[ToyobaruBot]

12-11-2009 03:57 PM

Filed under: Coupe, Budget, Performance, Kia

Kia Kee Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

In an interview with the blokes from Autocar, Kia head designer Peter Schreyer had plenty of interesting things to say about the possibility of a new rear-wheel drive sportscar from the Korean automaker based on the KEE concept from the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show.

If it ever sees the light of day, Schreyer sees the coupe as a possible competitor for the Mazda MX-5 Miata and the upcoming inexpensive sportscar from Toyota and Subaru. Not to mention a possible Nissan 240SX revival. Just don't expect to see such a machine any time soon:

[I]Assuming Kia's European fortunes continue to improve at the rate they are now, we could be ready in, say, five years for a car like Kee... t would be important for the Kee to be rear-wheel drive. And there is, of course, already a rear-driven platform within the Hyundai-Kia group that we could look to use, if our timing was good... Personally, I have to say that I'm very excited by the idea, and very enthusiastic to make it happen.

So, not only may the Genesis platform be expanded to include a top-level Kia sedan, it may spawn a small sporty machine as well. According to Schreyer, the production Kee wouldn't need a ton of power; rather Kia would focus on making the car "compact, affordable and fun." Sounds good to us - really, can we ever have too much of those three adjectives in the automotive world?


Gallery: Kia Kee Coupe Concept



[Source: Autocar]REPORT: Kia considering production Kee to compete with Toyobaru coupe originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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[Exitspeed]

Yeah this is nuts. Makes sense though because they can just use the Genesis coupe platform.

Hopefully the RWD compact market will have a nice future.

[ra23celica]

Kia will produce this at a price that will undercut the FT-86. It has the platform, as you said, and an engine ready to go into the thing. But the styling...as said elsewhere "It burns...my eyes"!!!!

[Exitspeed]

Originally Posted by ra23celica

Kia will produce this at a price that will undercut the FT-86. It has the platform, as you said, and an engine ready to go into the thing. But the styling...as said elsewhere "It burns...my eyes"!!!!

Yeah that concept is pretty extreme. But if you look at Kia's recent designs they have actually been *gulp* pretty good. I mean they are actually making cars that don't look SO derivative it's laughable. I wouldn't put it past them to make an attractive RWD coupe.

[Cwrigh25]

A performance Kia. Doesnt compute.

[Exitspeed]

Originally Posted by Cwrigh25

A performance Kia. Doesnt compute.

10 Years ago a Performance Hyundai didn't compute.

20 years ago a a luxury Toyota that could actually compete with the Germans didn't compute.

40 years ago a Japanese car that didn't rust away in a few years didn't compute.

50 years ago GM, Ford, and Chrysler not really being the big 3 didn't compute.

Times change my friend.

[Cwrigh25]

Originally Posted by Exitspeed

10 Years ago a Performance Hyundai didn't compute.

20 years ago a a luxury Toyota that could actually compete with the Germans didn't compute.

40 years ago a Japanese car that didn't rust away in a few years didn't compute.

50 years ago GM, Ford, and Chrysler not really being the big 3 didn't compute.

Times change my friend.

This car being a Kia is an automatic point reduction. My mind is having trouble wrapping around hyundai being a car company that matters. Call me the grumpy old man then. You kids get off my damn lawn!