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Marton Pettendy18 Apr 2014
NEWS

NEW YORK MOTOR SHOW: Kia still thinking sporty

Kia's sleek rear-drive GT4 Stinger coupe not confirmed for production – yet

Kia has made no secret of its desire to offer sportier models, as evidenced by a procession of rear-wheel drive performance car concepts including the large V8-powered GT sports sedan and the more recent compact GT4 Stinger coupe.

But despite the public push for sexier models, neither of the Korean brand’s mould-breaking performance cars have yet been confirmed for production.

“People like it (the GT4) and the people in Korea like it too, but it’s still a concept car,” said the Hyundai-Kia group’s design chief Peter Schreyer at yesterday’s New York motor show, where the GT4 again took pride of place alongside the sleeker new Carnival people-mover.

Schreyer admitted that Kia had not signed off on a business case to bring the small rear-drive coupe to showrooms, but it’s believed the compact GT4 stands a far greater chance of reaching production than the larger GT.

In fact, motoring.com.au sources suggest Kia could announce a production version of the GT4 as soon as the next Detroit motor show in January, in response to strong demand from the US.

“From the American side ... they really like it a lot, so we have to see,” said Schreyer.

If approved for production, the GT4 – the concept version of which was powered by a 235kW turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine matched with a six-speed manual transmission – would be a direct rival for sub-$40,000 performance cars like Subaru’s WRX.

It’s understood the GT4 shares its compact rear-drive platform with Hyundai’s second-generation Genesis coupe, which goes on sale in Australia in 2015 as the Korean giant’s second rear-drive model after the new Genesis large sedan due here later this year.

The latter shares its platform with Kia’s large K900 luxury sedan, which is sold only in Korea and is now being launched in the US.

If it reaches production, the GT4 will be Kia Australia’s first rear-drive model and its first serious performance car, following its first turbo-petrol model, the two-door Cerato Koup, and the three-door Pro_cee’d GT -- both 150kW front-drive models.

The head-turning yellow GT4 concept attracted widespread acclaim when it appeared at North America’s largest motor show earlier this year.

Any production version would sit atop a Kia model range that has now, following the appearance of the third-generation Carnival, has now been completely renewed under the guidance of Schreyer.

But the former Audi design guru said his work at Kia – and Hyundai, designs for which he also oversees – was far from done, and would now evolve into a new phase as previewed by the MkIII Carnival.

“We have reached a very good point,” he said. “We have achieved a family look and consistent feeling through the whole product range.

“It needs continuity and reliability in terms of what does a customer expect from the next Kia. It should be a Kia, it should look like one.

“We need to keep going in that direction and make it even stronger and stay with what we have.”

Schreyer said Kia would continue to deliver adventurous designs in its efforts to inject more emotional appeal into a brand previously known mostly for being cheap and cheerful.

Asked if Kia would continue to take design risks with its models -- as evidenced by the US-designed GT4 and the compact Niro crossover, which is likely to preview Kia’s next additional model – he said: “We always do.”

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