New York 2008: Kia KOUP Concept comes out
 

<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/conceptcars/" rel="tag">Concept Cars</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/new-york-auto-show/" rel="tag">New York Auto Show</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/coupes/" rel="tag">Coupes</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/kia/" rel="tag">Kia</a></p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" alt="" src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/03/01_kia_koup_live_450-op.jpg" /><br /><em>Click above for a high-res gallery of the Kia KOUP concept.</em><br /><br /><span style="float: left; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 7px;"> <script> var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/autos/Killer_Kia_KOUP_Concept_c omes_out_watch_out_Civic' ; </script> <script src="http://digg.com/api/diggthis.js"></script></span>We were able to get a sneak peak of Kia's newest concept <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/19/new-york-2008-late-night-in-nyc-with-the-kia-koup/">last night</a>, but the wraps finally came off the KOUP at 9:40AM this morning, and the concept offers a design study that will most certainly influence the automaker's future offerings. The KOUP is a cab-forward two-door in a similar vein as the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/HondaCivic/">Honda Civic</a>, but fortunately or unfortunately, that's not where the similarities end. The front fascia is a nice amalgamation of the Euro-Civic, with a few cues that are strikingly similar to Mitsubishi's current gaping maw. The beltline, beginning beneath the carbon fiber wing mirrors, plummets to define the slightly sculpted sides and terminates into a Lancer-like rear end. Naturally, Kia saw fit to outfit the KOUP with a handful of typical concept elements, including a panoramic glass roof, carbon fiber diffusers (front and rear) and Brembo calipers with cross-drilled rotors.<br /><br />While the exterior design is handsome enough -- in a watered-down, mashup kind of way -- the real interesting bit is under the hood. Kia has outfitted the concept with a 2.0-liter Theta II turbocharged engine with direct injection that's putting out (according to the automaker) 290 hp and 289 lb.-ft. of torque beginning at 2,000 rpm. That theoretical grunt is sent to the front wheels that are suspended by a MacPherson strut setup, while out back a dual-link arrangement balances ride quality and handling. The KOUP is also equipped with Continuous Damping Control (CDC), which should keep things composed and comfortable when the going gets sporty.<br /><br />Overall, the KOUP concept proves that Kia might finally be getting its stylistic act together, despite some of the derivative design cues that this too-close-to-production two-door is sporting.<br /><br /><div class="postgallery"><p><s trong>Gallery: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/kia-koup-concept/">Kia KOUP concept</a></strong></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/kia-koup-concept/710869/"><img src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/03/01_kia_koup_live_thumbnai l.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/kia-koup-concept/710870/"><img src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/03/02_kia_koup_live_thumbnai l.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/kia-koup-concept/710871/"><img src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/03/03_kia_koup_live_thumbnai l.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/kia-koup-concept/710872/"><img src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/03/04_kia_koup_live_thumbnai l.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/kia-koup-concept/710873/"><img src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/03/05_kia_koup_live_thumbnai l.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a></div><p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/20/new-york-2008-kia-koup-concept/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>New York 2008: Kia KOUP Concept comes out</em></a></p><p style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;">&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/20/new-york-2008-kia-koup-concept/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/1143842/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/20/new-york-2008-kia-koup-concept/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a></p><hr />

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