Cars that may be future retro, did we get them?

Imagine Merc Based without the price tag.
I've seen one with the Daewoo (Daewoo used to distribute Ssangyong) grille but I don't reckon it works.
And from Youtube
Someone getting excited with a camcorder
Short Promo vid
And the Daewoo fronted one.
Not so cool looking

I like the looks.
Over on uk.rec.cars.modifications newsgroup I asked whether Ssangyongs where worth getting and got talked down to like a child, and being told "they are curse word because they are curse word because they are curse word", or when I asked why and what experience was like "you don't need to drive it to know it will be a useless heap of sh1t".

Apart from two people.
One who had owned a Musso for 5 years and reckoned plasticky and low interior build quality but fast, not bad handling, good offroad and quick on road.
Another guy said he looked at a used Korando for on his farm in italy, complained that the carpets looked like they were made from the hair you pull from the plughole.

I like the looks, kind of like a Jeep CJ3 and an M class melted into a G wagon. Modern ish, but still aggressive and a little weird looking. Interior on the Korando looks a little VW, but not at much as on the later models.

I like the Musso but I don't need anything so big. I do like the Rexton models, but the Rodius looks too weird for me and I like weird. Looks like a Citroen C4 on stilts with something glued on the back. But there are worse looking cars. I just don't like that one personally.

I think I might get a Korando after all. Can't see a diesel Chairman being available in my budget but a Diesel Korando should be fun to slap up and won the M6 to Blackburn each day. Should be more comfy than the Octavia too.

I'd go for it, the old-skool diesel engine means you can run it on practically anything as well.

Thing is, despite all the claims of being 'Merc based' - they're not, really.

They build cheap copies of Merc. engines and drivetrains under license in Korea. Just as Lada did with Fiat stuff in the 70s and 80s. You may be able to replace some bits with OEM Merc. bits, but you're still dealing with a cheap copy and all that comes with it.

The chassis is still CJ based, meaning they drive like a 50 year old 4wd with a modern engine and box. Interiors may look OK, but they're made from cheap plastics that'll wear badly and fall apart.

If you think they're cheap now..... think about how little you'll get back on one if you run it for 2 or 3 years and then want to sell it.

What I don't understand is that, despite all the evidence telling you they're curse word, and despite most people you ask telling you they're curse word, you keep asking about 'em...... are you hoping that if you ask often enough, you'll be told they're the best used bargain out there or something?

With regards to Ssangyongs, does anyone else love the huge "R E X T O N" badge on the back of the similarly named vehicle?

From what I've read, the basic 'ladder' of the chassis is the same as the CJ type cars with some cheap curse word modern-ish suspension hung on each end.

There's a bloody big difference between the Alfetta chassis and the Korando chassis.

Starting with it not being some shoddily welded together bits of angle-iron with a boat anchor of a diesel lump up front.

If you just want a diseasel squidge-mobile to plod along at 80 in, what about a Vauxhall Omega or summat? I suspect you could get a 2.5td one with all the toys for about the same price as a Korando.

As to the subject of Korean luxobarges, the value you get with them is astounding. I'd have one but all the decent specs have big V6s. I doubt the insurers would even give me the time of day.