Kia goes for European-style luxury with K900 sedan

Kia has revealed more details about its upcoming luxury sedan, the K900. This is the car that Laurence Fishburne sang opera in, in a memorable Superbowl ad. Looking like a cross between a Jaguar XF and a Maserati Quattroporte, the Kia K900 is powered by a 420hp V8 engine, or a 311hp V6.

K900 features sleek styling with a high rear deck lid, and 19-inch chromed alloy wheels. Adaptive lighting uses 16 LED bulbs, as well as LED running lights, fog lamps, and taillights.

As Morpheus pointed out, the interior features soft Nappa leather, LED illumination, walnut or poplar wood trim, 12-way power driver’ seat, and available reclining rear outboard seats. As Camry and Crown owners can attest to, having a button to fold the back cushion of the front passenger seat is a must-have feature. A 12.3-inch TFT panel acts a the instrument panel, and a heads-up display is available. The audio system is a 17-speaker, 900-watt by Lexicon.

The 5.0-liter 32-valve aluminum V8 produces 420hp and is mated to an eight-speed automatic. A 3.8-liter V6 will be available later on, with 311 hp. Suspension is via multi-link system front and rear, mounted on sub-frames for better road isolation.

Will the luxury be powerful enough to carry the Kia badge into the luxury market? The K900 will retail for $59,500. Morpheus may have sent Jaguars flying in the Kia ad, but it will be an interesting battle on the road.