Kia planning Audi TT rival
by John Neff on Mar 15th 2007 at 12:03PM 
click above image to view a full gallery of the Kia ex_cee'd concept
At this year's Frankfurt Motor Show, Kia will debut a concept sports car aimed squarely at the Audi TT. A production version of the concept could go into production by 2009, according ot Auto Express. These are bold plans for the South Korean automaker, but it has a secret weapon in design director Peter Schreyer, who was the designer behind the original Audi TT. The codename for Kia's project is Snowflake, which sounds very similar to Raindrop, the codename used for the original TT when Schreyer was with Audi. The TT-killa is expected to be offered in both front-wheel and all-wheel drive, and powered by a new 2.0L turbo-four currently under development.
Kia has no doubt been on a roll the last few years, and it's becoming increasingly evident that its success is not simply a matter of riding the coattails of parent company Hyundai. Kia was always meant to be the sporting brand in Hyundai's little empire, but its current product portfolio doesn't support that image at all. The brand did manage to show a suprisingly sporty and very attractive concept at the recent Geneva Motor Show with the ex-cee'd convertible concept (shown above). The response to the drop-top's design in our comments was overwhelmingly positive, so we have high hopes for another Schreyer-designed sports car from Kia.
[Source: Auto Express]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Juan 12:16PM (3/15/2007)
Good. Kia/Hyundai need something more interesting than the Tiburon.
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Dave in MI 12:19PM (3/15/2007)
Rival is a very complimentary headline. Knock-off seems more appropriate at this early stage. Style is one thing, but substance is another.
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Ron 12:32PM (3/15/2007)
Audi TT rival? They didn't exactly set their sights very high did they? There are a number of other superior cars in the 2-door coupe segment which easily outclass the TT.
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QueenMAB 1:25PM (3/15/2007)
I like that Kia's getting more stylish. Rival indeed.
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Evotec 12:54PM (3/15/2007)
looks not bad..
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Mike 12:57PM (3/15/2007)
Has this writer ever driven a Kia, or better yet an Audi? Kia, Audi, and "rival" are three words that should not appear in the same sentence.
Congrats to Kia on trying harder though. I'd love to see a South Korean sports car with some style and performance at a great price for sale...
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RBW 1:04PM (3/15/2007)
"There are a number of other superior cars in the 2-door coupe segment which easily outclass the TT."
Such as?
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Evan Brom 1:09PM (3/15/2007)
A Korean sports car is long over due, although unless its a evo like engine, and Elise like weight, this will not do. Why are there no RWD V6TT or V8 sports cars on the cheap?
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jon benson 1:36PM (3/15/2007)
#6 I'd take a 350z over a TT any day having driven both on road and track and owned one.
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Kowell 1:11PM (3/15/2007)
We've been getting Kia Ceed concepts for 2 years already.... give us a car soon or it will be outdated before it even comes out.
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Tal 1:18PM (3/15/2007)
Wonder if this will possibly be built in the new Kia plant, West Point ,GA ? I believe the completion date will allow 2009 production. Could have so incorrect information though.
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testa di cazzo 1:40PM (3/15/2007)
11. #6 I'd take a 350z over a TT any day having driven both on road and track and owned one.
sorry jon, you're out of your mind. if you'd take a 350z over a TT (assuming its a 3.2), then you need some serious consideration on whether you know much about cars...
of course, if you're comparing a 2.0 TT to a 3.5L Z, that's a dumb comparison.
either way, you sit in a Z, and you sit in a TT, there's no comparison. The Z's nissan crap plastic interior falls apart within months. the automatic windows stop working. what a piece of shit.
the TT, on the other hand, has the top interior in class (it is an Audi after all)...and the styling has no comparison...rice rocket vs. german class
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jjd 8:17PM (3/15/2007)
I'm not sure I would credit Schreyer with being "the designer behind the original TT".
As far as I knew, Freeman Thomas was the main designer of the first gen Audi TT. I did a web search and found this quote: "Schreyer's resume is somewhat misleading - he did not design the TT or the Beetle (inspite of the photo in the first entry- Freeman Thomas sketched the first TT design- Schreyer was assigned to propose variations)"
I think it more accurate to say Schreyer was "one of the designers responsible for the original TT" or "was on the design team of the original TT."
Certainly after reading the book "The Audi TT Story" by Jergen Lewandowski, my memory is lots about Freeman Thomas and how he came up with the design and (frankly) not much about Schreyer.
--Jim--
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shawn 2:26PM (3/15/2007)
TT 3.2 Roadster quattro with S tronic $45900. 250 hp. Curb Weight: 3450 lbs.
350Z Enthusiast Coupe, $29,600. 306 hp. Curb Weight: 3346 lbs.
G35 Coupe 6MT $34,050. 295 hp. Curb Weight: 3524 lbs.
SLK SLK350 Roadster, $47,400. 268 hp. Curb weight: 3295 lbs.
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oren 2:32PM (3/15/2007)
They are making an overweight, over priced, womans car?
http://www.montrealvip.com/nightlife.htm
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Dave 2:35PM (3/15/2007)
Rival? No. I'm sure Kia will be successful in selling fruity looking convertibles to people who like value-priced imports, though.
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Bob-omb 5:31PM (3/15/2007)
Well, Dave, your idiotic comment hit the nail on the head. No matter how good of a convertible they make, there will still be a huge amount of American jugheads who call it fruity. Look at the MX-5. Nobody cares it's a blast to drive, that's fer dem ladyboys to drive, git-r-dun.
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testa di cazzo 3:04PM (3/15/2007)
shawn (#13)
first of all, the 3.2 S-tronic is 42,900 not 45900. second, anyone interested in sporty driving buys the manual, which is 41,500.
either way, yes, this is what you pay for. you pay for german class. if you want to get a roadster on the cheap, go buy a miata or a soltice. if you want a classy car, get the slk or the TT.
i personally would rather pay more for a classy exterior and a top quality interior, than to buy some rice-rocket (nissan) which is known for bad quality...
either way, if you put a comparably equipped 350Z to the standard 3.2 TT, the prices would be a lot closer to eachother. and the slk is a hard-top convertible...
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shawn 3:18PM (3/15/2007)
2008 Audi TT 3.2 Roadster quattro with S tronic is $45,900.
TTs drives like a Toyota...numb, no feel and completely boring. I guess maybe if you're on Meth and you need something to put you to sleep.
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Mike 3:26PM (3/15/2007)
"Why are there no RWD V6TT or V8 sports cars on the cheap?"
Same reason you can't buy a prime steak for hamburger prices.
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