Kia GT on sale by 2016

Production version of Kia GT concept on sale by 2016 with petrol and diesel power, plus GT4 Stinger sports car to follow

A four-door performance coupe based on the Kia GT concept (pictured) will arrive in UK showrooms by late 2016 with a choice of high-performance petrol and diesel engines, a source has confirmed. And that’s just the beginning of Kia’s ambitious plans – a production version of the stunning GT4 Stinger concept has been earmarked for a 2017 debut, too.
Speaking about both concepts Spencer Cho, Kia’s head of overseas marketing said: “We have very high intentions to put these models into production – we’re working on it.”
But an inside source revealed the GT is already a done deal, and while sales won’t begin until late 2016 the final design is already signed off by Hyundai-Kia’s design boss, Peter Schreyer, and could be shown in public much sooner than that.
As Kia’s first dedicated performance model, the GT is a smart choice from the Korean manufacturer. Although the design will be striking, and maintain the essence of the 2012 concept, its four-door coupe body style should appeal to all Kia’s most crucial markets – including Europe and the US.
Tipped to be based on the rear-wheel drive Hyundai Genesis platform, the GT will feature a choice of powerful four and six-cylinder diesel and petrol engines – including a new 2.0-litre turbocharged unit, while the flagship model will get a V8 under the bonnet, tapping into America’s muscle car culture and offering a more affordable alternative to models like the Mercedes CLS63 AMG.
The future for the rear-wheel drive, two-seater GT4 Stinger concept is less certain, but there’s no lack of desire within the company to make it happen. If it gets the green light, something Peter Schreyer has a made his personal mission, then the GT4 could make production 12 to 24 months after the GT with a choice of four and six-cylinder petrol engines, our source revealed.
Kia has a ready-made small rear-wheel drive platform in the Hyundai Genesis Coupe – a car not currently sold in the UK – and working together on the next-generation Genesis Coupe is seen as the most feasible route for the GT4 Stinger. As a result the production car could have a 2+2 layout, improving practicality and pitching it directly against the Toyota GT86 and Subaru BRZ.
A convertible version is very much part of the plan, too, as demonstrated by this design sketch released by Kia.  Although it shows a two-seater sports car in the mould of the MX-5 – a car that’s difficult to justify financially – it shows that a convertible version of whatever the GT4 Stinger becomes, is likely.