Kia's K9 bays for Euro-lux blood
2012-05-03 09:33
GOING FOR THE EUROPEANS: Kia has made no bones about the fact it plans to take on the top luxury brands with its new K9 flagship sedan.
Kia’s new luxury flagship sedan is called the K9 and has gone on sale in its home market Korea. Will the BMW 7 Series-fighter from Korea make its way to South Africa?
The all-new, rear-wheel drive sedan stretches more than five metres and rides on a three-metre wheelbase, which means there’s ample room for people, even big people, in the front and on the rear bench.
The K9 will also debut a number of top luxury features and technologies for Kia, including fully adaptive LED-only headlights, a radar-based blind-spot detection system, an around-view monitor with four cameras and a 17-speaker Lexicon by Harman audio system.
'CLEAR SIGNAL TO EUROPE'
It will be offered with a 213kW, 3.8-litre, V6 but a 246kW version will join the global engine line-up in 2013. The K9 engines will be mated to Kia’s new eight-speed auto transmission.
Kia’s chief design officer, Peter Schreyer, said: “K9 is all about elegant simplicity, balanced proportions and simple surfaces. It (K9) is a clear signal of our intention and determination to compete head-to-head with the European luxury brands.
“And for Kia, our customers, and for me – this car is like a dream come true."
The new sedan will be launched in a number of export markets later in 2012 but Kia SA said it had “no plans yet” to launch the K9. "We are looking into it."
The K9, if it comes to South Africa, will be positioned above the Optima launched recently in here.
