A pity that they have not reached the street
We are used to seeing numerous prototypes that the different manufacturers present at different events or salons to “lean muscle” and demonstrate their full potential. Unfortunately, many of them are forgotten. We show you three Kia prototypes that should have gone on sale.
It is clear that not all prototypes could reach the assembly line. On many occasions, brands develop them only to advance future designs or technologies. Many times, brands use these conceptual models to show the public what they are capable of.
But there are other concept cars that could be manufactured and that, we believe, should have gone on sale, perhaps with some modifications to adapt to regulations. Here are these three Kia prototypes that we would have liked to see on the street.
KIA Seltos X-Line
It was presented at the 2019 Los Angeles Motor Show, before the pandemic, and it was a compact SUV that brought out the country side of Kia. It was based on the Kia Seltos, a model that the Korean brand does not sell in Europe. It was painted gray and has contrasting gloss black, orange, and gold accents.
It had 17-inch wheels and metal underride guards, a hood scoop, a metal roof bed, a set of four auxiliary headlights up front, and ground clearance increased by 51 millimeters compared to to the conventional Seltos.
It was powered by a 175 hp 1.6-liter turbo engine, combined with a seven-speed DCT automatic transmission and all-wheel drive with torque distribution. How we would have liked to see it here!
Kia Imagine Concept
The Imagine by Kia was unveiled at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show and was the brand’s first model developed from scratch as an electric car. In this prototype, Kia put the focus on emotions and wanted to blur the lines between segments, creating a vehicle that is difficult to classify in a category.
Is it a raised sports coupe sedan or some sort of crossover coupe? In any case, it was a four-door car with rather graceful and muscular proportions.
Its 22-inch wheels, its six-layer paint with a chrome finish and the small side cameras that act as rear-view mirrors drew attention.
Kia NovoConcept
Finally, the 2015 Seoul Motor Show was the setting for this Kia Novo Concept, a sedan inspired by the Kia optima, which combined elegant design with muscle car traits.
It was equipped with a 1.6-liter turbo engine and a veritable technological arsenal, including laser headlights and fingerprint detectors. In this way, the Novo Concept became the first vehicle to equip laser technology in the headlights, without being BMW or Audi.
