Import car companies such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW plan to showcase a variety of internal combustion engine models and hybrid vehicles in the country this year. Recently, as global demand for electric vehicles has slowed, import car companies are expected to attract consumer attention with new vehicles.
The import car company releasing the most internal combustion engine new cars this year is BMW. BMW will present six new models, including a partially modified version, in the country. Including MINI, which will launch two new models, a total of eight internal combustion engine models will be released by the group.
Among the new cars BMW will showcase, the models attracting the most interest are the fourth-generation 1 Series hatchback and the second-generation 2 Series coupe. BMW will release the base model 120 of the 1 Series in the third quarter of this year, as well as the high-performance model M135 xDrive. The new 2 Series will debut in the country with the 220 model, 228 xDrive, and the top-performing model M235 xDrive. The mid-size wagon M5 Touring, manufactured as a plug-in hybrid model, will also be released in the fourth quarter.
MINI will launch the new MINI Cooper convertible in the second quarter. The new MINI Cooper C convertible boasts a maximum output of 163 horsepower and a maximum torque of 25.5 kg·m. It can accelerate from a standstill to 100 km/h in 8.2 seconds, with a top speed of 220 km/h. The new MINI Cooper S convertible, which has better performance, delivers a maximum output of 204 horsepower and a maximum torque of 30.6 kg·m. It reaches 100 km/h in just 6.9 seconds from a standstill, with a top speed of 237 km/h. MINI also plans to sell the high-performance new MINI Cooper convertible JCW.
Mercedes-Benz is targeting the domestic market by promoting its high-performance brand AMG. The Mercedes-AMG GT set to launch this year is one of the top vehicles in the Mercedes-AMG lineup and is a fully modified second-generation model. Benz is also expected to release a high-performance plug-in hybrid model of the E-Class mid-size sedan and performance variants of the mid-size coupe and convertible CLE this year.
Audi will launch a fully modified third-generation new car of the mid-size sedan A5. The new A5 is a model that integrates the existing A5 coupe with Audi's key compact sedan, the A4. Compared to the previous A4, the length has been extended, emphasizing a dynamic exterior similar to that of a coupe.
Volkswagen will unveil the Atlas, a large sports utility vehicle (SUV). The Atlas is designed with a massive body length of 5,097 mm and a width of 1,990 mm. It is equipped with a 2.0-liter gasoline turbo engine, delivering a maximum output of 273 horsepower and maximum torque of 37.7 kg·m. The third-row SUV Atlas is expected to compete with Hyundai's Palisade, which will be released this year.
American automaker Ford plans to make a comeback with the fully modified fifth-generation Expedition, a large SUV. The Ford Expedition is equipped with a V6 3.5-liter gasoline turbo engine and a 10-speed automatic transmission. Ford's luxury brand Lincoln will also unveil the fully modified fifth-generation Navigator, a large SUV.
Japanese brand Honda plans to launch a refreshed model of the eight-passenger Odyssey van. The refreshed Odyssey model features a 3.5-liter V6 gasoline direct injection i-VTEC engine and an electronic button-type 10-speed automatic transmission, delivering a maximum output of 284 horsepower and maximum torque of 36.2 kg·m.