- Olga Kokorina
- Translated by Olga Apetenok
- Ru Fr He
SsangYong Musso. British professor’s rhino
The SsangYong Musso is a mid-size body-on-frame SUV or pickup manufactured in South Korea by SsangYong since 1993. ‘Musso’ means ‘rhino’ in Korean. The car is a fruit of collaboration between SsangYong and Daimler-Benz. Like other models of the brand from that era, the car’s design was styled by the most discussed (and condemned) artist, Professor of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Ken Greenley (UK).
Ken Greenley is a famous British designer who once participated in the design of the beautiful sports car Aston Martin Virage (1989-1995) and designed the stylish Panther Solo coupe (1989-1990). But after joining SsangYong Motors, Ken started creating only controversial and even shocking cars, such as Musso, Rodius and Kyron. Why did he create such unusual cars? Well, according to the genius of sarcasm and automotive journalism icon Jeremy Clarkson (TopGear), Professor Greenly had simply lost his glasses on a London-Seoul plane.
The first generation
It was produced from 1993 to 2005. The SsangYong Musso had many virtues, but its first generation was remembered precisely because of its strange exterior. Designed by Ken Greenley, the strange looking SsangYong Musso warranted its name with its puffy, ungraceful forms that were reminiscent of a rhino or other large animal. And the outer edges of the headlights resembled the sadly lowered corners of the eyes. However, there were connoisseurs of even such an unusual aesthetics: in 1994 and 1996, the vehicle won the Auto Design Award at the Birmingham Auto Show (UK).
By modern standards, the first SsangYong Musso had small dimensions. It was 4,656 mm long, 1,864 mm wide and 1,735 mm high, and had a wheelbase of 2,630 mm. The vehicles were assembled not only in Korea, but also in Vietnam, Iran, Poland, and also in Russia (Taganrog) under the name Tagaz Road Partner since 2007. The model also had a pickup version (Musso Sport). The body-on-frame structure and the presence of all-wheel drive with a low range made the Rhino a real SUV. Confirming its good off-road ability, the Musso took first place at the Pharaohs Rally in Egypt among all-terrain vehicles in October 1994.
The first modifications, released in 1993, could be equipped with gasoline or diesel engines manufactured under license from Mercedes-Benz. According to some reviews, those vehicles could travel up to 1 million km (!) without major repairs. By 2008, the manufacturer had to abandon the German diesel engine due to environmental regulations in Korea. The range of engines included 2.3-liter 4-cylinder and 2.9-liter 5-cylinder diesel engines, as well as 2.3-liter and 3.2-liter gasoline engines. The SUV could be equipped with a 5-speed manual transmission T5 TREMEC (former Borg Warner) or a 4-speed automatic transmission from Mercedes-Benz or BTRA (Australia), both transmissions were highly reliable. In the early years, diesel engines were produced without turbocharging, which had a positive effect on their reliability (until 1997).
Despite its unusual appearance (or thanks to it) the Musso won the Auto Design Award at the Birmingham Auto Show (UK)
The SsangYong Musso was distinguished by a soft, comfortable suspension. The SUV was designed for 5 people, but there were also rare 7-seater variants. In 1998, the vehicle was restyled. In the same year, the manufacturer launched the production of rear-wheel drive modifications. The first generation was produced right up to 2005, which testifies to the Rhino’s success. However, its story did not end there. Thus, the first generation SsangYong Musso has been produced in Iran by Iran Khodro corporation under the name Moratab since 2002. Moreover, it was produced in Russia at the Taganrog Automobile Plant under the name TagAZ Road Partner from 2008 to 2014.
Now let’s say a few words about the Musso pickup of those years (P100 series). It was named Musso Sport and had a double cab suitable for five people. The wheelbase was grew from 2,630 to 2,750 mm and the rear suspension was reinforced so that the vehicle could withstand a significant load (load capacity was up to 400 kg). The pickup was capable of towing a trailer weighing up to 3.5 tons. It was equipped with an engine and gearbox developed by Mercedes-Benz. It was initially equipped with a 2.9-liter naturally-aspirated engine, and later acquired a turbocharged diesel engine. The Musso Sport pickup was produced from September 2002 to April 2006.
The second generation
After a long pause, the Rhino was reborn. It first appeared in the UK where it was sold from 2016 to 2018 as the SsangYong Musso Sports Pickup. A couple of years later, the manufacturer presented the Q200-series Musso Pickup at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show. And since the SsangYong Rexton and Korando were SUVs, the glorious name Musso got the role of a pickup. It was produced until 2021, after which it was restyled and peacefully continued its existence. Another name for this model is Rexton Sports (in South Korea and some other countries.). And all because this pickup was created on the basis of the Rexton SUV. The models share the same body-on-frame structure and such elements as a 2.2-liter engine and transmission. The double-cab Musso can be rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, with a rigidly connected front axle and a reduction gear.
The new Musso can be equipped with a 2-liter turbocharged e-XGDI 200T gasoline engine with 225 hp or a 2.2-liter e-XDI 220 diesel engine with 181hp (shared with the SsangYong Rexton). The model can be rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive, and can be equipped with a 6-speed AISIN automatic transmission or 6-speed manual transmission. The pickup features a spring suspension with differential lock (option). There is also a variant with a longer wheelbase and rear leaf spring suspension (it is named Khan in Korea). The vehicle comes with six airbags, as well as driver assistants such as the AEBS automatic emergency braking system, the BSD blind spot detection system and the RCTA rear cross-traffic alert system.
2021 restyling
The officially restyled SsangYong Musso was unveiled in April 2021. The restyled vehicle is distinguished by a huge radiator grille with silver horizontal stripes, which makes the pickup look more imposing. The harsh off-road image is underlined by black plastic linings that protect the wheel arches and step plates. The new Musso features vertically oriented LED fog lights. The optics has kept the same shape, but has a different filling. Just like the majority of restyled vehicles, the pickup has received new wheel rims (17, 18 or 20 inches).
Restyling has not touched the powertrain or the size. Thus, the 2021 Sang Yong Musso is 5,095 mm long. It has a wheelbase of 3,100 mm and the ground clearance of 215 mm. The longer Khan is 5,405 mm long, and it has a wheelbase of 3,210 mm and the ground clearance of 203 mm. The length of the loading platform for the short version is 1,300 mm, whereas the longer version offers 1,610 mm. Both pickups are equipped with a coil spring rear suspension, whereas the long one also has a version with a leaf-spring rear suspension. A standard pickup has a loading capacity of 400 kg, a spring Khan can carry 500 kg, and a spring one offers 700 kg.
The interior has not changed much. The only innovation is the handles in the windshield struts. As before, the devices are analog with a 7-inch on-board computer screen. The modern Musso is equipped with a multimedia system with a 9.2-inch touchscreen, six airbags, and all-round cameras. The list of electronic assistants includes automatic braking systems, blind spot monitoring, automatic headlight switching, collision avoidance, and lane departure warning systems.
