Despite the fact that Techzle is full of news that is relevant to Europe, we have found a moment to quickly look across the border. This time we are looking at South Korea, the country where Samsung has presented the brand new XM3.
Samsung is part of the Renault Group that sells various Renault models in slightly modified form on the South Korean market. Currently, the brand has the SM6 (Talisman), QM6 (Koleos) and the SM3 Z.E. (Fluence Z.E.) on the menu and now a completely new model is added: the XM3. Although, completely new … The XM3 was already introduced to the South Korean public as a XM3 Inspire in March last year during the Seoul Motor Show, and now the actual production version has been put forward.
The final XM3 loses the Inspire part of its name, but remains just like that show car Samsung’s version of the Renault Arkana, launched in August 2018, a coupé SUV that, just like the Renault Kaptur – indeed with a ‘K’ – on an extension version of the Duster platform has been installed. The Samsung XM3 distinguishes itself from the outside almost exclusively with deviating bumpers, Samsung logos of its Renault brother, but the interior of the XM3 is indeed different. While the Renault Arkana has a fairly simple dashboard, but with a large infotainment screen, the Samung variant gets its own cockpit. The XM3 has an infotainment system that comes straight from the new Captur at the center tunnel and the center of the steering wheel. The list of engines of the 4.55 meter long XM3 includes a turboloze 1.6 and the well-known blown 1.3s. The starting price is set at € 13,650 in South Korea. For comparison: a Morning (Picanto) has a basic price of around €7,360.