoli” and “Luvent” for trademark registration in June. The purpose of the registration was listed as vehicle use.
Tivoli is the name of the carmaker’s new compact crossover that will make its Seoul debut on Jan. 13. It is the first car launch under the ownership of India’s Mahindra Group since 2010.
Not much is known about the name Luvent. But it could become the name of a compact sedan or a hatchback, Consumer Reports, a U.S. magazine, reported Tuesday.
Considering Ssangyong produces no small sedan models, it is also likely the new car shares the same platform with a sedan from Saab, the Swedish car brand recently acquired by Mahindra.
As of November this year, Ssangyong sold 128,067 vehicles globally, including 60,775 in Korea and 67,292 abroad. With no presence in the all-important U.S. market, its top markets are Russia, Europe and China.
Mahindra’s acquisition of the Saab brand is expected to be a boon for Ssangyong’s U.S. entry as it could share the sales network of its new sibling.
Ssangyong Motor CEO Lee Yoo-il has also expressed willingness to enter the U.S. market. “The U.S. market is crucial for a carmaker’s survival. Hyundai Motor’s success also originated from its U.S. entry,” he said in March.
By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)
