Back in July, we reported on a story about two rear-wheel drive concept cars coming from Kia. The first would debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show and the second at the North American International Auto Show. It appears that story, via What Car? is correct. New images of a rear-wheel drive Kia sedan have leaked on the internet, courtesy of Car & Driver. Thanks to the image leaks, we know the car’s name too: GT.
Hyundai and Kia are under one roof, and while both have made extremely impressive gains in sales and in product development, Kia hasn’t followed Hyundai down the RWD path. Not yet, that is. The Genesis, Genesis Coupe and Equus sedan are as-of-yet the only cars in Hyundai’s platform to be RWD. The first concept set to debut is a four-door sedan – Kia aims to gauge public reaction for a production model (referred to as “K7” or “K9” in the media) to follow.
Hyundai’s styling is dubbed fluidic sculpture. Kia’s new models tack an entirely opposite tack than Hyundai, with edgy lines and highly modern surfaces the order of the day. The Optima demonstrates this very well. The looks finds its best home yet on the GT Concept. We really like it, because the GT manages to look unique, without elements copied wholesale from other cars.
The greenhouse is distinct, and there’s a lack of a B-pillar thanks to suicide doors. Overall, there is something just right about the proportions. If there was an area we’re not as keen on it would have to be the front end; it is quite busy.
The question is how much of the GT Concept is able to translate to production. The interior definitely isn’t at this stage. The GT Concept is a reaction concept, showing Kia testing the waters of a high-end sedan and a further evolution of its design language. “I believe the car is a strong statement from Kia: We are ready to fast forward to an all-new chapter,” says the Kia’s head of design Peter Schreyer. Kia aims to tackle the performance side, and this car is suitably more aggressive-looking than its Hyundai counterparts. Reports say it will slot in between the Genesis and Equus when it arrives. Couldn’t they have thought of a more inspired name for a concept though?
