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"The spec sheet sounds like a BMW or Mercedes-Benz, but this rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan will have a Kia badge on its grille. Set to debut later this year, this is the first time the Korean automaker has built a rwd sedan, much less one that takes aim at the luxury elite. Based on the Hyundai Genesis platform, this new Kia will likely carry the GT or Opirus name when it goes on sale in the U.S.        2013 Kia GT/Opirus Sedan    Exterior styling will borrow design elements from the Kia GT concept, shown last year during the Frankfurt Auto Show. We called the GT &amp;quot;striking&amp;quot; and praised the long flowing roofline and short rear deck. Though some details, like the carbon fiber wheels and one-piece front seats, were obviously intended strictly for the auto show circuit.        2013 Kia GT/Opirus Sedan    Flagship Kia Sedan   Based on photographs of a black prototype conducting winter testing, and design sketches revealed by Kia, the GT/Opirus also appears to have plenty of Optima sedan worked into its design DNA. The profile of the side glass is very similar to the mid-size sedan, though the rear windows look noticeably longer and sleeker in the luxury-oriented Kia. That could hint at loads of legroom for rear seat occupants.        Official Kia Teaser Sketches    It appears LED headlights are fitted to this test car, though camouflage covers much of the front and rear end. The official sketches show a smooth sedan with minimal ornamentation along the sides. The grille sits forward of elongated headlights, though even this slightly more aggressive stance isn&amp;#039;t radically different from the Optima&amp;#039;s. Kia is likely to play it safe with the styling.   The powertrain choices should be impressive, and perhaps a bit more daring. Nothing has been officially confirmed, though the base engine is likely to be a 333-bhp 3.8-liter V-6 coupled to an 8-speed automatic transmission. More potent options could include a 385-bhp 4.6-liter V-8 and 429-bhp 5.0-liter V-8 \u2013 both would be shared with the Hyundai Genesis. There is even rumor of a 10-speed automatic transmission in the works. A hybrid version is also probable.        Kia GT Concept from 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show   It remains to be seen how Hyundai and Kia will separate these rear-wheel-drive flagships in terms of marketing and price. Introduced during the Chicago Auto Show, the range-topping Optima Limited costs less than $35,000, which is roughly the entry-level range of the Genesis sedan. Sales are scheduled to begin in Korea in mid-2012, with U.S. sales likely towards the end of the year. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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