Kia has launched a new concept car aimed squarely at the Chinese market. Appropriately, the K4 saloon was debuted at the Beijing Motor Show.
However, with the larger Optima recently facelifted ready for release on customers here later this year, the K4's very European looks could mean the car would eventually make it to our shores.
The K4 is a big old thing, though, at 4,720mm long, so whether there is enough demand for two large Kia saloons is questionable. It is powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine driving the front wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Its styling complements the Kia family theme, with a low nose and high boot giving it a wedge-shaped profile with plenty of purpose.
The interior is said to be spacious - key in the Chinese market, where rear passenger room is more important than how the car drives - thanks to a 2,700mm wheelbase and some 'skilful' packaging. There's also up-to-date tech, like the Supervision instrument cluster, and plenty of safety gizmos including six airbags, ESP stability control and a body structure designed to elicit a five-star C-NCAP test rating.
Anything else?
Kia says it has a proud history of putting concept cars on sale largely unchanged, so the K4 should be on Chinese roads in the latter half of this year, targeted at family buyers in their 30s and 40s.