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| BMW's new XM / Courtesy of BMW Korea |
By Kim Hyun-bin
BMW Korea held a ceremony in Korea, Tuesday, launching the XM, which it describes as an ultra-high-performance sports activity vehicle (SAV). BMW introduced the legendary M1 sports coupe in 1978 and the XM is the first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) in the M high-performance lineup.
The M hybrid system used in the XM intelligently controls the interaction between engine and motor. A 489-horsepower high-revving V8 gasoline engine was applied with the new M Twin Power Turbo technology along with a 197-horsepower electric motor to produce a combined maximum output of 653 horsepower and maximum torque of 81.6 kilogram-meters. It takes 4.3 seconds to accelerate from zero to 100 km/h.
This vehicle is equipped with a high-voltage battery with a capacity of 29.5 kilowatt-hours and can travel 62 km in pure electric mode according to the Ministry of Environment standard. The top speed in electric mode is 140 km/h. It takes about 4.2 hours to fully charge the battery and the mileage comes at 10.0 km per liter.
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| Celebrity Korean rapper and BMW ambassador G-Dragon poses next to the BMW XM during the vehicle's launch ceremony held in Seoul, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Kim Hyun-bin |
The front part of the XM is harmonized with a BMW kidney grille with rim and contour lighting and large air intakes. For the front seats, M multifunction seats and M leather steering wheels are standard. M-specific graphics are applied to the BMW curved display and the BMW head-up display.
The electronically controlled Adaptive M Suspension Professional and the active roll stabilization function operated by a 48-volt electric motor maximize driving stability. For the first time in a BMW M model, the rear-wheel steering function, called BMW Integral Active Steering, provides agile cornering performance at low speeds and driving stability at high speeds.
In addition, advanced driver assistance systems, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System also come as standards.
The price of the BMW XM comes at 221.9 million won ($171,400).
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