KIA to Launch GT Sports Car in 2016

Back in 2011, KIA introduced a 4-door fastback with a V6 engine, the GT concept. Today, the model has been approved for production and it is expected that the car will arrive in dealerships nearing the end of 2016. As reported by the Autocar, KIA executives revealed during the Paris Motor Show event that KIA was actually planning to release a showroom version of the aforementioned model. This goes along with KIA’s plan to become a sporting automotive brand.

The KIA GT concept seems quite promising, packing a 3.3L V6 petrol engine with turbocharger under its hood. For driving comfort and performance, KIA has equipped the model with an 8-speed automatic transmission and a rear-wheel-drive (RWD) drivetrain. For customers in the European continent, however, they will also be able to choose a 2.2L diesel engine with four inline cylinders.

When KIA first introduced the GT concept at the Paris Motor Show, the car featured back doors with rear hinges. Yet, it seems that these doors are not going to make it into production. Instead, the South Korean automaker will replace these doors with the more conventional style hinged doors. Fortunately, the production version of the model in question will retain most of its dramatic styling cues as well as its fastback silhouette. It is also believed that the KIA GT concept will offer comprehensive in-car electronic system and a highly distinctive interior design.

In addition to the GT concept, however, the South Korean automaker is also planning to release a more affordable variant of the sports car. In this case, it is very likely that the company will actually approve production for the GT4 Stinger, a concept car that it introduced at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this year. This model will prove to be more important for the South Korean automaker as it is more likely to make good sales, thanks to its cheaper price than that of the GT concept.