Kia Wants A Sports Sedan For The 'Gamer Generation'

The high-performance EV will be an indirect Stinger successor.

Kia Vision Meta Turismo concept

Photo by: Kia

Adrian Padeanu

By: Adrian Padeanu

May 11, at 3:36am ET

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THE BREAKDOWN

Kia has set its sights on developing a production version of the Vision Meta Turismo.
It'll be fully electric, yet still offer an emotional connection.
High costs are slowing down development, but the car will eventually go on sale.

Even though Kia’s lineup has expanded in recent years with a myriad of models, a true Stinger successor is still nowhere to be seen. However, a sports sedan is in the works, minus the combustion engine. The company’s design boss has revealed that a production version of last year’s Vision Meta Turismo is in development and will serve as a “sports sedan for the gamer generation.”

In an interview with Autocar magazine, Karim Habib said Kia wants to explore segments beyond SUVs, and a sedan would fit the bill. Interestingly, a fastback version is apparently “90-percent production-ready,” meaning it too has a real shot at reaching production one day.

Neither model will have an engine, as Kia believes younger buyers aren’t as interested in ICE vehicles as older generations, according to the company’s head of interior design. On the same note, Jochen Paesen reckons younger buyers also don’t care much for EVs with artificial engine noises, adding that the same applies to simulated gear shifts. These characteristics are gaining traction among other automakers, including sister brand Hyundai, with the Ioniq 6 N sedan.

Photo by: Kia

Kia Aims To Make An Emotional Electric Sports Car

Even without artificial elements meant to replicate the experience of an ICE car, Kia is confident it can forge an emotional connection between drivers and EVs. The concept foreshadows a Stinger-like GT developed from the ground up as a performance vehicle. But Habib admitted that the vehicle’s nature is “slowing us down” in terms of the pace of development due to high costs. Rather than being a sporty version of an existing model, the production-ready Vision Meta Turismo will be a dedicated performance EV.

“We have a small history of doing cars like the Stinger and that's something we don't want to give up on. The Vision Meta Turismo is our idea of a sports sedan for the gamer generation.”

When the concept made its first public appearance last month during Milan Design Week, Kia didn’t go into technical specifications, but it did make some bold claims. The company promised “a more dynamic, engaging, and visceral driving experience” in an edgy sedan with a lounge-like interior.

Since Kia isn’t providing a firm timeline for the car’s launch, the sporty electric sedan is unlikely to go on sale within the next couple of years.

Kia Vision Meta Turismo concept

Source: Kia

Motor1's Take: It’s refreshing to hear that not everything will be an SUV, and a Stinger-like sedan is exactly what the company needs to add more variety to its lineup.

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The production model will obviously be toned down, and hopefully the buttonless interior will make way for a more functional layout with at least some physical controls. Likewise, the razor-sharp bodywork will probably be softened a bit, as the concept looks almost too futuristic for its own good.

If Kia wants to convince Stinger fans to switch to electric power, the driving experience will matter most. Without a twin-turbo V6 under the hood, luring customers back into showrooms won’t be easy. Then again, the goal is to attract younger buyers who apparently aren’t all that interested in ICE vehicles. Instead, the Korean brand believes design and technology are what will persuade the so-called “gamer generation” to take the plunge and buy cars.

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Source: Autocar

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