KIA may be joining the rear wheel drive club after unveiling a striking V6 concept car.
The four-door GT made its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show and gives a strong clue about Kia’s plans for the future.
Powered by a 3.3-litre petrol engine developing 395bhp the GT would be a match for the likes of the current BMW 3-Series, Mercedes C-Class and the Jaguar XF.
“This concept allows us to explore exciting new design directions, as using a rear-drive layout creates very different proportions compared to a front-wheel drive car,” says Peter Schreyer, Kia’s chief design officer.
”The classic front-engined, rear-wheel drive layout of a performance saloon has distinct appeal not just for the domestic Korean audience, but also for the European and American markets.”
Featuring rearward opening doors and high tech instrumentation the model is clearly a design exercise although its general shape could well be seen on the next wave of Kia models.
The brand is currently enjoying a surge in sales having just launched its new Rio hatchback just months after releasing the second generation Picanto supermini and a new Sportage SUV.