Kia plans to debut this 2+2 sports car concept when the Detroit Auto Show opens next month.
Just when we thought things were winding down for the holiday break, Kia used the brief lull to surprise us with this overhead teaser image of what it describes as a “stunning 2+2 sports car” set to debut at the 2014 North American International Auto Show less than a month from now.
Though it’s difficult to make out much detail, what we do know is that the project was penned by the design team at the Kia styling studio in Irvine, California.
That said, it bears the unmistakable fingerprint of the Korean carmaker’s global design chief, Peter Schreyer, who has transformed the brand’s products from stodgy to striking in less than half a decade.
Says Kia’s release, the concept “is intended to turn heads while delivering superb driving enjoyment on both road and track.”
That hint – plus the prominent rear wheel bulge strongly suggests we’re looking at a rear-wheel-drive model. Could it use an existing platform, perhaps borrowed from sibling brand Hyundai’s next-generation Genesis Coupe, well, that remains to be seen.
(Click Here to check out the first offering in Kia’s new Red Zone.)
There are clear hints of the Kia GT Concept, a svelte four-door coupe, we first saw at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. Dare we say it, the apparent rear hatch is almost Porsche Panamera-like. But the overall look of the new Kia concept also brings to mind the Provo Concept the maker revealed at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show.
The Kia GT concept debuted in Frankfurt in 2011.
It’s too early to be sure where in the Kia line-up – or price spectrum – the 2+2 might slot in but if it were to move towards the higher end few would be surprised. Kia has been envious of the success of Hyundai in that brand’s bid to market to luxury buyers – a second-generation Genesis Sedan set to debut in 2014. Kia is following suit with its own K900 model, which is expected to be priced in the $70,000 range.
(Kia shows its Soul with five striking SEMA concepts. Click Here for a closer look.)
But good looks are going to be only part of the challenge for the smaller of the Korean makers if it is serious about delivering a true sports car for “both road and track.” That would mean making some significant strides in both the powertrain department and, perhaps more importantly, in terms of steering and handling, those generally considered the biggest weakness for both Korean brands.
We’ll try to learn more before the Detroit show, and Kia promises to have more teaser images before the 2014 NAIAS rolls into the Motor City.
(First look: Kia K900. Click Here for more.)