Kia will unveil the Sportspace concept during this year Geneva Motor Show. According to South Korean manufacturer, the new Sportspace Concept is ”a stylish and athletic grand tourer in the classic sense”.
To appeal to European customers, the car was designed and developed at Kia’s European Design Centre in Frankfurt under the leadership of Gregory Guillaume, Chief Designer Europe. It has a very forward-positioned D-pillar and almost hatchback-like rear door arrangement.
Exterior
At the front, the concept wears an evolution of Kia’s signature ‘tiger-nose’ grille. A satin aluminium strip runs across the front of the bonnet above the ‘ice cube’ LED headlights. Further satin aluminium strips set into the chin-spoiler hide inset turn signals that become apparent when switched on.
The wide rear tail lamps and a full-width carbon-fibre diffuser enhance the back end design. The tail lamps incorporate the turn indicators, which pulse outwards when in operation. A roof-level spoiler and the diffuser maximise airflow efficiency around the rear of the car. Twin tailpipes within the diffuser echo the polygon shape of the tail lamps. A vertically oriented fog lamp is integrated centrally in the diffuser. The package is rounded by 20-inch ten-spoke alloy wheels with carbon fibre.
Interior
Inside we discover a four-seat interior illuminated by panoramic glazing running the entire length of the roof. Anodised aluminium in ‘Endurance Graphite’ is used elsewhere: on the flat-bottomed steering wheel, paddle shifters, sport pedals, barrel-shaped auto transmission shift and tunnel-mounted switches. These elements represent a strong technical contrast with the black leather and distinctive silver brushed aluminium-look fabric covering the instrument panel and the centre console.
Drivetrain
Sportspace powered by a high-performance, turbocharged powertrain, a 2.0-litre T-GDI that generates 250 hp, driving the front wheels.
