Koo Ja-wook, Choi Na-yeon named BMW 7 Series brand ambassadors

Kolon Motors, an authorized BMW dealer, is expanding its sports marketing push for the flagship 7 Series sedan by enlisting a professional baseball player and a golfer simultaneously.

The company announced Friday that it has appointed KBO baseball player Koo Ja-wook and LPGA Tour veteran Choi Na-yeon as BMW 7 Series brand ambassadors.

Kolon Motors will provide each of them with a BMW 740i. Both Koo and Choi will use the vehicle through the end of this year and take part in producing content, including online videos and offline events.

Pairing athletes from two different sports is designed to broaden the brand's reach beyond existing BMW customers to the fan bases of baseball and golf alike.

Koo won the KBO Rookie of the Year award in 2015 and has since claimed four Golden Glove awards. Kolon Motors cited his long career with a single team, the recognition he has built over the years and his consistent self-discipline as reasons for selecting him as an ambassador.

Choi has won multiple times on the LPGA Tour, including at the US Women's Open. Last year she appeared in content alongside BMW's electric flagship sedan, the i7; this year the collaboration continues with the combustion-engine 740i.

"Koo Ja-wook and Choi Na-yeon are consummate professionals who have maintained their standing at the top of their respective fields, and they align closely with the premium values the BMW 7 Series embodies," a Kolon Motors official said. "Through ambassadors from two distinct worlds — baseball and golf — we aim to convey the 7 Series lifestyle to a broader range of customers."

The 740i provided to both ambassadors is the gasoline variant of the BMW 7 Series. It pairs an inline six-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine with a 48V mild-hybrid system to produce a maximum output of 381 horsepower and comes equipped with BMW xDrive, the brand's intelligent all-wheel-drive system.

The 48V mild-hybrid system uses a small electric motor to assist the engine during acceleration and from a standstill. While structurally different from a full hybrid that can run on electric power alone over longer distances, it helps reduce fuel consumption and engine load.

The rear cabin features a 31.3-inch BMW Theater Screen that unfolds from the ceiling. The car also comes with air suspension to absorb road impacts and a rear-wheel steering system that narrows the turning radius at low speeds and stabilizes the body at higher speeds.

BMW has also been strengthening its domestic 7 Series lineup. At the Busan Mobility Show last month, the company unveiled in Korea for the first time the "7 Series Nero Lusso Edition," a limited run of 135 units worldwide. South Korea received an allocation of 29 units, available in two variants — the 740i xDrive and the 740d xDrive.

Through the ambassador campaign, Kolon Motors plans to roll out content sequentially highlighting the 740i's driving performance and rear-seat convenience features.