Kia teases 'Stinger' sportscar concept ahead of Detroit

The GT4 Stinger has something called a Tiger Nose grille and promises striking looks and serious performance.

Not characteristics usually associated with the carmaker, but in recent years it has been making serious strides in terms of design and build quality.

So much so that in November, Peter Schreye, Chief Design Officer of the Hyundai-Kia Motor Group, became only the second designer to be awarded the Honorary Golden Steering Wheel award, one of Europe's most prestigious automobile prizes.

Golden Steering Wheel award winners are voted for by German publications Bild am Sonntag and AutoBild and were created to recognize the best new cars of each year and, in the case of the Honorary award, to celebrate outstanding achievement in the automotive industry.

As a result, there's more than a little bit of a buzz around Kia's latest concept.

The first car from the company to boast rear-wheel drive -- the first prerequisite of any vehicle hoping to obtain true sportscar credentials -- it will also have a 315hp 2-liter turbocharged engine and mere inches of ground clearance for greater road-holding and downforce.

Other hints as to its potential performance are 20-inch alloy wheels and dedicated front vents for cooling the brakes.

However, we'll have to wait until the Detroit Motor Show gets underway on January 13 to see the car in the flesh.

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