The Kia Koup concept that debuted at the 2008 New York auto show accomplishes two things for Kia. First, it gives us a good idea of how the next-generation Kia Spectra will look, which is to say, a lot sexier than the current one. Second, it also reveals the new corporate “face” for Kia.
We caught up with Kia’s worldwide design director, Peter Schreyer, a veteran of Audi’s design studios, at Kia’s cocktail party near Javits Center the night before the official unveiling of the Koup. Kia positioned the car in a special presentation room that was awash in red lights, so it was difficult to tell what color the actual car is, because it looked kinda pink. This morning at the official unveiling, it became clear that the Koup is actually bright red, and it sports a full glass roof.
At the party, the Koup was draped, but the drape was teasingly pulled back enough to show part of the front-three-quarter view, the side greenhouse, and the rear flanks and trunk. With its muscular, defined corners and sharply drawn sheetmetal, the Koup looks great and is clearly much closer to production than, say, the Kia Kee that debuted at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show last September.
“The Koup was designed at our California studio. Koup [with a K] is a play on Kia, but this is actually a preview of the next Spectra,” says Schreyer. This is a two-door, but the production car will be a four-door, although Schreyer allows that “we will see what the reaction is from the media and the public here at the show.
If it is positive, we might also consider a coupe version. But the sedan is for sure and will come within a year’s time.” Kia insiders indicate that a Spectra coupe version is quite likely, about six months after the Spectra sedan, and it should look virtually identical to the Koup concept.
“What I like about the Koup is its proportion and stance,” Schreyer continues. “The front shows for the first time our new grille [Kia calls it a 'tabbed grille'], a theme that I want to follow as a signature family face for Kia worldwide. I want Kia to have an identity, like when you see a Mercedes or BMW or Audi or Volvo coming toward you and it is immediately identifiable-that would be nice for Kia. We do not currently have that kind of awareness, which makes a brand a lot stronger.”
When asked about Kia’s relationship with Hyundai, in terms of design, Schreyer insists that Kia will go its own way: “I have a strong idea about what I want to do. I am trying to implement this [design theme] around the world, at our three design studios [Korea, Europe, USA]. We will have our own style [as compared with Hyundai] and our own form language. That is the only way that we can effectively differentiate ourselves from [corporate parent] Hyundai.”
By the looks of the Kia Koup, we’d say that Schreyer is on the right track. This is actually a sexier car than the Genesis coupe that Hyundai unveiled at the New York show. [Source: AutomobileMag ]
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March 31st, 2008 at 1:33 pm
face of kia… face of Kia… Face Of Kia… FACE OF KIA. where is it??? the pics of the production soul showed no H-grille nor did the new optima or borrego. they better have it this time (on the new cerato).
March 31st, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Well, that was an informative article. Basically this is the look of the TD-Spectra, which will come in a four-door model sometime towards the spring of 2009. P.Schreyer will guage the media and onlooker response at the Auto Shows and see if there might be a strong pull from potential buyers for a Spectra Coupe. If so(there will be!!)the Spectra Coupe will follow about 6 months along after the Spectra sedan. The “tabbed grille” looks great on the Kia Koup. Schreyer said that the Coupe will look a lot like the concept Koup, which is important to note. Wow…this will push Kia forward in the automotive design world. Very exciting news release!
Oh, and I don’t know how many of y’all saw the production version of the brand new Hyundai Genesis Coupe that was shown on the net a few days ago. I don’t like it as much as the concept version and this new Kia Koup looks much sexier than the new Genesis Coupe production version. Once again Kia has out-body-designed it’s big bro Hyundai.
March 31st, 2008 at 6:02 pm
I am truly impressed with this Koup. The design is fresh, sporty, and possesses a great deal of class. I hope that Kia puts this Koup concept into production because it would give Kia a new look among the youth oriented market. This car would take Kia to the next level as a key player in the automotive scene. Kia makes an excellent automobile, but has lacked the design that would bring the successful, youth-oriented professional to the dealerships. This Koup along with the new Soul would be a great 1-2 hit for Kia and would bring the recognition that every auto manufacturer desires.
March 31st, 2008 at 7:10 pm
I like soul the better than the koup because the production soul interior looks better than of the production koup as seen in the spy shots. anyway, welcome to KW G. Peter.
March 31st, 2008 at 10:54 pm
Don’t worry Boris
… Spectra might be the first Kia to incorporate H-shaped grlle. Reason for not seeing Schreyer designed grille on Soul and Borrego is that the design of these two cars (and perhaps even Spectra’s) had already been chosen before Peter Schreyer joined Kia. It takes about three years to develope a new car and he joined Kia last year.
As far as I know his first vehicle designed by his guidance will be the 2010 Kia Sportage. So there’s a slight chance we ‘ll have to wait even more to see the H-shaped grill on Kias.
April 16th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
What else do we know about this upcoming 2009 Spectra?
April 16th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
it looks really sporty now. its got european styling. the spyshots show some evidence of a USB port. type “spectra spy shots” in the search box above to see the spy shots.
August 26th, 2008 at 7:52 am
If Koup is the face of Kia, then “Copycat” must be the name of Kia. Another page of this site questions if Koup could be a Civic Si fighter. Well, I don’t think Koup looks like a Civic Si fighter. Instead, it looks more like a Civic Si wannabe. I agree that Kia has built some semi-decent cars befitting their MSRP’s, but let’s not get too excited to forget Kia still ranks low on reliability, quality, technology, and even the over all design. It will be a long time before I mention Kia and Honda in the same sentence. And here’s one comment for Kia/Hyundai: don’t pride-masterbate in your design room just because you are surrounded by these positive comments on this website. Smart readers know not to judge a book by its cover, and smart car shopers know there is a worthless machine underneath that fancy, Japanese-derived styling. If you want to compete with real car companies, try start building quality cars.
August 26th, 2008 at 8:13 am
You are just jealous that Kia takes Japanese shitty designs and makes them better! FUCK YOU!!
August 26th, 2008 at 11:44 pm
Is that your best shot, Greg? Profanity? One can learn about a car’s value by looking at the intelligence of its buyers and fans. Your behavior added more shame to Kia/Hyundai’s worthless appeal. You’re a poor guy who can’t handle the truth. I pitty you and your dream cars.
August 26th, 2008 at 11:59 pm
OK, I go on facts and the facts show that Kia has risen to become a very reliable vehicle and is rated very high by JD Power, Consumer Reports, Motortrend, The Car Book, Automotive Digest, and many others. As I have said before on here that this mimics the civic with the headlights and that is about it. Over all design is more car like than egg like in the civic.
August 27th, 2008 at 12:09 am
That comment from Song is the reason why Honda and the japanese took over the world market…. People like song did not see them coming when american and european brands ruled in U.S. and other places.
Not long ago toyota and honda were described as Jap trash…. see them now.
I tell Song…… relax and wait to see the new boys on the block…. and they are corean…..and they are here to stay.
August 27th, 2008 at 3:43 am
Honda’s not all that original neither. Did you notice how much the Piliot looks like a Jeep but uglier? Did you notice how the Accord looks like a Saturn Aura, Did you notice the rear of the Accord coupe looks like a Camry? Did you notice the new Mazda 6 looks like a cross between the Camry and Accord and Altima, Did you ever notice that Corolla looks like a Jetta? Did you notice how Hyundai step their game higher than Honda and added a V8 in their line up for a sedan and SUV? Did you notice how the Rondo arrive first than Toyota added their rival the Vernza? Did you notice how the Rio been out for eight years now the fit is its rival (same for Nissan)? Did you notice how the Altima hybrid is really a toyota Hybrid? Did you notice how Kia and Hyundai are arriving with more premium sedans than Honda? And to tell you the truth as for Lexus, Acura and Infiniti, all of them look alike. BMW, Audi and Mercedes started that design. Song wake up and smell the coffee Honda, Nissan and Toyota ain’t all that original neither. Song the Altima coupe looks like the Accord Coupe. Not the face but the design lines. The RDX’s rear pillars came from the Infiniti FX.
And Greg’s right, Kia takes Honda’s Toyota’s designs and makes them look better. Look between the Lexus GX and the Kia Borrego. Also, two years in a row, Kia been above adverage. Look at your research and if you don’t like Kia, why are you on the blog?
Besides, some design cues must look alike because a cetain design makes their mpg as high as possible, if cars looked more diffrent, who would buy them with an mpg that is very low. Did you ever think of that. Also, if Kia is copying, why does the Borrego have the higest mpg on the road and is bof. It’s higher on the highway than the Tahoe Hybrid. They couldn’t have done too much copying if the mpg is higher than the Lexus GX. Not once I ever seen a forum where anyone says “the Civic looks like a Lancer” or “the Lancer looks like a Lexus GS”
Also, unlike Toyota, Whick Kia RV (SUV and CUV) have a body style that looks alike. Unlike the Highlander and the Landcruiser that look alike. I never seen a Kia CUV look alike. And when I mean look alike I mean a Kia SUV or CUV with a bodystyle completly diffrent from other models. Toyota is terrible at that.
Also, in 2005 the Mesa concept looke like its own thing. But since it took Kia 3 years to produce this Subura, Toyota copied (toyota Landcurisers Headlights). The Malibu rear looks like the Dymannite. Lincoln used to have those luxurious looks now they look like Lexus, Did you notice that song? Did you notice how the new Galant looks like the Sebring? Did you notice that???? Did you notice the Chrysler 300 looks like a Rollsroyce? Your right Kia is a copycat but one thing you forgot to mention So is everyone else. However, Kia not just copying, their bettering their cars. The cee’d is better than the Mazda 3 according to tons of journalist.
August 27th, 2008 at 4:02 am
The Jeep Commander is Square like Hummer. And new Sabb CUV looks like the Kia Mesa. People are quick to say how the Borrego is a copycat, but where were all these SUVs that people said in 2005 when the Mesa was their . The Facelifted Tribeca wasn’t out yet. Not even the Aspen or Pacifica. Now Mazda just reveled their concept that looks like the Kue. The Mitsubishi Eclise looks like the KIA KCD-3. The face of the new Civic looks a little like the Kia KCV-1. Also, the Forte’s face looks like the 2002 Kia Spectra GX a little too. The Toyota IQ looks like a Smart. The Honda City looks like the face of the Toyota Vensa. The Mazda 5 looks like a 5 door Focus. The chevy Cruze’s green house looks like a Sonata. The Mitsubishi Pajero looks like the Kia Borrego with the Civic’s headlights. The Civic’s exterior mirros look just like the Toyota Prius. The Honda city looks like a BMW. The face of the Tundra looks like the face VW Iroc concept. I’m done now.
August 27th, 2008 at 4:10 am
Song, if Hyundai’s quilty is so bad, why does Mercedes want Koreans to produce engines for their cars as well. Not Toyota, not Nissan or Honda? Hyundai’s quility has been better than Merceds for quite some time now. One last thing for sure, Kia’s getting a real face, what face does honda model really have in common. None looke alike; however, they look like other models from other manufactorers.
August 27th, 2008 at 4:28 am
Wow. Way to go! People like that make me so mad I have no words to say to them.
August 27th, 2008 at 5:02 am
the lexus ls’s face looks like VW phantom’s
August 27th, 2008 at 5:20 am
also KIA took cues from the first gen lexus RX and called it the Sorento which proves that Greg is right. The did the same with the Lexus GX and called it the Borrego.
August 27th, 2008 at 6:08 am
Dont forget that new corolla looks suspiciously like Spectra.
August 27th, 2008 at 6:33 am
this is my last. The bodystyle of the civic is a direct rip off of the first gen toyota hybrid.
August 27th, 2008 at 9:38 am
Wow, you just can’t admit that the Koreans make a superior and non-boring vehicle. What is more boring than Japan anyway? The only reason you are attacking Kia is because you are afraid of Toyota and Hondas future. I’ll just sit here and laugh at your posts. Please continue, It is always good to laugh!
August 27th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
let’s just end with a song!
August 27th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Guys, this must had been a spam, or something like that. Today, the “song” sent me more than 100 comments with the same conent and I had lots of work to delete all of them. Hopefully, we’ll have no problems with him anymore. So, yes, let’s end this and concentrate on the Soul and it’s upcoming minivan model.
August 27th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
himi, what do you think of putting a picture with text in it so that who ever wants to comment has to type that text from the pic first.
August 28th, 2008 at 1:02 am
Did I send more than 100 comments? It might be a computer glitch or a virus. I live in the United States, and I went to bed after I posted my last comment. It was 2am. I apologize if there was any trouble. I will check my computer before coming back on.
November 12th, 2008 at 12:38 am
The only comment I have for kia is when this car is coming out.I hope to see thi ssoon because im going to be out looking for this car.I own a kia spectra 2005 and i never have complaint about my car.In my futute I hope to get one of those cars.Thats going to be my dream come true.