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Kia GT4 Stinger concept is a 'totally selfish design'

After a trio of teasers, Kia has finally unveiled its GT4 Stinger Concept at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show. Let's get one thing out of the way right off the bat: Kia says in its press release that "there are currently no plans to bring the concept to production." Of course, that's a qualified statement: the automaker then follows that up by noting it "has a history of delivering production vehicles that bear a strong resemblance to the concept that preceded them." So cross your fingers, kids - this looks like it could be a preview of the company's first real sports car.
Through those three teasers, we've learned and seen more of the GT4 Stinger, and we largely like what we see. It's a 2+2, rear-drive coupe with a detuned version of the 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder used in the Kia Optima GTS racer from the Pirelli World Challenge. The concept's engine is said to be good for a healthy 315 horsepower, though the race-tuned Optima GTS can deliver upwards of 400. A six-speed manual handles the power, while staggered Pirelli PZero tires provide the grip. Those Pirellis wrap around a set of 20-inch wheels, complete with showcar-friendly center locks, while 15-inch Brembo brakes and four-piston calipers mean the Stinger should be able to stop with as much authority as it will go. What the teasers haven't been able to put into perspective, though, is GT4 Stinger's size.
The footprint issue is an important one, as it hints that a production GT4 would be more of an FR-S/Subaru BRZ fighter than a rival to the Genesis Coupe.

Kia's brand perception still painfully lags behind reality

I can't tell you how many times I've been driving with friends or family in a decidedly nice Korean press car, only to have a passenger notice the logo on the steering wheel and exclaim, "Wait... this is a Kia?" For every time I roll my eyes at a story with a lede about how Hyundai "is really gaining momentum these days," I get equally annoyed when people comment on how Kia is finally starting to make decent cars. This is hardly news. The brand has been pumping out really solid stuff for a while now.
But as it turns out, not everyone knows that. According to Ward's Auto, speaking to Kia marketing chief Michael Sprague, the automaker recently placed third-to-last in a recent ALG Brand Perception of Quality study, only besting Suzuki and Smart. Wow.
Ward's notes that Kia recently earned a credible sixth place in J.D. Power & Associates' Initial Quality Study, and yet still fell way behind pretty much every other brand in the ALG study. The Korean automaker's cars have also won numerous awards in recent years, and have generally earned positive reviews from the media, Autoblog included.

Kia teases next Sorento [w/video]

We recently spotted it testing, and now Kia digitally dropped all of the cladding and obfuscation from its next-generation Sorento crossover to tease its true face. For the new model, it certainly looks as if the company's designers will evolve the current CUV's shape to be a bit more curvaceous than before.
According to Kia, the new design has a lower roofline and higher beltline than the current model, and the side windows certainly look a lot narrower than they are now. These renderings also hint at the next Sorento's more rectangular, vertical front end with the Korean automaker's now recognizable "tiger-nose grille." At the back, the styling appears to be a bit more rounded with the rear glass and taillights wrapping around slightly.
We won't have to base our opinions on renderings for long. Kia says that it will unveil the new Sorento in Korea at the end of August and will debut it to Europeans at the 2014 Paris Motor Show in early October. Scroll down to watch a video showing off some more renderings of the upcoming model and read Kia's teaser release.