A sportier KIA Optima GT for the Frankfurt debut

Kuala Lumpur: Recently, the all-new KIA Optima was unveiled in April at the New York Auto Show following a launch in South Korea where it is marketed as the K5. Now this car is all set for its European launch at the Frankfurt Motor Show to be held in the month of September. KIA also released some pictures of a sportier Optima on its official Facebook page. Going through the pictures, one can notice a GT badge instead of a GT line, which is a clear indication of this sedan being a performance-oriented variant.

This model boasts of a more aggressive body with a huge grille and elongated headlamps towards the front fascia. To give the rear end a sporty feel, it has been designed with big oval exhaust pipes and rear diffusers. Other minute details which make this variant unique are dark door sills and the five-spoke turbine wheels.

Going by the similar aero kit, one can assume the KIA Optima GT to be the European equivalent of the Optima SX which is being sold in North America. The latter is powered by a 2.0-litre 4 cylinder T-GDI turbocharged petrol engine along with direct-injected fuel system which can generate a maximum power of 247 hp along with a peak torque of 352 Nm. Further, it is mated with a six-speed automatic transmission which channels its power to the front wheels.

As we move closer to the Frankfurt Motor Show, stay tuned to get more information regarding KIA Optima.