Kia plans to move forward as a designer brand

Kia, which has launched nine new products in the last three years, plans to move forward with design-led transformations, unveiling the Kia GT four-door sports sedan concept for the first time in the United States at the Los Angeles Auto Show. "This is Kia's first rear-wheel-drive concept," said Chief Design Officer Peter Schreyer at Wednesday's press conference. "Beneath the hood is a 3.3-litre turbo-charged engine, 395 horsepower, eight-speed automatic transmission. Put it all together, what you get is a four-door sports sedan that's sleek and masculine and breathtaking." "For us, we've been known as a fuel-efficient, quality and value brand," said Michael Sprague, marketing vice-president. "Now we're moving forward as a design brand." Designed by Kia's European design team and introduced this year at the Frankfurt Auto Show, the GT has a long wheelbase of 112.6 inches, with front and rear-hinged back doors that open slightly upward. "The rear-wheel drive allows us to play with different proportions," said Gregory Guillaume, chief designer at Kia's European Design Centre. "The cabin is now further back, and it has a more dynamic silhouette."