SsangYong Motor UK has rebranded as KGM Motors UK (KGM) with immediate effect in line with the new global identity.

The UK distributor has adopted the carmaker’s new global branding and its brand slogan

The UK distributor has introduced the change following the Korean carmaker’s global shift to become KG Mobility earlier this year, and said the new brand strategy and purpose would “promise a bright future for KGM in the UK market”.

The new branding in the UK retains the winged logo, which pays homage to KGM’s heritage since 1954, while featuring a new colour scheme, switching to white on black instead of the current white on blue. It’s backed by the brand’s global slogan, ‘Go Different. KGM’.

SsangYong’s global identity makeover was announced in March 2023, following the arrival of new owner KG Group, and is intended to help shed the “painful image” of the SsangYong name following numerous investors and its collapse into receivership in 2021.

KGM said the new branding reflects its “unified vision to inspire customers to embrace innovation and break away from the ordinary”.

It’s working to ensure a new era for the brand and global market expansion, with a focus on pioneering the next generation of mobility solutions and incorporating cutting-edge technologies such as electrification, autonomous driving and artificial intelligence.

Kevin Griffin, managing director of KGM Motors UK, commented: “KGM Global has changed its name for the first time in 35-years as it transforms into a brand for the future. This is an exciting period for us all in terms of unveiling a refreshed, modern brand identity alongside the development and launch of impressive products which utilise new technologies. We have embraced the change here in the UK and we will continue to grow as a proud and respected SUV and pickup truck brand.”

The company was originally founded as Ha Dong-Hwan Automobile Manufacturing in January 1954, before changing its name to Dong-A Motors in 1977. In 1988, the brand became SsangYong Motor Company, which was acquired by KG Global with a majority shareholding in 2023.