2018 Kia GT: A Car that’s Worth Waiting For

It’s not an exaggeration to say that the 2018 Kia GT is one of the most anticipated products from the South Korean company. We here at Wagner KIA of Shrewsbury, are looking forward to seeing the car in action since its debut as a concept at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show. And, its not hard to understand our excitement.

The GT is a spectacular four-door sports sedan. It is the South Korean automaker’s first attempt at creating a product for a different customer segment. Known for its reliable family cars, such as Optima and Soul hatchback, Kia is making a dangerous bet by creating a sporty model and trying to reach buyers with expensive ZIP codes.

Will they succeed? Are people going to take Kia’s attempts at creating a sports car seriously? Only time will tell. In the meantime, we’ve decided to take a look at what Kia is promising to bring with their first GT.

What We Know So Far

A camouflaged 2018 Kia GT was seen rolling on the streets of Orange County, California, at the beginning of May. After more than five years since its announcement at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show, people were finally starting to see that Kia’s plans to create a sports sedan were still in existence.

After analyzing the spy photos carefully, we here at Wagner KIA of Shrewsbury noticed that the Korean automaker made some changes to the original design. For instance, the concept of rearward-opening doors has been replaced by standard doors. While the dashing rear backlights remain, a set of small LED headlamps has taken the place of the exaggerated system from the concept.

In spite of all of these minor changes, the design of the 2018 Kia GT will resemble closely the blueprint suggested by the original concept.

Most signs indicate that the GT will be produced in four and six-cylinder models. However, its hard to tell if the vehicle will get anywhere close to the 315 HP promised by the concept car. Kia officials say that there will be a European-focused diesel model and that they even drove the car around the Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit.

Albert Biermann, the Hyundai-Kia head of performance development hints that there will be a conventional turbodiesel under the hood, most probably the 197-hp 2.2-liter four. Unfortunately, the diesel might not make it to the U.S. market given the impact of the Volkswagen emissions scandal.

On the other hand, Kia officials confirmed the production of a high-performance model which might use a 3.3-liter turbocharged V-6. The V-6 can produce close to 380 HP, but it can be modified to reach even 427 HP. We here at Wagner KIA of Shrewsbury have reasons to believe that Kia is planning to do so. The company even admitted that it’s plan is to create a sporty model with the level of performance close to a real sports car. So, you can expect a six-cylinder engine, but not a V-8 one.

Why the 2018 Kia GT Is Important

Kia has been trying to position itself as a sporty Korean company for quite some time now. But, it was hard for the automaker to break into a new market when all of the cars in it’s lineups are family and economy vehicles (not that it is a bad thing. In fact, we are proud to say that Kia Optima and Soul have been named the best family cars of 2016.)

The GT is Kia’s first real attempt at stepping out of it’s comfort zone and creating cars that appeal to a different segment.

Like any other luxury sports sedan, the GT will also come with expensive options, which can help the company increase it’s revenue. Kia will try to appeal to the public by offering a competitive price over the cost of other luxury brands. But, ultimately, the car’s success will depend on the driving experience.

Estimated Arrival and Price

Kia didn’t say anything about the launching date yet. Most people believe that the car will make its debut in 2017 as a 2018 model. However, there is also a slight possibility that production gets delayed, and Kia will launch the car as a 2019 model.

It’s hard to say how much it will cost. Based on Kia’s comments, the 2018 GT could start at $30,000.