Kia has unveiled a design study for a 'near-luxury' car at the Seoul Motor Show. Known as the KND-5 and wearing the designation 'VG', it is a larger, more upmarket car than the
Magentis. The production version is expected to go on sale later this year.
The KND-5 is a big car at nearly five metres long, or about the same size as an
Audi A6. There is a hint of Ingolstadt to the Kia's styling too, which is hardly surprising given that the head of design used to work for Audi. The radiator grille is supposed to be an interpretation of a roaring tiger's mouth and will be seen on other models in the future. The roof is glazed and the lines flow smoothly from front to rear screen.
Under the bonnet there is a 3.5-litre V6 engine that develops 271bhp. A six-speed semi-automatic gearbox transmits the power to the front wheels. The production version would probably use Kia's six-speed manual and automatic transmissions.
Contrasting light and dark trim gives the interior a modern look and the instrument panel on the show car can be configured to display whatever information the driver requires. When the big Kia goes on sale the interior is likely to be toned down.
There is no indication of when (or even if) Kia will bring the production version of the KND-5 to the UK. Sales in Korea and the USA are likely to start towards the end of the year.
John Lambert - 6 Apr 2009