On January 8, Kia is set to reinvent itself as a brand thanks to the GT. Essentially the South Korean alternative to the Audi A7 and other sedans with coupe-like styling, the GT will make use of a 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6, as previewed in this video.
Ever since Kia gave the green light for production, a turbo’d V6 was on everybody’s lips as the engine the GT is most likely to get. Part 4 of Kia’s “The Curve Ahead” teaser series reveals that the rumor mill was spot on. Notice that “Turbo GDi” is written on the engine cover.
The final teaser before the GT debuts at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show also features two black-painted hood scoops, silver gills located right behind the front wheels, a power tilt/slide moonroof, carbon fiber-like interior trim, quad exhaust tips, and LED headlights. Oh, and another thing: the pictured vehicle is equipped with an 8-speed automatic box.
I don’t mean to be nitpicking here, but from the design of the center console, it would be hard for Kia to offer the GT with a manual. For those who hope for the best, bear in mind Mercedes-Benz offers a manual in the C-Class along with a slightly different center console. On the upside, the V6-auto combo will see the GT sprint to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 5.1 seconds, on to a top speed of 151 mph (244 km/h).
Kia’s flagship is likely to offer 365 horsepower and 376 pound-feet from its six-cylinder heart, the kind of numbers that puts the T-GDi engine ahead of the Audi A7’s 3.0 TFSI. In places like Europe, Kia could also offer the GT with a turbo diesel. The 2.2 CRDi from the Sorento is a possible candidate.
Watch this space for more info on the 2018 Kia GT as the Detroit Auto Show prepares to open its doors this coming Sunday.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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