Kia GT4 Stinger concept car due for Detroit Motor Show 2014

Kia

It's the season for pre-Detroit Motor Show announcements - and today Kia issued this further teaser image of its new low-slung sports car: the 2014 Kia GT4 Stinger concept car.

With overtones of the Audi R8 supercar about its visage, the GT4 Stinger is a rear-wheel drive coupe driven by a punchy 315hp turbocharged engine.

Kia is a major player in the US, and this GT4 concept car is designed to worm its way into the affections of American enthusiasts. Hence the rear-wheel drive platform and striking looks, penned in Kia's American Design Center in California.

The GT4 Stinger is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine producing a stout 158hp per litre; that's the sort of specific output you might expect to see on a race car, not a Kia.

No performance figures have been issued ahead of its debut at the North American International Auto Show, aka the Detroit Motor Show, on 13 January 2014 - but you can bet your bottom dollar, the Stinger will be rapid.

Kia officials say this car points to the future of the Kia "tiger nose" front grille. Note how the leading edge of the nostrils are lit up, while LED headlamps complete the GT4's modernist snout.

It is likely that the Stinger features lightweight carbonfibre in its construction. Kia has confirmed that the front splitter is composite and that the alloys are a chunky 20 inches in diameter.

Stay tuned to MSN Cars for further coverage from the Detroit Motor Show 2014 in the coming days and weeks.

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By Tim Pollard, managing editor, MSN Cars