Kia GT "could be built"

GT Coupe is set for the green light as new sportscar prepares to debut at next year's Detroit Motor Show

Auto Express Car Reviews

By Dan Strong

07th October 2011

The dramatic four-door Kia GT Coupe is more than simple flight of fantasy, the firm’s design boss Peter Schreyer has told Auto Express.

Exclusive: Peter Schreyer shows us round new GT Coupe

“It was a dream project to work on, but more than that, I hope this car also shows our openness to new things,” he said, giving the car a cautious thumbs-up for production.

“This car is aimed at a niche that Kia could fill. It could find a lot of customers.”

Schreyer said Kia would need to find a new rear-wheel-drive platform on which to base the sporty model, but that this challenge could be solved by a new determination by the company to build sports cars.

Kia is expected to reveal a smaller coupe sportscar, aimed at the Toyota FT-86, at the Detroit Motor Show next year.

“Four years ago, no one would have believed we were doing this, but the face of Kia has completely changed,” he continued. “People take us seriously. Of course, we want popular cars to boost volume, but we can also build a halo, small volume model too. We need to ask ourselves ‘where is the K Factor’ in all new Kias.”

Despite his confidence about the future of Kia’s new design direction – you’ll see some elements of the GT’s front-end design in the new Cee’d – there is still work to be done on the firm’s naming strategy.

Schreyer had pushed for a dramatic change that would have seen an alpha numeric system put in place, swapping Picanto, Rio and C’eed, for K1, K2 and K3 respectively.

For an alternative review of the latest Kia GT visit our sister site carbuyer.co.uk

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9 Comments

Stunning! BUT....

400bhp? Really?

I can't imagine that a country currently focusing on "tightening it's belt" would be hugely interested in Kia's first performance car being quite as brutish as this. From a marketing and sales point of view, would it not be wiser to opt for a slightly less powerful engine, perhaps with better fuel economy... better yet, design a diesel variant too!

That said, I think Peter Schreyer had done wonders with the new Kia range, currently some very good looking cars on the market from Kia!

By Varro on 7 October, 2011, 2:38pm

Yes please.....

If it looks like that, I'll have a debadged one and see how may people can tell what it is.

By Cardinal_Fang on 7 October, 2011, 6:09pm

....but do something about that front - it's the worst bit of it.

By Cardinal_Fang on 7 October, 2011, 6:10pm

If they actually produce this still with 400bhp... I'll shave all my hair off and eat it!

By danielcrawford on 9 October, 2011, 11:49pm

If they actually produce this still with 400bhp... I'll shave all my hair off and eat it!

By danielcrawford on 9 October, 2011, 11:50pm

Heritage?

The reason people go out and buy cars like the Focus RS, 370Z, GT-R, is not just because of speed and they look good.

It's because they have a history of making great fast car's, winning championships, appealing to the blue collar guy.

This Kia will never take on.

By no_1fordfan on 11 October, 2011, 9:11am

pfft

Kia have come along leaps and bounds, but this is smeggin awful from every angle. No no no!

By subbyrsauz on 11 October, 2011, 12:05pm

BEWARE!

I laughed at Kia and Hyundai five years ago.
They are no longer a joke.
LG and Samsung have sent a shiver down the spine of Sony,Toshiba and Panasonic.
Ignore the Koreans at your peril!

By toycollector on 11 October, 2011, 6:36pm

Beautiful, sexy..wow. This makes the Kia Optima look like a model T. They should definitely build this one.

By thewizardofaz on 16 October, 2011, 6:29am

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