German brands eye supercar market
BMW M6 Coupe
By Kim Tae-jong
Drivers tend to want to own a fast and strong vehicle, and that’s why many spend a lot of money buying a supercar or modifing their automobiles.
To meet such needs, three German premium brands ― BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi, which enjoy their dominant market presence here ― have competitively introduced high-performance versions of their popular models.
Although such models are typically the most expensive among each automaker’s lineup, they are becoming more and more popular.
At first glance, they look like an ordinary sedan or sports utility vehicle (SUVs) but they can easily become part of a drivers’ everyday life, offering practicality and comfort in driving either at high speed or on long-distance trips. But they can also become a monster whenever their master wants them to be.
Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG
Mercedes-Benz AMG
AMG is the logo placed on high-performance versions of Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Mercedes-AMG was originally an independent small engineering firm specializing in performance improvements for Mercedes vehicles, but DaimlerChrysler took a controlling interest in 1990 and became sole owner of AMG in 2005.
Compared to regular Mercedes models, AMG models have slightly more aggressive looks and better handling as well as boasting high performance.
Now, 14 AMG models are available here from the CLA 45 AMG and the G 63 AMG to the SLS AMG.
The CLA 45 AMG 4MATIC is the most affordable AMG models which is priced at 69.7 million won. It has been recently added to the lineup with the launch of the CLA-Class, a compact four-door coupe, which aims to better appeal to younger drivers.
Its strong four-cylinder 2.0-liter engine boasts 360 horsepower with a maximum torque of 45.9 kilograms-meter. It only takes 4.6 seconds to reach 100 kilometers per hour.
Among high-performance vehicles, it also boasts relatively high fuel economy of 10.6 kilometers per liter.
As it is equipped with the automaker’s trademark four-wheel-drive system, 4MATIC. It also impresses drivers with stable handling and cornering on various road conditions.
The CLS 63 AMG is one of the most representative AMG models among Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Under its sexy coupe-like appearance, its 5.5-liter V8 engine can produce 557 horsepower with a maximum torque of 71.4kg-m. It only takes 4.4 second to reach 100km/h and can run at up to 250km/h. It is priced at 147.9 million won.
BMW M
BMW has the M variants of their regular models, which boast much higher performances than regular units.
BMW M was initially launched to facilitate BMW’s racing program, but later became an icon of BMW's vehicles with specially modified higher and more expensive models.
These M-badged cars traditionally include modified engines, transmissions, suspensions, interior trims, aerodynamics and exterior modifications to set them apart from their regular counterparts.
Now, eight M models are available here from the M3 Coupe and the M3 Convertible to X5 M and X6 M. The M3 sedan and the M4 Coupe will soon be launched here.
The new M6 Coupe, which has been newly added to the lineup, boasts the highest performance among the M models. It comes equipped with a V8 4.4-liter twin-turbo engine which can produce 560 horsepower with the maximum torque of 69.4kg-m. It only takes 4.2 seconds to hit 100 km/h.
The BMW M6 Coupe remains under maximum control even at high speeds or in severe road conditions during winter, thanks to the Active M Differential.
It can optimize the superior properties of the rear-wheel drive so that it can boast agility and enhanced traction even on snow and ice.
On slippery surfaces or when accelerating out of sharp curves, the Active M Differential even neutralizes the finest differences in torque between the drive wheels with a corresponding locking action.
The new M6 is priced at 187.1 million won.
Audi S7
Audi S and RS
Audi S and RS models offer high performance which primarily focuses on enhanced "sport" characteristics.
All Audi "S" models have unique internal combustion engines, along with larger, more powerful brakes, stiffer suspension systems, additional exterior body styling, and carbon fiber interior trims to set them apart from their related "siblings" of their respective model range.
Audi RS models boast even higher performances than the S lineups. The "RS" initials are taken from the German words that mean "racing sport."
There are six S models available here ― the S4, S5, S6, S7, S8 and the SQ5 ― along with two RS models ― the RS5 and R8.
The S7 was the most popular among high-performance versions of vehicles from all imported brands last year with 147 sold. It is priced at 125.3 million won.
Equipped with a V8 4.0-liter engine, it can produce 420 horsepower with a maximum torque of 56.1kg-m. It takes 4.7 seconds to reach 100 km/h and can run up to 250km/h.
Even with the V8 engine, it also boasts a relatively good fuel efficiency of 7.9 kilometers per liter. One of the secrets is that the engine features cylinder deactivation technology, allowing it to reduce the number of active cylinders for increased fuel economy when maximum power is not needed.