Embracing the concept of the 4-door coupe, Kia is preparing its own version to challenge more upscale rivals with the 2018 Kia GT, seen here undergoing testing. Presented as a concept car at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, the GT sported coach-style or suicide doors along with a turbocharged 3.3-liter V6 boasting nearly 390 horsepower.
While some features have been toned down, notably changing the doors to conventional front-hinged units front and rear and a more conventional nose incorporating Kia’s signature Tiger Nose grille, the profile of the sleek sedan remains true to the original design.
Upscale flourishes
The move to appeal to a more well-heeled customer is evident in the use of chrome fender vents and from what we can tell is a fairly plush interior. It’s reported that the 2018 Kia GT will ride on the same rear-drive platform being prepared for a similarly sized sedan from Hyundai’s new Genesis luxury brand.
While Kia has no plan to create a parallel high-end sales organization, the GT fits into a plan to raise the image of the brand to a place where it straddles the market between its corporate siblings and offer the types of vehicles that would be considered against the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4. To do so, the Kia GT will have to offer strong performance from both turbocharged 4-cylinder and V6 powerplants along with the handling expected from true European sport sedans.
