Ssangyong Motor

SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) -- SsangYong Motor Co. said Monday its sales slid 4.6 percent last month from a year earlier on weak exports.

SsangYong Motor sold 12,338 vehicles in May, down from 12,938 units a year earlier.

"Domestic sales grew based on the popularity of our new products, but our exports dropped due to the re-arrangement of the product lineup," the company said in a statement.

Domestic sales jumped 4.1 percent to 10,106 units in May from 9,709 a year earlier. But exports plunged 30.9 percent to 3,229 units from 2,232 during the same period, it said.

In the January-May period, its sales climbed 9.8 percent to 59,902 autos from 54,532 units in the same period of last year.

The SUV-focused carmaker's lineup includes the flagship G4 Rexton, Tivoli, Korando C and Korando Turismo.

Ssangyong said it expects a "gradual recovery" in its exports as the brand-new Korando is set to be shipped to global markets from this month. The automaker said its face-lifted version of the Tivoli, which will be launched on Tuesday, will also push up its sales this month.

Indian carmaker Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. owns a 72.85 percent stake in SsangYong Motor.

kdon@yna.co.kr 
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