German luxury carmaker BMW AG on Tuesday launched a coupe version of its popular Mini small-sized car to meet South Korean consumer demand for sporty vehicles, the company said.

The Mini Cooper Coupe is the first two-seater and the fifth model of the compact, fuel efficient vehicle that has been on the market for a decade.

The new coupe, which was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, has a 1.6-liter, inline four cylinder engine that generates a maximum 122 horsepower with 16.3 kilogram-meters of torque.

The carmaker said the latest Mini’s fuel efficiency has been rated at 16.3 kilometers per liter of fuel, with acceleration from zero to 100 kilometers per hour being reached in 10.3 seconds.

BMW added that despite its size, the coupe has the agility and appearance of a sports car, with emphasis placed on aerodynamics and distribution of weight, which are vital for enhancing the quality of driving.

The coupe is 3.72 meters long, 1.68 meters wide and 1.37 meters tall.

The carmaker, which is the No. 1 foreign car brand in South Korea, said the new vehicle offers unparalleled comfort for the driver and passenger, and has spacious cargo space.

The basic Cooper Coupe has been priced at 37.90 million won (US$33,900), with the more powerful Cooper S version at 42.90 million won. 

(Yonhap News)