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Opirus Premium launched in South Korea
We don’t speak much about the Kia Amanti here, do we!? Kia’s flagship model, also known as Opirus at some international markets, gets only mentioned every once in a while, mostly when I post the US Kia sales results at the end of each month when we criticize it’s low sales numbers. But today we are gonna do an exception and the Amanti is going to make it to the headlines of our Kia blog. And there is a good reason for that.
Kia Motors Korea has launched the 2010 model year Opirus sedan at it’s domestic Korean market. Dubbed the Opirus Premium, the vehicle received some really nice upgrades inside-out including better quality materials inside, slightly redesigned front and rear fascias and most importantly, some major technical improvements.
Starting with the tech stuff, there is a brand new 6-speed automatic transmission replacing the five-speed automatic, which has been available since Opirus’ launch in 2003. This is the first Kia, in addition to the 2010 Kia Sorento, that has benefited from this new technology.
The all-new six-speed automatic transmission has been developed in conjunction with Hyundai Motor Company and will find it’s place in several other mid-sized Kia vehicles. Apart from the Opirus (Amanti in US), the six-speed automatic transmission will also be included on Kia Borrego, Sedona, next generation Optima YF and the 2010 Kia VG. Thanks to the new transmission, the Opirus Premium sedan now achieves considerable improvements in performance and more importantly, the fuel economy.
In addition to the new tranny, there is also a revised engine line-up put under the hood of Opirus Premium. The 3.3L Lambda engine has 4.9 percent higher power output and 2.2 percent improvement in maximum torque compared to the previous engine. The Opirus Premium equipped with this engine packs an impressive 259 horsepower and achieves 10.1 km/ liter (12.2 percent improvement).
The Opirus Premium is also available with a revised 3.8L Lambda engine that packs 284 horsepower and a 2.7L V6 with a maximum hp output of 195 hp. Both of the engines have also seen improvements of horsepower and fuel consumption ratings when compared to previous engines.
The new model of Opirus also brings a host of new exterior elements such as a revised front grille that now goes in-line with latest Kia products and has a shape of tiger nose. The vehicle has also received new bumpers front and rear (notice the cool design of the rear bumper) and new LED turn signals at placed at front, rear and in the side mirrors.
The overall exterior look has been further refined with a set of new alloy wheels, that now look really elegant and classy and some new chrome accents which add some luxury to the overall exterior appearance. [Photosource: rpm9.kr ]
Although the Opirus Premium retained it’s overall shape it did receive an array of needed improvements and we can safely state that it now looks better than ever.
Very nice! This is the first time we’ve seen anything other than the dinosaur 3.5 and the 3.8 in the Amanti. It’s about time they add the 3.3. That might help it’s sales. The grille will be different in the United States too, and will have vertical bars spaced farther apart, no front badge, and also horizontal slats, much like Amanti grilles we have seen. The US version will have the tiger nose too, along with ACTUAL TRIM LEVELS! The Amanti EX will have the 3.3L engine. It will have features such as optional heated leather seats, navigation and such. The SX will have the 3.8 and features like sport-tuned suspension, standard heated leather seats, and standard navigation. The 2.7L Amanti will not hit US shores.
Wow, I would have rather read that they have put off this facelift and just bring out the replacement
Greg, will the Amanti get the LED rear turn-signals?
Yeah. It is about time. Possibility of bi-Xenon headlights. And, Amanti’s replacement, CH, has not been green-lighted, so current Amanti will just stick around until the CH is a-go. VG should be coming very shortly, though!
(Can somebody erase what I said Above? thanks)
I really think Kia should put this where it belongs: in their distant memories… It’s just not fitting with their sporty image anymore… VG should replace this completely and leave conservative designs to Hyundai. Sharp & Sporty is way to go for Kia.
They need to let this one DIE!!!
VG IS NOT THE AMANTI REPLACEMENT, NOR IS IT AS LARGE AS THE AMANTI, THE RED-LIGHT CH IS THE AMANTI REPLACEMENT. GET IT STRAIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE AMANTI SEEMS LIKE ONE OF THOSE CARS THAT JUST WON’T DIE, BUT THAT’S ALRIGHT, BECAUSE KIA NEEDS A CAR LIKE THIS UNTIL THEY CAN HAVE ONE TO REPLACE IT!!!!!!
the last facelift to the GH opirus, next year, welcome VG and CH (maybe based on the BH plataform)
I think the Amanti just needs to be allowed to quietly leave the market. My dealership had a brand new 2007 Amanti that finally sold this past February. We dang near had to give the thing away (we took almost $10K off sticker.) There just isn’t much of a market especially right now. The Optima has done okay. Some people seem to want a little more room then the current Spectra. These revisions don’t change much for me, I’m still not a fan. I’d rather see Kia just kill the Amanti and introduce the VG. The VG though smaller, I think would appeal a little more to the potential Camry and Accord buyers (and maybe steal a few Chevy Malibu customers.)
Wait, we’re actually getting this? Why? Nobody buys the Amanti as it is. It’s the queen of rental fleets. Dealers can’t sell them. Corporate doesn’t want them. Customers ignore it.
Wow an Angry Greg.. at 15 years old he may need some anger management classes. I’ll tell the corporate recruiter to pass on him when he applies to Kia one day..
I really don’t like that model, nor do I like the car. It’s archaic and a real anachronism!
about the only things i like here are the wheels and the interior excluding the steering wheel.
Compared to the Genesis, the exterior of the Amanti was & still is Butt Ugly. tho the interior looks good.
well,this isnt bad at all. but evry body knows opirus is the shadow car of kia.it is not a bad car,which always leaves me wondering why it doesnt sell.but i sincerely want kia to replace this and also get rid of that badge.it doesnt make sense to me at all why kia and hyundai have so many badges.
I thinks this is funny. In my opinion the Amanti is outdated and ugly. And at our dealership we sell 1 a year if we are lucky and we are in Toronto. We just sold our 2008 about a month ago(it sat on the lot for 397 days), and wont order another Amanti until it changes. I agree that this needs to be placed in archives to remind Kia what not do to.
It is also on the list of the 25 Ugliest Cars of All Time.
The exterior of this car definetly needs to be updated. Hopefully the VG will look as good as the Genesis Sedan and bring up the sales numbers for this car.
The interior is decent enough, but the exterior… Time travel to General Motors styling of 10 years ago. It was probably drawn around that time too.
its time it was buried and replaced, reminds me of an old Crown Victoria – get rid of it KIA, you can do much better than this, look at your creative flare in the Forte, Soul and upcoming Sorenta and you want this albatros hanging around?
Don’t particularly like it, but the motor updates are great and the interior seems to have improved a lot. Nevertheless, it needs a redesign soon. I’m not feeling the H grille on this car and the PREMIUM badge at the rear is just plain tacky.
The H grill will look better on the US model, without the “Opirus” badge, with vertical slats placed farther apart, and added horizontal slats.
Greg- Xenon is available on the current “Luxury” Amanti in Canada. That part amazed me, since it’s probably almost identical to the USDM model. I am curious how the Tiger grille will look with the cross pattern like they currently have. Agreed, it’s past due to have LEDs in the rear. Will it be yellow LED turn signals and red LEDs as the tail/ brake? They should even put white LEDs as the reverse. I’ve seen a Cadillac and a Lincoln that have that.
I just did a photoshop of the USDM 2010 Amanti. It’s on the forum, check it out. The Canada Amanti also has seat coolers. The front turn signals have always been LED.
I know the front have always had LEDs. I was referring to the back. Will it be yellow LEDs?
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As for the grille, I’m not a fan. I haven’t liked the grille of the current or previous Amanti. I like the X pattern on things like the Spectra…
I Like This model very much
i was hoping for a update grill. I am not impressed with the amanti and kia should let it go. It IS a very comfertable car but if they can combine the vg and the amanti at a competitive msrp i think kia would have a hit.
To whom it may concern;
I bought a brand new KIA Opirus Premium 2009 in Tehran, Iran.
No Kia Authorize Dealer respect to 5 years unlimited warranty & Guarantee. which is damaging to the reputation of KIA Motors.
VIN: KRLA091VWL2172560
KNALD225395172560
MY E-MAIL: dr_chaharsoughi@chaharsoughi.com
Mobile: +98 912 122 02 03
Regards
DR. Chaharsoughi
Kia VG = will replace current amanti
Next gen real Amanti = RWD genesis (kia version)
I am wondering if I can buy the navigation as shown in the pictures to my Opirus 2009 as I do not have one and looking for the original.
What is the price pls?
Unfortunately, due to a different wiring system, the Navigation cannot be retrofitted to non-navigation vehicles.
Thanks a lot Greg for your feedback.