New images of Kia's Concept reveal it is named the GT.
How much to reveal ahead of time? That’s always the challenge for an automaker heading into a crowded event like next week’s Frankfurt Motor Show. Say too little and your new offering could get lost in the crowd. Too much and the gathering media hordes might not have reason to show up at your news conference.
Kia was trying to walk a fine line, revealing just enough to tease folks to show up for the launch of a sexy new 4-door coupe-like concept it will be unveiling in Germany. Whether intentional or not a second wave of pics have wound up in the public domain, one of them revealing that the prototype will be named the Kia GT Concept.
And word has it the show car will directly influence the future flagship coming for the Korean brand.
The concept features an unusually short front overhang with scooped side intakes framing the signature Kia grille – here moved higher up than on the brand’s current models.
The sweptback rear has a slightly retro feel to it.
From the side, a character line sweeps off the front fenders, topping the door sills and providing a foundation for a swept roof line that curves inward in an almost ‘60s-era fastback fashion.
From the rear, you’ll spot a large carbon fiber diffuser beneath horizontal exhaust pipes.
Inside, the GT Concept is decidedly luxurious and sporty, with super-thin, racing-style seats. The cabin is accessed through four doors including two pillar-less, rear “suicide” portals.
It’s certainly not the sort of design you might have expected just a few years ago from the Korean carmaker. No more eye candy for the kids promising a cheap ride and no real power. Were the GT to eventually wind up in production, these images suggest something moving decidedly up-market, a direction the brand has clearly been taking of late.
Not what you'd typically expect from Kia.
Developed under German Peter Schreyer, the one-time Audi styling chief and now head of design for Kia, there does seem to be a more than subtle resemblance to the wildly popular Audi A7’s more hatchback-like styling, although these images don’t seem to reveal a fifth door. The platform appears shorter, as well, and a bit more sporty, which fits with the GT name.
Earlier media reports had suggested the car was to be called Verdeus. One initial detail that appears to stand valid is that the new Kia GT Concept will feature an all-wheel-drive powertrain – another lift from Audi?
Other details will wait for Frankfurt where the latest images are likely to ensure a solid media turn-out for what is being rumored as the new flagship model for Kia.