Ssangyong Motors Co., the fourth-largest automaker based in South Korea and owned by India’s Mahindra & Mahindra, is accelerating efforts to enhance its brand awareness in Europe with generous sponsorship for sports tournaments in the region.

The automaker said Tuesday that it has become the official sponsor of Birkebeiner races, one of the largest sports events of northern Europe. The sports tournament consists of three races - cross-country skiing in March, cross-country running in June and bicycling in August. The annual sports event draws more than 25,000 participants from all across Europe annually.

Birkebeiner races began in Norway in 1932 in commemoration of a trip made by the Birkebeiner loyalists to save the infant pretender to the Norwegian throne, Håkon Håkonsson, in 1206. It is one of Norway’s major events representing Norwegians’ national pride.

As an official vehicle partner for the Birkebeiner races, Ssangyong Motors will provide mini sports utility vehicle Tivoli Air, sold as XLV overseas, and large SUV G4 Rexton. It will exhibit 20 car models in showrooms set up around the racing venue.

The automaker also is a sponsor of MKS Dąbrowa Górnicza, women`s volleyball department of Polish sports club MKS Dąbrowa Górnicza, and contributed to ‘Una Mole Di Rugby’ children’s rugby tournament held last week in Turin (Torino in Italian), Italy.

The company has been building its presence in the European auto market after its SUV models successfully hit the market and plans to continue leading various marketing events to further expand its global share, said a Ssangyong Motors official.

By Kang Young-woon and Cho Jeehyun

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]