The 1997 SsangYong Chairman (internally known as the CM or Chairman H) is a luxury sedan that marked SsangYong’s first venture into the passenger car market.

It is best known for being built under a technical alliance with Mercedes-Benz, which allowed the car to use licensed Mercedes platforms and drivetrains.

The car is based on a stretched version of the Mercedes-Benz W124 (E-Class) chassis, though its exterior styling was intentionally designed to resemble the more prestigious W140 S-Class.

All engines were Mercedes-licensed units:

2.3L I4 (150 Hp)
2.8L I6 (197 Hp)
3.2L I6 (220 Hp), which was the top-of-the-line model

Which were paired with a Mercedes-sourced 5-speed automatic gearbox.

While launched as a SsangYong in 1997, the car was briefly rebadged as the Daewoo Chairman between 1998 and 2000. This occurred when Daewoo Motors took over a controlling stake in SsangYong during the Asian financial crisis. During this period, the car featured a distinctive three-part Daewoo corporate grille but remained mechanically identical.

It was positioned as a high-end executive limousine for Korean VIPs and government officials, competing with the Hyundai Equus.

The interior boasted 1900s-style luxury including leather seats, wood trim, and advanced (for the time) rear-seat controls for the audio system and electric seat adjustment.

It was primarily sold in South Korea and was extremely rare in international markets, with some units used as embassy vehicles in Europe.