Kia Motors America (KMA) is the fastest growing car company in the U.S.1, and the brand, which has recently undergone a design-led transformation, continued to turn heads today at the Los Angeles Auto Show with the North American introduction of the striking Kia GT concept vehicle during the show. The forward-looking Kia GT concept – originally shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show – signals the company's distinctive new design direction with graceful yet confident styling and is the first rear-wheel-drive concept in Kia's history.

"Over the past three years Kia's design-led transformation has delivered more new products than any other brand, and the first showing of the striking GT concept on U.S. soil provides a glimpse into our future showroom and the continuing role world-class design will play in the development of our vehicles," said Michael Sprague, vice president, marketing & communications, KMA. "With its rear-wheel-drive platform and powerful engine, the GT concept represents exciting possibilities for Kia as we move forward to the next chapter in brand history."

Sleek and muscular, the Kia GT four-door sports sedan concept was created by Kia's European design team under the watchful eye of Chief Design Officer Peter Schreyer. The new concept allowed Kia to explore exciting new visual paths, including a unique interpretation of the Kia-family tabbed grille with a carbon-fiber insert to match the front and rear fascias and side sills.

Triangular swept-back headlamps with pronounced outlines flank the grille and transition seamlessly to the sloping hood and up to the wide windshield. The extended hood along with the rear-wheel-drive configuration also allowed for the design team to push the front wheels to the extreme front of the car to increase its sporty design. The swooping angle from windshield to rear window enhances the GT's aerodynamic presence, while vent-like tail lights, powerful rear shoulders and truncated rear end add to the vehicle's hunkered down appearance. Propeller-style rims complete the dynamic look.

The GT's front and rear-hinged back doors open slightly upward to ensure easy ingress and egress, and the spacious cabin provides comfortable seating for four, assisted by the concept's unusually long wheelbase of 112.6 inches and overall length of 184.6 inches. Despite its low stance, an overall height of 54.3 inches allows for plenty of headroom.

The GT is not all looks, however, packing plenty of heat under the hood. Coupled with an eight-speed automatic transmission is a 3.3-liter turbocharged Lambda V6 Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engine, allowing the rear-wheel-drive sports sedan to offer a thrilling 395 horsepower and 393.5 pound-feet of torque.

Kia has hit the Nurburgring. Yep, the plucky South Korean firm has put on its big boy pants and started testing its upcoming super-saloon around the Green Hell in preparation for its debut at January’s Detroit Motor Show.

Details are very thin, with the official literature stating that it has “the potential to clip every apex” and “consume every straight”. If we’re being harsh, so does a lawnmower. But we’re not being harsh, because this could be quite an exciting thing.

The video is only short, showing jump cuts of a lap of the track while the car’s rev counter zips around, speedo nudges 150mph and front right tyre desperately clings onto the the rim around ‘Karussell’. But even with our ears set to HD, it’s hard to decipher what the engine and gearbox combination could be over the very loud generic rock soundtrack.

Saying that, Kia’s new dynamics boss, Albert Biermann – formerly of BMW’s M Division – confirmed to us that the GT will be Kia’s “most powerful car in Europe by far.” How much the production version will remain true to its 400-odd bhp, V6, RWD suicide door’d concept from 2011 also remains a mystery.

However, at this year’s Paris Motor Show, Kia’s chief designer Gregory Guillaume gave us a hint at what it might look like.

“Lots of old cars that are inspirational, help me focus. Take the GT show car – it may have four doors, but it’s front engine and rear drive. The car I loved like that as a kid is the original Maserati Ghibli. It’s a completely different car, but it has this gran turismo elegance to it. The Ghibli is the sort of car you drive from Paris to the south of France in one shot. Everything is effortless. That always stayed in my mind when designing the GT.”

We’re sure there’ll be plenty more teasers up to its unveiling at the Detroit Auto Show to tickle your interest. But until then, let us know what you think of the possibility of a Kia super-saloon below.