Kia has announced the name for its rear-wheel-drive sports sedan concept: the Kia GT.
Official details of the four-door concept are scarce, but rumours suggest it will be based on sister firm Hyundai’s Genesis saloon, with a V8 petrol engine under the bonnet.
The concept gives us a clearer image about Kia’s future expansion plans and will provide the blueprint for the firm’s new design direction under chief designer Peter Schreyer.
“I believe this car is a strong statement from Kia,” says Schreyer, formerly of Audi. “We are ready to fast forward to an all new chapter.”
The concept features a bold front-end with Kia’s new familiar ‘Schreyer grille’. It gets a gently sloping roofline, heavily sculpted sides and a sleek design for the rear lights.
The photos reveal several accent pieces that appear to be made from carbon fiber, including the front lip, rear diffuser, side skirts, and even accents on the wheels.
The rear doors are reverse-hinged and there is no B-pillar, allowing for a giant entryway into the Kia GT. Inside are four bucket seats with a transmission tunnel running the length of the interior. There is a small, squared-off steering wheel with paddle shifters and a minimalist dashboard.
The Korean firm insists the concept is more a statement of intent rather than a preview of a new model in a German-dominated market segment never before occupied by Kia.
Other new Kias on display at Frankfurt will be a three-door Rio and a facelift for the Soul.