Kia Preparing Mercedes CLS Competitor
Kia is planning to launch a four-door coupe based on the GT concept (seen above) from last year’s Frankfurt Auto Show with crosshairs set on the Mercedes CLS.
“We’ll have to wait until at least 2016 before the four-door coupe arrives, but when it does it will mark Kia out as a genuine cut-price rival to the German premium brands, and be the crowning glory of Schreyer’s revamped line-up,” an anonymous source told AutoExpress.
When it arrives on the market, it will be the boldest model to come from the Korean brand yet. With rear-wheel drive and sizing slotting between a BMW 5 and 7 Series, the car would seem to stand a chance at cannibalizing sales of the Hyundai Genesis and Equus sedans.
Some might argue that the cars fall under different categories, with the Hyundai cars pointed to compete with the sedan market and the Kia slotting in as a four-door coupe, which something Hyundai’s options haven’t touched. Then again, the idea of a four-door coupe is borne of subdivided automotive categories that many layman might mistake. If that is really the case, it could prove to be a moot point.
Engine options will be another key difference between the Hyundai and Kia,with Kia reportedly focus on smaller engines. It’s a trend Hyundai is also following by cutting it’s middle-of-the-road 4.4-liter V8 from the Genesis in 2013, though the 5.0-liter Tau V8 will remain in the R-Spec range topper.
In Kia’s case, more fuel efficient four-cylinder options are likely, as is a turbo diesel option – both of which would appeal more to Kia’s target market.
GALLERY: Kia GT Concept
[Source: AutoExpress]
Luke is an energetic automotive journalist who spends his time covering industry news and crawling the internet for the latest breaking story. When he isn't in the office, Luke can be found obsessively browsing used car listings, drinking scotch at his favorite bar and dreaming of what to drive next, though the list grows a lot faster than his bank account. He's always on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> looking for a good car conversation. Find Luke on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> and <A title="Luke on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/112531385961538774338?rel=author">Google+</A>.
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