Electric cars need their Golf GTI moment - that point at which desire overtakes common sense - and Kia is aiming for precisely that with a high-performance version of its electric EV4 hatchback. Here's a preview of that, the Kia GT Wrap.
Sounds like a thing for covering your sandwiches...
Well, yes, but it's also a wrap camouflage atop the bodywork of the new EV4 GT, and it's basically Kia's way of reinventing the go-faster stripe.
In this case, it's neon green (yellow? grellow?) against a dark background, with the stripes on the bonnet looking like the pulsing VU meters on a stereo (a hint that the EV4 GT could have some sporty noise-generating kit?) while down the sides the stripe runs along the doors and then up and over the roof as if it were picking out the outline of some massive rear wing. It doesn't, but there is a chunky rear spoiler.
Meanwhile, the dark under-colour gets its own built-in pattern which mimics that of the neon highlights, which Kia says is a "universal symbol of speed and energy, it combines sharp geometry, sleek repetition and a theme of 'continuous yet fragmented' design. The effect is a reference to motion blur, evoking a sensation of momentum and high velocity.” See? Go-faster stripes.
How fast will the EV4 GT actually be?
We don't know yet, and Kia's not saying either, only that it's "reimagining 'Gran Turismo' for a new generation of drivers, Kia has built a bridge between its heritage and future innovation. The GT Wrap hints at speed, emotion, and imagination while setting the stage for the next chapter of high-performance mobility.”
What does that mean?
Nothing, or at least nothing officially. But if we fire up the specu-la-tron machine, it looks very much as if the Kia EV4 GT will have two electric motors, giving it four-wheel drive, and around 400hp, with a 0-100km/h time of around five seconds.
There's going to be a full makeover for the suspension and steering, and Kia's vehicle development boss is none other than Manfred Harrer, who previously worked on suspension and steering setups for MINI and Porsche, and who is continuing in a grand tradition of Hyundai and Kia snaffling talented German sports car engineers for its high-performance model programmes.
It's worked well with previous Hyundai N and Kia GT models, so hopefully Harrer's work will follow in those footsteps.
When can I have one?
There's no official release date yet, but Kia says the EV4 GT will be on sale in 2026.