Spy Shots: Kia Amanti replacement spotted cold-weather testing
The Kia Amanti is what happens when designers can't decide whether to copy a Mercedes or a Jaguar, with the result being a quantifiable and qualified mess. Hyundai has quickly improved its styling with winners like the Genesis Coupe and Sedan, and we've been hoping for sister company Kia to follow suit. We can think of no better place to start than the replacement for the visually challenged Amanti, and spy pics from near the Artic Circle show that the affordable "luxury" (the quotes remain until proven otherwise) sedan is coming along quite nicely.This Kia mule, which we're told is codenamed VG, was covered in camouflage, but at first (obstructed) glance we see the silhouette of a far more contemporary sedan. The VG will ride on the same platform as the Hyundai Azera, giving the Amanti replacement a longer wheelbase than its predecessor. The stretch will give the Amanti more interior space, as evidenced by the long, elegant-looking greenhouse. Kia will also add projector headlamps and LED tail lamps that are all the rage these days. Styling points are also earned for some very stylish rims that help give the mule a more commanding presence on the road.
The new Kia will find motivation from a new 3.5-liter V6 engine, giving the Koreans equal displacement to just about every other V6 on the market. Word on the street is that the VG will also receive an AWD system at some point, though it likely won't be available at the time of the car's launch in September.
[Source: NextAutos]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Gstill 9:03AM (3/17/2009)
Even with the camouflage on, it's considerably better looking than the previous generation. Kia hasn't been missing the mark to often recently. I would expect this sedan to look nice, but I don't know how many people are actually going to buy one.
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John 9:05AM (3/17/2009)
But what everyone wants to know is....will it still have the dazzling 2' wide front LED turn signals?! Such a showoff, that Amanti.
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Sal Collaziano 9:27AM (3/17/2009)
I rented the current model Kia Amanti late last year. Surprisingly, everyone I ran into liked it. The car turned a lot of heads - and anyone who rode in it was quite happy. Making things even more interesting, most of my passengers were affluent people with high-end luxury cars.
Power was very impressive as well. I timed 0-60 at 6.1 seconds on several runs - which is far better than I have seen elsewhere. In any event, the car felt light and very quick - so I thought it was a good idea to see what it could do.
It's not exactly quiet - and it can use some more room (it IS a midsize car) - but it was very comfortable. The leather was soft and the seats were plush.. For the money, it's a really nice car. Any improvement is going to make the Amanti pretty impressive.
Sal Collaziano
http://www.genesisowners.com
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Bob-omb 10:42AM (3/17/2009)
The interior of the current Amanti is beautiful, I think. The car is tacky on the outside, and it handles sloppily, but the powertrain is great.
Interesting to hear about the new 3.5L. Hyundai seems to be doing well choosing between the 3.3L and 3.8L in their cars and SUVs...not sure they need a 3.5L.
I take issue with the first part of this article that says they've been hoping Kia can finally start fixing their poorly-styled cars. The Amanti definitely needs a visual update, but what else does? We've already seen the new Soul/Sorento/Forte/Optima, and they all look terrific, I think. Their design cues are strong, yet tasteful, unlike 90% of new designs that get to the market today.
Sal Collaziano 10:52AM (3/17/2009)
Did you know that the Amanti received an updated suspension a couple of years ago? If you drove one before then, it was much more sloppy. The latest version is still intended to give the softest ride possible - but it does handle better..
Sal C.
Luis 9:31AM (3/17/2009)
Profile looks like a Daewoo Leganza.
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DJ 9:33AM (3/17/2009)
"We guess we will have to wait until September to get that rumor confirmed, but we know that Swedish all-wheel drive specialists Haldex have delivered an electronic all-wheel drive system prototype installation to the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group."
Put that AWD underneath the Genesis sedan and I'll buy it today!
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homunculus 10:37AM (3/17/2009)
a schreyerized genesis sounds pretty good to me.
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Kimura 12:12PM (3/17/2009)
This is a good move to keep it from competing with teh RWD Genesis (prevent overlap). I think once this car debuts the Azera should be putout to pasture. There's little point to it now, and even less so when this debuts.
As for the car itself, I hate the current Amanti. It looks like a Chinese S-Type. This, however looks very promising. Kia has been on a roll with the styling of it's newest vehicles, so there's hope for this one yet!
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Rar 1:31PM (3/17/2009)
"The Kia Amanti is what happens when designers can't decide whether to copy a Mercedes or a Jaguar,"
>> this is TOTALLY Ignorance comment.
Kia cars designed by Former Audi Designer.
http://www.carbodydesign.com/archive/2006/07/26-peter-schreyer-kia-design/
And he is a vice chairman.
That comment is totally 'disgrace word' to Audi and Germany designers.
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Rar 1:33PM (3/17/2009)
"VG will also receive an AWD system at some point"
This is good news.
Kia try to make AWD platform.
I think It is possible that Kia will made Kia version of Audi quatro.
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Richard S. 2:03PM (3/17/2009)
I see some Lexus GS in its design...still better than current model.
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Evan 2:44PM (3/17/2009)
Looks like the prototype is rolling on Tiburon wheels. Interesting.
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P.V. 5:40PM (3/17/2009)
Wow. I'm blown away. The Amanti looks nice on the inside, but the outside and drive feel are a mess. I hope this will rectify all of those problems. Nice job, KIA!
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