Rumored: Kia Planning To Show Production GT This Year

After being shown in concept form at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show and numerous reports saying a production model would be shown, we might actually get a chance to see the production version of the Kia GT.

Autocar reports that Kia will be showing off the production version of the four-door GT at October's Paris Motor Show.

A quick refresher on the GT Concept: It was a sharp looking four-door coupe with a turbocharged 3.3L V6 producing 389 horsepower and 394 pound-feet of torque. Power was routed through an eight-speed automatic to the rear-wheels. Since being shown at Frankfurt, there have been rumors flying around saying Kia would put this model into production as a U.S. only model.

The report says the model that will be shown will incorporate cues from the GT4 Stinger concept shown at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show. Production is expected to begin in 2017, most likely for a wider audience.

But wait, there's more!

The GT will herald a new range of performance oriented Kia vehicles wearing the GT vehicles. This will include a Rio GT that will take on the Fiesta ST. Autocar says the model will follow a year after the next-generation Rio is introduced. The new Rio will use a new platform that is said to cut weight and improving driving dynamics.

The Rio GT is being developed under the watchful of eye Albert Biermann, former head of BMW's M division and now the performance chief for Hyundai and Kia. Biermann's involvement in this project is seen as a way to establish some credibility into this new hot hatch. The Rio GT is expected to use a tuned version of a 1.6L four-cylinder with 180 horsepower. No word if this engine is turbocharged or not.

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