KIA 2+2 Sports Car

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by dem00n

I was good until this part...

"The pedestrian safety thing has been screwing up everyone's designs for a while. Is the Stinger designed with that requirement in mind?"

For the concept, we didn't build in those requirements, so we'd have to alter a bit. 567

Yes but you'd have to be delusional to think that there wouldn't be significant style changes from this concept to production to accommodate reality. The thing screams concept with lots of wide blank panels that exist solely to create shapes that are eye catching (see pillars, front grill area, rear bumper, window sill etc.)

The thing that got me was the philosophy, the target goals are delicious: 300 hp, <3,000 lbs, ~$30k. And they're inspired by the Toyobaru, Miata and 911, the heart is in the right place which is something we haven't seen from the Koreans yet, at least not in truth.

[bestwheelbase]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

The thing that got me was the philosophy, the target goals are delicious: 300 hp, <3,000 lbs, ~$30k. And they're inspired by the Toyobaru, Miata and 911, the heart is in the right place

This. If it drives right, and hits these specifications, it would have my interest. So far Kia has been nothing but appliances, bargain-priced, to undercut the competition. If they add to that recipe a healthy dose of driving dynamics, this might be a winner.

And it also might be the RWD hatchback that a lot of us wished the FRS had become.

I don't even need a backseat!

[Whitigir]

Never Underestimate the Koreans...

Hello SamSung....vs Sony.....

May becomes....Hello Kia...vs ...Toyota

[bestwheelbase]

Originally Posted by Whitigir

Hello SamSung....vs Sony.....

May becomes....Hello Kia...vs ...Toyota

I thought Samsung was a Japanese company. TIL it is Korean. Neat!

[dem00n]

Originally Posted by bestwheelbase

I thought Samsung was a Japanese company. TIL it is Korean. Neat!

If you want more odd Samsung facts...

After settlement, Samsung Group was separated into Samsung Group and Hyosung Group, Hankook Tire, and others

Hankook eh?

[airjonny]

Definitely not Kia's fault, but I will never get my hopes up for a concept. I blame Subaru for trolling the ever loving crap out of consumers with their beautiful WRX concept and Acuras decade long tease of the NSX.

[bestwheelbase]

Originally Posted by airjonny

Acuras decade long tease of the NSX.

The recent appearance in the CCGC episode was funny. At this point even they get the joke. It's just parked in front of a coffee shop. Like you do when teasing for years on end...

[Celica00]

styling ruins it. but the FT-86 concept was ugly styling as well and the FRS turned out beautiful. so i'm crossing my fingers.

[zigzagz94]

Good shots of the interior starting around 2:58


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZR8c2gM5gig"]Chief Designer Tom Kearns on the Kia GT4 Stinger concept - YouTube[/ame]

[RFB]

Originally Posted by zigzagz94

Good shots of the interior starting around 2:58

Yesterdays mysteries are like todays and tomorows - a consumer oriented dumbed down version of todays concept - done primarily for advertising.

But its nice to see the Koreans aping the GT-86 -

Hopefully others will also !





CEREBRUS

[airjonny]

http://www.worldcarfans.com/11405057...s-car---report

"Build our brand" without making a desirable car? That's like me saying I wanna get a 6 pack before I start exercising. THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT KIA! The Optima, Cadenza and K900 are nice but that's not enough to pull the brand whores away. Every great company has a car in their history that people lusted after. Toyota=Supra, BMW=M cars, Ford= Mustang, Chevy= Corvette. Hell even your sister company Hyundai got some credibility when they made the Genesis Coupe (will be even better once they refine the next generation). Build the damn car Kia...then race it. Win on Sunday, sell on Monday.

[Jegan_V]

Originally Posted by airjonny

http://www.worldcarfans.com/11405057...s-car---report

"Build our brand" without making a desirable car? That's like me saying I wanna get a 6 pack before I start exercising. THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT KIA! The Optima, Cadenza and K900 are nice but that's not enough to pull the brand whores away. Every great company has a car in their history that people lusted after. Toyota=Supra, BMW=M cars, Ford= Mustang, Chevy= Corvette. Hell even your sister company Hyundai got some credibility when they made the Genesis Coupe (will be even better once they refine the next generation). Build the damn car Kia...then race it. Win on Sunday, sell on Monday.

Based on that Kia exec, if that's the thinking...then frankly no sports car would ever be made especially with that mind set. Toyota improved its brand image back in the mid 60s with the 2000 GT...that was a horrible money loser but what it did was show the Japanese truly were talented enough to build a car to shock the world. The original Ford Mustang struggled so much to even be put on sale due to worries it wouldn't sell that well...no other car has beat its sales record.

As for his quote about a Chinese car company introducing a roadster...I'd be shocked that they'd be willing to take such a risk. If the car is any good, for sure it'd change my perceptions in the same way the Hyundai Tiburon did, for the longest time that was the absolute best Korean car out there in a sea of either really dull or not very good econoboxes.