We salute the Daewoo Leganza

[theduisbergkid]

Designed in North Korea as a battle tank target drone, the Leganza was originally codenamed the V100, and was styled by Communist Party leader, Kim Il-sung (father of the proper-bonkers Kim Jong-il), in September 1989. Historical accounts from that time suggest that Kim Il-sung wanted to inspire his new tank crews by designing gun range targets that “rooked rike Engrisher pig-dog cwappy Montego”. It’s not known whether it was the North Korean’s hatred for the West, or their appreciation of good automotive design, that inspired many young Army conscripts to blast the living **** out of the unmanned “Leganzas.”

After a North Korean cargo ship accidentally ran aground on a South Korean torpedo in May 1996, several V100 drones were washed ashore near the seaside resort of Gyongpo. By a stroke of luck, Daewoo Chairman Kim Woo-Choong had been relaxing with his lunch on this local beach, when the lunches began barking to signal that they had found something unusual buried beneath the seaweed and driftwood.

After being shipped back to the Daewoo car plant, engineers thought they had stumbled upon some high-tech stolen European concept car; at the time, Korea’s understanding of Western car design extended to a few pirated copies of Pimp My Ride UK with Timothy Westwood, and a dog-eared Austin 3-Litre sales brochure. However, it seemed the ideal replacement for the ageing Esper0 saloon without the development costs. In early 1997 he Leganza was given a hasty makeover, and fitted with a Holden sourced 2.0-litre four pot, ready for the 1997 Nagasaki Motor Show.

Early reviews from the motoring press were not that positive. Chuck Mallet, Editor of That Car magazine, was critical of the Laganza’s build quality, adding that; “it rattled like a shipping container full of shagging skeletons”. Mallet also suggested that the Leganza’s spartan interior had “less toys than a Cromwellian Christmas”; while on-track, the This Car test driver declared that the Daewoo was “about as agile as a Scottish lottery winner”. Nevertheless, the Leganza sold well, especially to the security services where the Daewoo’s class-leading blandness made it almost invisible in an urban setting.

While the Leganza clearly had a few faults, it was to become a landmark in the evolution of the Korean automobile industry. This was an oriental Concorde moment; without the Leganza there would not have been the inspiration for Daewoo’s fabulous Nubira, Magnus or Rezzo minivan; without the torrent of trickle down technology from this car, SsangYong’s Korando, Musso and Rexton SUVs would never have been born.

I, for one, just wouldn’t want to live in a world like that; and that is why we salute the Daewoo Leganza.

From the website once described as 'rubbish' by a stranger on the internet - s2b2 | Credit crunch capers in cars … and karts

[Tipex]

We had two Leganza's on our fleet, both of them were free, from the local Daewoo garage in an effort to promote them.

We gave them both back after 6 months they were that sh1t.

[Twinspark]

I know someone who bought one - it wasn't very old or high mileage - but it was something like £800 on eBay for a 'fully loaded' example - ie. leather, climate, stick on 'wood' etc.

Wasn't the last word in driving dynamics, but it was cheap, reliable, and a bit of a laugh.

I've always fancied running a V6 Hyundai Sonata / XG or whatever they're called as a bit of a joke car for a few months.

[Tipex]

The two we were loaned were neither cheap nor reliable, one was an automatic, and achieved no better than 18mpg in the 6 months we had it!

Both broke down regularly, and most of the trim fell off.

[theduisbergkid]

I've always fancied running a V6 Hyundai Sonata / XG

You filthy pervert.

I'm with you though, something bizzarely appealing about 'em !

[garcon magnifique]

I keep having a strange urge to buy a Toyota Century as a daily driver. It's got something of the Hyundai Sonata thing about it, only it's bigger and a bit more Japanese dictator than Korean businessman.