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John Brown
John Brown GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
3/25/11 3:29 p.m.

I LIKE the GenCoupe with the exception of the front end treatment and the quarter window droop.

I would make it look like this:

From CARS

bluej
bluej GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
3/25/11 3:37 p.m.

this changes everything

oldsaw
oldsaw SuperDork
3/25/11 4:21 p.m.

KIA once produced an Elan M100 look-a-like; yeah, it was FWD, too! If KIA comes out with a FWD 'vert that's (relatively) light, (subjectively) attractive and in the $20K range, more power to them!

Let the purists whine; then ask Jay if the handling of his Elan "sucks". I can't help thinking some people are talking out their collective azzes, or never learned how to drive an FWD car.

Javelin
Javelin GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
3/25/11 4:46 p.m.

KIA's version of the Elan wasn't a copy oldsaw, it was the Elan. Produced under license fom Lotus. They are the same car.

John Brown
John Brown GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
3/25/11 5:00 p.m.

Here is a quick representation of a SWB Hyundai convertible

From CARS

oldsaw
oldsaw SuperDork
3/25/11 5:13 p.m.
Javelin wrote: KIA's version of the Elan wasn't a copy oldsaw, it was the Elan. Produced under license fom Lotus. They are the same car.
Yes (and) No: http://www.lotuselancentral.com/faq.htm said: Question: Is the Kia Elan the same as the Lotus Elan? Answer: Yes and No. The Kia Elan body is made using the original Elan tooling. The major mechanical components however are different. The engine and transmission are not from Isuzu, and no longer turbo charged. The car does look very similar, particularly to the US Elan that has the longer nose. The rear light cluster is also new; maybe Alpine-Renault had run out of the GTA? The ride height is considerably higher and the wheels different. Nobody seems sure what has changed in the chassis; rumours are that it has been cost engineered. If anyone knows what’s under the skin please tell us! My suspicion is it’s basically the same. Only 1000 Kia Elans have been produced with no apparent shipments to the UK and US. An early sample was road tested in the UK and given indifferent reviews, although the handling was highly rated. It appears that already there is a strong band of enthusiastic Kia Elan owners who look set to enjoy there cars just as much as those with the Lotus marque. Bravo to Kia for making more parts. Maybe the tooling will be up for sale again. Let’s hope Caterham Cars make another bid.
internetautomart
internetautomart SuperDork
3/25/11 6:07 p.m.

john browns renderings are fail. The cockpit needs to be more rearward. the initial picture in this thread screamed saturn sky at me. and daewoo no longer is a car company. it is now GM, the daewoo name has been axed.

White_and_Nerdy
White_and_Nerdy Reader
3/25/11 6:14 p.m.

My first reaction was "The Skystice reborn?" Give me something similar to an NB Miata with just a little more pep, keep the price down, and it's a winner. Bonus if there's potential for a LOT more pep.

John Brown
John Brown GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
3/25/11 7:12 p.m.

The original pic is a photoshop of a Skystice.

Does my photo look scrunched? It didn't when I posted from work but both home computers are squeezing it down hard.

Original Genesis Coupe (slightly Mofo'd): From CARS

Genesis convertible (heavily Mofo'd) From CARS

maybe that works.

John Brown
John Brown GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
3/25/11 7:36 p.m.

From CARS

Junkyard_Dog
Junkyard_Dog Dork
3/25/11 7:47 p.m.

Wow that brings back memories.

John Brown wrote:

A better view of the Mazdaspeed body kit on the 06 I sold last year. Also had Mazdaspeed springs, sways, exhaust, and CAI. All NCs should come from the factory that way!

I had the wheels too but the Bullits gave me an extra inch of rubber and were flush with the body. Mazdaspeed wheels currently for sale FYI.

blueafro
blueafro
3/25/11 8:38 p.m.

Doesn't Kia have the same 10 year/100k mile warranty as Hyundai? That in itself could make me buy a slightly imperfect car if it were a rwd, manual, droptop, less than $25k US, less than a metric ton, and more than 150 hp.

corytate
corytate Reader
3/25/11 8:51 p.m.

i believe schreyer drew up a concept rwd roadster also put the 2.0t in and the 6 speed and were good! its gonna be in the 20k or less range because the powertrain already exists and hyundai makes their own steel, which is why the forte is so cheap and has so much.

Curmudgeon
Curmudgeon SuperDork
3/25/11 9:18 p.m.
DILYSI Dave wrote: 1. Real headlights. 2. RWD 3. 2200# 4. $20k 5. WINNING!

Plus eleventy billion. 'Hyunkia' are busting things loose out there every day. But honestly I like the front end on the pic.

Slyp_Dawg
Slyp_Dawg GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
3/28/11 8:31 a.m.

if they can tick some/most of the boxes we have set out for them, and they put even half the development work into the suspension/chassis that they put into the Genesis Coupe, then even with a slightly underpowered engine (as long as it can be tuned/remapped easily to produce more power) I would say that the MX5 doesn't stand much of a chance unless Mazda gives the MX5 a power/equipment bump without adding more to the MSRP, or outright drops the MSRP down a bit.

mtn
mtn SuperDork
3/28/11 8:33 a.m.

One other thought: Make sure it has a trunk. Not a huge trunk, but an S2000 or Miata sized trunk. I would be fawning over a Solstice instead of Miata's if I could fit more than a damn toothbrush in there, but they don't even get consideration because of it.

failboat
failboat Reader
3/28/11 8:51 a.m.

google "yellow solstice" and you will find the exact image that was mirrored then poorly photoshopped into this kia. Im surprised autoblog would run that image. it does look better than a solstice though lol

In any case, I would consider a kia roadster so long as its a proper rwd. I like my hyundai well enough so far.

bravenrace
bravenrace SuperDork
3/28/11 9:04 a.m.

Looks like they bought the Solstice molds from GM.

dculberson
dculberson Reader
3/28/11 10:04 a.m.
mtn wrote: One other thought: Make sure it has a trunk. Not a huge trunk, but an S2000 or Miata sized trunk. I would be fawning over a Solstice instead of Miata's if I could fit more than a damn toothbrush in there, but they don't even get consideration because of it.

Exactly. I can't believe that GM flubbed the car so badly. Kappa fans try to claim that nobody looking at this market segment cares about trunk space, but that's absolutely untrue. Anyone looking at a $25k convertible is a middle class person and so will need the car to do double duty as a daily driver. Most people that have $25k to throw away on a super light usage toy aren't going to be looking at Pontiac or Saturn. They're playing in a different market segment.

If they had a usable trunk, I would have been seriously interested. Instead the Miata served.

mtn
mtn SuperDork
3/28/11 10:40 a.m.
dculberson wrote:
mtn wrote: One other thought: Make sure it has a trunk. Not a huge trunk, but an S2000 or Miata sized trunk. I would be fawning over a Solstice instead of Miata's if I could fit more than a damn toothbrush in there, but they don't even get consideration because of it.
Exactly. I can't believe that GM flubbed the car so badly. Kappa fans try to claim that nobody looking at this market segment cares about trunk space, but that's absolutely untrue. Anyone looking at a $25k convertible is a middle class person and so will need the car to do double duty as a daily driver. Most people that have $25k to throw away on a super light usage toy aren't going to be looking at Pontiac or Saturn. They're playing in a different market segment.

I'd disagree with this--the majority of Miata's around here are not the primary car. But even without it being the primary car, you need at least a small trunk for overnight getaways, a (single) bag of grocery's, or a brief case. If you have more than one person in the car, you are done.

ReverendDexter
ReverendDexter SuperDork
3/28/11 10:46 a.m.
mtn wrote: Oh, and for the love of (insert deity), please do NOT put those huge wheels on it. That car needs nothing larger than 15'' wheels standard.

When even minivans come with at least 17s, I can't see any new sporty car coming with anything less. Honestly, I'd be shocked if it didn't come with at least 18s (>.<)

And for some reason, the shooped hardtop Coupe looks like a 2-door Cobalt, and I hate that small and sporty has to mean convertible. I do NOT want an open-top in a sports car! Open tops are awesome for cruising and installing roll cages, that's it. If I want to cruise, I don't want to be in a small roadster, I want to be in a land yacht.

dculberson
dculberson Reader
3/28/11 11:01 a.m.
mtn wrote: I'd disagree with this--the majority of Miata's around here are not the primary car. But even without it being the primary car, you need at least a small trunk for overnight getaways, a (single) bag of grocery's, or a brief case. If you have more than one person in the car, you are done.

Oh, I didn't mean primary or only car, I just meant it needs to be practical enough for someone to drive it a few thousand miles a year, which means a grocery trip, weekend getaway, etc.

Appleseed
Appleseed SuperDork
3/28/11 11:18 a.m.

The Genesis coupe rendering looks like a G35. No, really.

Rufledt
Rufledt HalfDork
3/28/11 11:47 a.m.

I agree with everybody here. If they keep the weight down and give it an LSD, it should be good, and by keep the weight down I mean WAY down. I don't even care if they have a model without any luxury equipment AT ALL, it's supposed to be cheap and fun. I went to a Mazda dealer lately to look at a 2, and all they had on the lot were fully loaded models. If I wanted all the options, I would've looked at a different car, and the same would apply here for me. If I wanted heated leather seats, I wouldn't be looking at a little kia convertible. please don't pork it up with useless options!

ArthurDent
ArthurDent Reader
3/28/11 12:16 p.m.

Looks a bit like an insect Transformer

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