In the beginning there was rear-wheel-drive. And lo, the proportions were classic and the handling was good. And the lord of automobiles smiled upon his work, for lo, it was good.
Well, you know how the rest of the story goes. The automobile feel from the grace of its one true faith, and was cursed to torque steer, lifeless dynamics and it covered its shame with dull, uninspired styling. But here’s the part you may not have seen coming: Kia wants to return to the garden. With a rear-drive chassis from Hyundai’s Genesis, it’s allowing its chief designer, Peter Schreyer, to once again read from the original book of automotive appeal. And with sleek details, a long hood, and classic, cab-rearward proportions, it’s GT Concept could just win over a few believers. But if you’re feeling the spirit, beware: the GT Concept is too good for this earthly automotive plain. Though it presages the coming of two new prophets, an affordable rear-drive coupe to take on Toyota’s FT-86 and a Genesis-based flagship, this particular GT will remain in the auto-show firmament.
Be nice if it happend though. But let me ask Zachman’s question… “Do all the windows go all the way down for a true hardtop experience?”
Rats! I’m late as usual, but thanks for asking the question! You beat me to it. I salute you, Sir!
Hey if they built it and it was a hardtop, I know you’d be down at the bank asking for a loan to buy one in a heartbeat. ;)
It looks like there’s plenty of room in the door to completely hold a lowered window.
The wing mirrors look like a T-Rex flapping its arms.
Big head, little arms! Yay!
As Eddie Izard would say about t-rex, “what are the tiny arms for? Playing piano?”
Nice. Those mirrors remind me of chicken bones, though.
I’ve read this article three times and studied the photos.
I’m afraid if the classic “American car” is ever going to be re-invented, Kia’s going to do it.
Mr. Lutz, are you listening?
Looks good go ahead build it
Does every concept car have to have suicide rear doors? It’s getting a little tired.
I think part of the reason for that is to make the interior photograph better.
The Genesis-based flagship is the K9 which is finishing up development.
If Kia decides to go ahead and build this, it would be their companion 4-door “coupe” a la the Mercedes CLS, BMW 6 Series or Audi A7.
As somebody who is on the verge of enabling his girlfriend to buy a Genesis coupe (it reminds her of the V6 Eclipse she used to have, but without any likelihood of four transmission replacements), this is just plain sexy.
Though it presages the coming of two new prophets, an affordable rear-drive coupe to take on Toyota’s FT-86 and a Genesis-based flagship, this particular GT will remain in the auto-show firmament.
Aw, JTFC!
It looks a lot better than that gaudy FT-86 boondoggle.
I discussed Lincoln in another thread. Maybe what Lincoln really needs to do is make a car like this out of the Mustang.
The Lincoln LS didn’t do all that well the first time.
That said, it seems to me that having a RWD sedan with available V8 at a reasonable price should be the price of admission for a U.S. domestic carmaker.
Yeah, and spend the money for an IRS . . . not to maximize cornering forces, but to provide a little more ride comfort.
@Patrickj re the LS: It’s hard to imagine a more undistinguished-looking car. Sort of like the cheap vanilla ice cream, without the little vanilla bean flecks. Say what you will about its faux-retro styling, but to my eyes the Jaguar S-type (built on the same platform with the same engine/transmission choices) was a far better looking vehicle (not that I’m suggesting Lincoln start building copies of Jaguar saloons from the 1960s). Seems like a lot more S-types were sold, too.
Well, the LS had the IRS. Not that it saved the car.
Engine in the front, gearbox in the middle, power to the rear.
– Petrolsexual’s handbook, Chapter 1, Verse 1
The front-end looks remarkably like the GT by Citroën of Gran Turismo 5 fame.
If they build it, it’ll be as much a shock to the luxury car market as the Genesis was. Who’d buy the Aston Martin Rapide if a Kia looks just as good for 1/10th of the price? Likely to be more reliable too! I think all those other makers of luxury 4-door coupes are trembling in fear right now. BMW 6 GT, Audi A5 and A7, Merc CLS, Passat CC… THe BMW wasn’t even released yet, they better hurry. Once this Kia hit the market, the party’s over.
I don’t think many people in the market for a CLS, A7, Rapide would buy this instead (just yet), but I think it would appeal to a lot of buyers who want the style at a much lower price, just like the CC does.
I just love what Kia is doing lately. Every time I see an Optima, I stop and stare.
Nice – it even has RX-8 style rear doors. :)
BTW, it’s automotive “plane”, not “plain”.
Nice looking concept. I see some very strong Aston Martin styling influence in this. Might as well steal from the automotive equivalent of a supermodel.
That is one of the ugliest things I’ve seen in a long time.
Those tacky cheap ghetto wheels.
The cheap plastic strip down the door.
The stupid looking lips for a grill.
Yes, b/c anything from Hyundai or Kia is ugly unlike your precious Honda/Acura.
Nice rear end…
Are we seeing an exagerated Hyundai under headlamp tearduct, like the Veloster ? Perhaps calling it jowl ?
Wonder if this is functional, for brake cooling …
I’d keep the suicide doors, the RX8 is done with them.
For everyone who thinks this is a good looking car, I want you to bookmark this webpage, and mark you calender to come back to it in say 1 year, or even 1 week probably.
Because, this is the most gawd awful piece of automotive debauchery of a concept car I’ve seen in a long time.
In a few days time, if you follow my instructions, you will see what I see.
That front end has got to go. The car has nice lines, but the nose ruins it.
Part of me doesn’t want to like anything from Korea. But I do like it. I just wish they’d change the name. I mean, Nissan was once Datsun, which wasn’t half as bad as Kia and Hyundai, and they still changed it. The Korean cars have gotten both better in aesthetics, and better in appearance, awfully quickly.
Lutz, if you’re reading this: what Zackman says, near the top.
“Kia” and “Hyundai” sound almost as weird to me as “Audi” and “Chrysler.”
Rarely does the finished product (if it ever goes into production) resemble the stylists renderings. The bean counters make sure of that.