Kia's K9 growing teeth

When it’s not busy churningout wild track-day concept cars based on family crossovers, Kia takes up its time by testing the K9 luxury car targeted at established German models. In order to take the fight to BMW, Mercedes and Audi, the K9 is a rear-wheel-drive flagship saloon based on the Hyundai Genesis platform. Before we see the almost-finished product at a motor show later this year, we already know that the Kia K9 should be offered with three petrol engines: a 3.8-litre V6, a 4.7-litre V8, and a 5.0-litre V8 — all standard Hyundai fare. Driving those rear wheels is a new eight-speed automatic transmission, but a new 10- speed auto might also find its way into the K9. We have seen the styling direction with the Kia GT concept, but the final road-ready version of the K9 won’t be out before 2014.