Since his first project with Kia, the ex_cee’d cabrio concept car, Peter Schreyer has been hard at work on several new projects in an attempt to change the way people think of the budget Korean carmaker. It’s starting to work, as the compact cee’d has really spiced things up for the brand. Critics were truly impressed with the dynamic characteristics of the hatchback, not to mention its first-rate interior quality and first rate fit and finish. Buyers now have other reasons to buy one of their products besides the excellent warranty and the truly affordable prices. Kia now wants to add stylish designs to the list of reasons for purchasing one of their cars, and their forthcoming sports coupe looks to be the vehicle to do it.
Earlier in the year, it was rumoured that Kia was engineering a car to gun down the likes of Audi’s TT, and now that rumour has been confirmed as Kia’s announced that its show car for the upcoming Frankfurt Auto Show will be a 2+2 sports coupe. From the first (and only) image provided by the manufacturer, this car is unlike any other Kia we’ve ever seen, with a low hood line and an aggressive, almost shark-like grille. The car’s use of lighting is very similar to what the Chinese-designed Buick Riviera Concept incorporates into its design, though it’s limited to the bumpers rather than around the entire car. Nevertheless, it’s certainly a striking sight. If the front end looks as good as this, the rest of the car is guaranteed to turn heads.
Kia’s design chief Peter Schreyer summed up the situation at Kia, saying, “Seldom does a designer have such a clean sheet to work with. We started this exciting journey with the Kia ex_cee’d cabrio concept at the Geneva Show back in March, and at Frankfurt, I’m sure Kia will surprise the entire automotive world when people see our new sports coupe concept in the metal.”
In order to back up its sporty image, you can bet that the engine under the coupe’s hood is going to be strong. Powertrain options could include a V6 engine, though another viable and more likely option would be the 200+ horsepower turbocharged inline-four that is set to be launched in the high-performance Kia cee’d XR.
Schreyer also said, “Rear-drive would make it easier to get great proportions to the design, but I wouldn’t want to make an expensive car. Any coupe should cost around $20,000.” By sharing the platform with Hyundai’s forthcoming RWD coupe, there’s a good chance that this dream may indeed become a reality. Alternatively, if Hyundai were to produce the HND-3 Veloster, a front wheel drive coupe, Kia could base its production version off it.
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