Category: Industry News

A diesel Optima possible for 2013 Kia lineup?!

Is Kia considering a diesel for the U.S.?
http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/15/is-kia-considering-a-diesel-for-the-u-s/
By  Steven J. Ewing
 

If we had a dollar for every time we read a headline that said, “[insert automaker here] considering a diesel for U.S. market,” we’d have a pretty sizable stack of Washingtons. So why, then, is this story of particular interest?

After the website Efficient Automobile wrote about the possibility of Kia offering a diesel-powered Optima here in the United States, the automaker took things a step further, addressing this on its Facebook page. Kia’s North American public relations team asks its loyal followers, “Would you drive a diesel?” And from what we can tell after a quick scan of the comments, the yeses certainly seem to outweigh the nos.

In Europe, the Optima is available with a 1.7-liter turbo-diesel four, good for 134 horsepower and 239 pound-feet of torque. The decidedly vague story from Efficient Automobile also states that the diesel Optima shares many of the visual upgrades that we have on the U.S.-spec Optima Hybrid, including a lowered ride height and special wheels.

It’s worth mentioning that Kia’s North American PR Facebook account is largely geared towards the U.S. media, and we have yet to meet a single member of the automotive press who wouldn’t drive a diesel. But since Kia PR does not restrict its Facebook page, perhaps this is a small way for the automaker to gauge customer interest about the possibility of offering a diesel-powered car here in the United States. And to answer the question at hand, yes, Kia, we would.

GM’s Australian Holden Commodore, Once the Pontiac G8, to Re-Appear as Chevrolet SS Sedan

The Long, Winding Road To Chevrolet’s SS SedanAfter years of drama, the curtain all but comes off the next U.S.-bound Holden.
www.GMInsideNews.com By: Nick Saporito

After being sold in North America as the Pontiac G8, the Australian derived Holden Commodore became the recipient of much fanfare for its rear-wheel drive chassis and V-8 power. Unfortunately the death of the Pontiac brand also led to the death of the Commodore in the U.S., but the rumors and speculation surrounding its return never died with it. Finally the speculation can subside and Commodore fans can rejoice at the return of an Australian automotive staple.

Back in October 2009 GMI was first told that GM executives were looking into ways of bringing back the Commodore to the U.S. Specifically, we were hearing from sources that Bob Lutz and other “car guy” executives at GM were wanting design mockups of a Cadillac flagship sedan built off of Holden’s rear-wheel drive platform, as well as a mainstream Chevrolet sedan.

Almost two years later the information was validated within the halls of GM’s Hollywood design studio. During a media event in November 2011 GM showcased dozens of real Cadillac mockups, many of which explicitly stated they were designed to ride on the Zeta platform. Unfortunately none of the stunning models were ever approved for production.

Nearly a year after the first report, GMI was told more detailed information regarding the rumored Commodore-based Chevrolet sedan. In fact, it was in this report that GMI first called the car it’s real name – two years before anyone else and over three years before the official announcement (which should take place next year). At the time sources were indicating that the car would arrive in 2012, which today we know is a bit early. As for the “Premium Zeta” mentioned in the report? It became what we know today as Omega, which is still in development.

By March 2011 GMI sources recommended we report on the “SS Sedan” with a new level of certainty, because “the car is going to happen.” With that level of assurance, we published that the car was operating as an approved program and that it would arrive in 2013 as a 2014 model, which still holds true today.

Fast forward to March 2012 and GM finally makes a public announcement that provides strong hints toward the SS Sedan. The announcement stated that the Impala would be dropped as the brand’s entry into NASCAR and replaced by an all-new sedan, which would be formally announced in 2013.

As if the NASCAR announcement was not enough confirmation of the SS Sedan, GM’s OnStar division flubbed and listed all compatible 2014 model-year products. On the list was the “Chevrolet SS Performance Sedan.”

Read More: http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f70/long-winding-road-chevrolets-ss-sedan-110527/

Kia K9 Launch in Korea, Export Model Will Have New Name

Jeff Sabatini

Posted May 2nd 2012 12:57PM

http://www.autoblog.com

We so wanted to lead this post with a Jim Belushi joke. Alas, the Kia press release announcing the launch of its rear-drive flagship in Korea today specifically clarifies that the K9 will be renamed for other markets.

While Kia says the large sedan rides on “its own platform,” we know enough about the auto industry to posit that much of that platform is shared with the underpinnings of corporate cousin Hyundai’s Genesis Sedan and Equus. Like the Hyundai pair, Kia is clearly hoping the not-called-K9-here will help the brand move upmarket, positioning the car as a premium product designed, in the words of Kia’s head of design Peter Schreyer, “to compete head-to-head with the European luxury brands.”

The Kia sedan will split the difference between the Genesis and the Equus, matching the 120-inch wheelbase of the latter, but with an overall length of 200 inches that’s three inches shorter than Equus and almost four inches longer than the Genesis. The Kia sedan will have the same 0.27 coefficient of drag as both the Hyundai models.

Kia says its luxury sedan will be powered by two distinct versions of the corporate 3.8-liter Lambda V6, one making 286 horsepower and the direct-injection version rated at 329. The more powerful engine is said to be “joining the global engine line-up next year,” which we’d expect would coincide with the flagship sedan’s U.S. launch. Both engines will be mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Kia says the car will be available with a number of safety features including a lane-departure warning system and blind sport detection. A reclining rear seat with leg rest will also be available, just like in the Equus.

Today’s announcement raises an interesting possibility. While we wouldn’t expect Kia to send its flagship stateside with the less-powerful V6 – indeed, a V8 engine option is surely bound to accompany an official statement of the car’s U.S. sales plan – doing so would certainly allow Kia to bring the car to market at a more attractive entry-level price. Kia has a scant resume when it comes launching anything other than budget models here in the U.S., and the brand certainly has considerable work to do if it aims to catch up to Hyundai in pricier segments.

It will certainly be interesting to see where Kia tries to position its unnamed sedan – and whether its (*ahem*) dogged pursuit of the luxury dollar will succeed.

 

Read More: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/02/kia-k9-launches-in-korea-export-model-to-get-new-name/