Two vehicles of Ssangyong Motor -- the XLV and the concept car SIV-2 -- will make their global debuts during the Geneva International Motor Show slated for March 3-13 in Switzerland.

The eXciting smart-Lifestyle Vehicle is the extended version of Ssangyong‘s best-selling compact sport utility vehicle. It is scheduled for an unveiling at a press briefing ahead on March 1.

The car, destined to be sold under the name of Tivoli Air in Korea, shares the same wheelbase as the Tivoli, but has extra length to the body, allowing 720 liters of cargo space in total.

Design-wise, Ssangyong said it adopted a “rhythmical motion” concept based on its “Nature-Born 3 Motion (dignified, dynamic and rhythmical)” design philosophy.

“From the extremely minimal radiator grille to the barbell-type bumper linked to the profile, we have tried to express the ‘dynamicity’ and powerfulness of the Ssangyong car,” a company spokesman said.

Thanks to the thriving sales of the Tivoli, Ssangyong in 2015 has posted its highest sales record in 12 years.

The company sold 40,890 cars between September and December 2015, marking 21.8 billion won ($17.5 million) in operating profit. This is in stark contrast to the 32.2 billion won in operating losses during the same period in 2014. The annual growth rate of 44.4 percent was the largest in the local automotive industry.

Ssangyong has sold 45,021 units of the Tivoli in Korea and 18,672 units abroad since its launch in January 2015 through the end of that year, making it the company’s best-selling model since the Rexton SUV in 2004.

“The year 2015 has been a milestone for Ssangyong with the robust sales of Tivoli leading us to a surplus. We will continue to grow this year with our XLV,” said Choi Johng-sik, CEO of the company. 

Another world premiere for Ssangyong will be the Smart Interface Vehicle-2, an iteration of the concept car SIV-1 that was introduced during the Geneva show in 2013. The crossover has been labeled as a “mild hybrid” by the company.

The car is reported to be powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged direct injection gas engine with a 10-kilowatt electric motor generator and a 500-watt-hour lithium ion battery.

Focusing on the “dynamic motion” from Ssangyong’s design concept, the vehicle’s character line alongside the wide-C-pillar and roof accentuate the signature power of Ssangyong cars, the company said.

By Bae Ji-sook  (baejisook@heraldcorp.com)