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Kia v8 coupe (and hints of a Miata/MX-5 rival if there is enough interest)

Not exactly know for their sporty cars Kia is expected to reveal their RWD v8 coupe concept in September.

http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/kia-...sporty/258080/

Quote:

Originally Posted by What Car?

Kia plans to get sporty
06 July 2011
Coupe concept car at Frankfurt motor show
Rear-wheel-drive and V8 power
Sporty sub-brand under consideration

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Kia will signal its intent to make sportier cars by showing a V8-powered rear-wheel-drive coupe concept model at September’s Frankfurt motor show.

Speaking to What Car? in Seoul, Kia’s boss Hank Lee admitted that the company needed a so-called halo model to improve its brand image and that the coupe was the first of a series of show cars to test the water.

The concept car will be based on Kia's new US market luxury saloon, due to be launched in 2012. Another concept car using the same underpinnings will be shown at the Detroit motor show in January. It’s likely that a production version of the winning idea will appear in 2015.

A new rear-wheel-drive coupe could be just the start. Kia also needs an MX-5 rival, a highly placed company source has revealed to What Car?.

In the past, Kia's design boss Peter Schreyer admitted that a Kia sports car wouldn't need to be fast, but compact, affordable and fun. Our source also indicated that, unlike the Frankfurt concept model, the MX-5 rival need not be rear-drive, but could be a front-driver and based on the next-generation Cee'd hatch, due out next year.

Kia bosses are also thought to be in favour of boosting the company's sporty image with hot hatches based on the Kia Rio supermini and next C'eed.

In the future, an entire sub-brand – such as Renaultsport or Ford’s Team RS – is possible. Kia is also considering a far greater involvement in motorsport, to help build a sportier image for the brand.

The rumor is that it was an idea discussed back in 2009. The idea was to use the Cee'D concept, which was a 200PS v6 FWD coupe. But what they are discussing here is the upcoming Cee'd hatch and using that for a compact RWD hatch.

So I dunno, interesting, meh? Not a Kia fan but who is really. I suppose it has potential. The Cee'd coupe concept wasn't a looker by any means but who cares if it performs.

Something about tossing a V8 on a luxury sedan platform and calling it a sports car just doesn't sit right with me. Rather, it doesn't sound like a "halo" car. Good on Kia for trying to improve their image, though. I think Kia/Hyundai has taken over Japan's 90's car image lately.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Allch Chcar (Post 54227)

The Cee'd coupe concept wasn't a looker by any means but who cares if it performs.

I do. Style is subjective, but I thought the Cee'd was pretty boring. FWD and MX-5 fighter just doesn't compute. :iono:

Something about a RWD hot hatch sounds interesting.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neutral_Eyes (Post 54332)

Something about tossing a V8 on a luxury sedan platform and calling it a sports car just doesn't sit right with me.

CTS-V

twenty years and nobody can touch the miata in that segment. i dont know why but they either go extinct (s2000) or go upscale (boxter). not sure if kia can go upscale.

Quote:

Originally Posted by n2oinferno (Post 54347)

CTS-V

Yes, they exist, never said they didn't. I just don't like the practice. It's too... American for Korea.

i wouldnt call the ctsv a sports car anyways. bad ass? of course but not a sports car

Hamster car is still a hamster car. O_O

Quote:

Originally Posted by tranzformer (Post 54333)

Something about a RWD hot hatch sounds interesting.

Which is what I read from this. What v8 luxo'o'boat? :D

The Cee'd concept was uninspiring.

But this article from Dec 2009, via Autocar.co.uk, caught my eye.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neutral_Eyes (Post 54355)

Yes, they exist, never said they didn't. I just don't like the practice. It's too... American for Korea.

I wasn't trying to say they don't exist. Guess I didn't come off how I meant to. Just saying that more cylinders on a shared platform isn't always bad. And in Caddy's case, can be greatly successful. There are a lot of people that think V8 = American = only goes straight fast, but there are plenty of cars with 8 or more cylinders that are great vehicles.
Hyundai took a luxury sedan platform, put in a V6, and called it a sports car. I'm willing to bet they'd have shoehorned the V8 in there if it fit in the bay too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatoni (Post 54357)

i wouldnt call the ctsv a sports car anyways. bad ass? of course but not a sports car

Why not? If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck...

Quote:

Originally Posted by n2oinferno (Post 54559)

i feel like that conversation always starts a fight because every one has different standards on the topic but for me the one thing i cant get over is the 4000+ lb weight. so it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck but its 2000lbs heavier than a duck.

Then it's a swan. :D

Fair enough though. I know a lot of people have their own definition of a sports car. To me, it's anything that performs on an excellent level for its class.

I think the GTR falls close to 4k too. But then again, that's a duckzilla. :D

Sports car is always weird to define, and someone will always have a problem with someone else's definition. The Mazda 2 performs on an excellent level for its class, but I wouldn't call it a sports car. The M3 is 4100+ pounds, but I would call it a sports car.

Shenanigans.

Yeah, I was a bit vague. I do have a baseline that has to be met for something to enter into the sports car category.