The K900 is the $70,000 Kia the one percent didn’t know it wanted

By Nick Jaynes October 31, 2013

kia confirms 70000 k900 flagship sedan reason — Someone over in Seoul must be munching on the crazy kimchi because a $70,000 Kia is mental.

When Kia and Hyundai hit the American market, both Korean carmakers aimed for the bottom, selling some of the dreariest cars imaginable. Over the last several decades, however, both have moved markedly up market, selling some great looking, nicely performing coupes, hatches, sedans, and crossover.

Although they’d made respected named for themselves with 100,000-mile warranties and exceptional build quality, both brands struggled to pinpoint an identity.

It seemed Kia would become a youthful, accessible brand with peppy and cute cars, while Hyundai would skew a bit more upscale and aim for Cadillac, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz.

Then, suddenly, the sister brands decided they both wanted to be the sporty Korean car company. In fact, Hyundai recently announced it was forming a performance-oriented sub-brand. This is all well and good. In my opinion, though, sporty isn’t a good fit for either automaker.

Now, though, Kia seems to be making an up-scale move of its own with the K900 rear-wheel drive flagship sedan that will be priced between $50,000 and $70,000 and offer either a V6 or V8 powertrain.

Now I am really confused. Kia had me with the classic, sporty, and decidedly Germanic lines of its Optima sedan that – in Turbo form – was a must-buy for $28,000.

But a $70,000 Kia? Someone over in Seoul must be munching on the crazy kimchi because I can’t believe anyone is going to be interested in spending that kind of money on a sedan – no matter how good looking – if it has the same grille as a $16,000 Kia Forte.

Kia will official unveil the terribly named K900 next month at the Los Angeles Auto Show. I’ll be on the show floor and will be sure to bring you my final impressions once I see the thing in the flesh. Perhaps Kia can get clever enough to impress me. We’ll have to see.

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Nick Jaynes is the Automotive Editor for Digital Trends. He developed a passion for writing about cars working his way…

Cars

The amazing Kia GT4 Stinger revealed in Detroit gives the Scion FR-S a run for its money

Kia GT4 Stinger front angle

Watch out Scion FR-S, there is a new kid on the block ... and he looks mean. Kia just unveiled its new GT4 Stinger concept, and - wow - this is not your dad's Kia.
As it happens, Kia has been on a bit of a roll with exciting cars. The Optima Turbo, and the brand-new K900 all suggest that Kia brass want to take the company in a more exciting, more aggressive direction. To be honest, I haven't been completely convinced. That is, until now.
The GT4 Stinger is a true sports car front engine, rear drive and near perfect 50/50 weight distribution. Under that menacing hood, it packs a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline direct injected four-cylinder that is good for 315 horsepower. This, in a car that weighs just 2,874 pounds. It should also stop pretty briskly because it's fitted with 15-inch Brembo Gran Turismo brakes. My face hurts at the prospect of stopping this thing.
Still, my favorite part of this car - hands down - is the looks. The combination of the Kia's signature grille and those vertical LED lights make the front end look downright sinister. Add in the flaring rear wheel arches and the classic 2+2 sports car silhouette, and you get one damn fine looking sports car.
There are some very cool touches, too. You get things like a carbon fiber front splitter and A-pillars that are transparent with layered slots cut in to reduce weight and add to visibility. The result is that the drive gets an unbeatable 270-degree field of vision. That should be handy when you are trying to find the apex of a corner.
Some people are going to say that this car is bad just because of the badge, and that is just wrong. Sure, Kia is not the most storied name in automotive circles, but cars like this are how companies make their names.
The only big worry is that Kia won't make this car. It is, after all, still just a concept. But as the popularity of the Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ has shown, there is room in the market for simple affordable sports cars. And, on paper at least, the Stinger has the FR-S beat.
The chief designer of the GT4 Stinger, Tom Kearns says, “It’s a totally selfish design. The design team at KCDA (Kia Design Center America) is full of gearheads and enthusiasts, and the GT4 Stinger is the perfect car for that kind of crowd.” Tom, if this car is selfish, then give me more where that came from.
Looking for more Detroit news? Check out the rest of our coverage from the 2014 North American International Auto Show.

Cars

This isn’t Michael Scott’s Sebring: Chrysler’s all-new 200 wows with sophisticated styling

2015 chrysler 200 debuts 2014 detroit auto show

Over the past few years, Chrysler has had to rebuild more than its finances.
The Pentastar brigade is trying to distance itself even further from the rental-spec Sebring with the redesigned 2015 Chrysler 200, which debuted at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show.
As previously shown in leaked photos, the new 200 wears restyled sheet metal that goes well beyond that of the face-lifted model Eminem hawked.
The new look is shockingly minimal for Chrysler, without a retro cue in sight and barely a hint of chrome. It's particularly weird to see Chrysler's winged emblem in that small mesh grille, and not some showier prow like the 300's.
Chrysler says the 200's design was inspired by iconic American products like the iPhone and Airstream, but many journalists are already comparing this child of Auburn Hills to the Audi A7.
This should impress people who want their car to look good without looking like something out of a cartoon, but it may blend in with traffic a bit too well. It's much better looking than the car it replaces, but there aren't any standout features that make the 200 more memorable than any other midsize sedan.
Whether you like the looks or not, the new body is very aerodynamic. With a drag coefficient of just 0.27, it's almost as slippery as a Tesla Model S (0.24).
Underneath the svelte sheet metal base models get a 2.4-liter "Tigershark" four-cylinder engine like the one found in the Dodge Dart (which it shares a platform with), making the same 184 horsepower and 173 pound-feet of torque.
Those who think their Chrysler should be more powerful than a Dart can upgrade to a 3.6-liter "Pentastar" V6, with 295 hp and 262 lb-ft.
Both engines are connected to the nine-speed automatic transmission first deployed in the 2014 Jeep Cherokee. Power is sent to the front wheels, or through an optional all-wheel drive system that can either transfer 60 percent of that power to the rear wheels for better handling, or disconnect them completely for better fuel economy.
The interior of the 2015 Chrysler 200 has received just as much attention as the exterior. It's clean and modern, with an infotainment screen placed front and center. The console below arches up to bring the controls closer to the driver's hand.
The nine-speed gearbox is engaged with a rotary shifter, which isn't very sporty, but it keeps with the cabin's clean styling and recalls the dashboard-mounted push-button shifters from Chryslers of old.
Chrysler will offer three trim packages representing American cities: black for New York, black and beige for Sausalito, California, and Ambassador Blue and black for Detroit.
The 2015 Chrysler 200 goes on sale later this year with a base price of $21,700. The top-of-the-line 200C starts at $25,995.
Every new midsize sedan from Detroit seems to arrive with cheers of "America is back," and the 200 deserves them as much as any. Hopefully customers will be just as enthusiastic when it arrives in showrooms.

Cars

Think Kia doesn’t makes sports cars, huh? The GT4 Stinger concept should change your mind

kia gt4 stinger concept change mind

A pure, raw sports car with rear wheel drive ... from Kia. It does sound a bit strange but, apparently that's what is coming next from the Korean automaker - and it is called the GT4 Stinger.
Right now the car is just a concept, bound for the 2014 Detroit Auto Show. Kia has teased an image and a few detail, but mostly the car remains a mystery. What we do know is that it will have a turbocharged four cylinder, 315 horsepower, rear-wheel drive, and that it looks a hell of a lot like the Audi R8.
The concept renderin, released by Kia, shows a very low-slung car with more LEDs than a truckload of Audis. And while a production car is sadly likely to be toned down, this is the sort of car that may actually see a dealer lot.
Kia has shown a willingness to buck the expectation of buyers by releasing luxury vehicles like the K900. What's more; because Kia is linked to Hyundai, it already has a RWD platform from the Genesis Coupe at its disposal.
Personally, though, I hope that if the GT4 Stinger does get made, it's an entirely new car. The Genesis Coupe is a very fun sports car, but the platform is five years old and it was never a world-beater. But even if we get some old underpinnings, this is one exciting Kia.
Just remember, even if the Kia badge doesn't seem fitting on a sports car, before Lamborghini made cars, it made tractors.