To say the Optima is a vital
product for Kia would be an
understatement. In fact, the Korean automaker reports that the sedan has been
its best-selling model in America for three years running. Replacing it with an
all-new model, then, would be a big move for Kia, and that's exactly what it's
gearing up to do.
The all-new Optima is previewed here
in a pair of teaser renderings, and the car is set to debut at theNew York Auto Show. Though
Kia has given us little in the way of information to accompany the drawings,
it's clear that the design has borrowed heavily from the Sportspace concept
that debuted in Geneva earlier this month – albeit in production form, and with
a trunk instead of an extended roofline.
The outgoing Optima was introduced
five years ago and is built at plants around the world for local consumption,
including in Georgia for the North American market. This will be the fourth
iteration of the breed.
Following its 2010 debut at the New York International Auto Show, the
Optima became a catalyst for Kia Motors' tremendous growth and has been the
brand's best-selling vehicle in the U.S. for three years running. Now, five
years later, Kia will return to New York on Wednesday, April 1, for the world
debut of the passionately designed and obsessively crafted all-new version of
its popular midsize sedan.