Kia Introduces K900 RWD Flagship with V6 and V8 Mills at LA Auto Show

Do you want to know the first thing that we noticed about Kia's K900 flagship saloon, besides the very BMW-esque styling language of the exterior? The very, very BMW-like automatic transmission's handle, and that says a lot about Kia's first effort in the rear-wheel drive (premium) sedan segment. Yes, we've seen it before, but it really never gets old…

The K900 might have a new name for North America as its Korean moniker "K9". was deemed inappropriate due to its use for working dogs, while Kia also ditched the idea to use its other name for international markets, the "Quoris", but it has been around for more than a year now.

The transition from Korean to North American specification model didn't bring any significant changes on the styling front, only a new grille piece, chrome wheels and colored side markers in the headlamps.

Riding on a 119.9-inch (3,022mm) wheelbase, the K900 promises to offer plenty of space for its passengers who are enclosed in what Kia describes as an "opulent" interior with all sorts of standard and available comfort features and gadgets, from standard multi-stage heating for the outboard seats to a 12.3 inch, the full-color LCD screen for the infotainment system on top trims.

Among other available features mentioned by Kia are a full-length panoramic roof with power retractable sunshade, individual rear seats with multi-stage cooling that can also recline and incorporate power lumbar support and lateral headrest adjustability, a TFT instrument panel, a 900-watt Lexicon high-fidelity audio system, and a camera-based Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS).

When the Hyundai Genesis-based K900 goes on sale in the States during the first quarter of 2014, it will be available with a choice of two gasoline powerplants, a 3.8-liter Lamba V6 with 311 horsepower, and a 5.0-liter Tau V8 rated at 420 horsepower. Both units are paired to a standard eight-speed automatic transmission.

PHOTO GALLERY

Texas Woman Drives Kia Rondo on Highway with Flat Tire on Fire [Updated]

We've added a second video that shows the Kia engulfed in flames and firefighters trying to extinguish the blaze

Smoking hot, you say? Well, yes, but literally, not metaphorically… You see, YouTube author Miguel Alvarez and his buddy noticed a Kia Rondo on Interstate 635 in Garland Texas with smoke and fire coming out under the front wheel arch on the driver's side.

As the two men approached the Korean minivan, they immediately saw what had happened: the lady behind the wheel, who had her safety signals on, was apparently aware that something was wrong with the car, but hadn't noticed that the flat tire had actually turned into a rolling ball of fire…

Who knows, maybe she thought her car was fitted with run-flats or she believed she could make it to the next exit with a busted tire.

Feel free to watch the video, which for the record, was filmed in May last year, right past the break.

VIDEO

Kia's Dreamy 2012 Super Bowl Ad, Plus a 5-Hour Video of Victoria's Secret Model Adriana Lima

Only a few days left for the big game, so Kia released the full version of its 2012 Super Bowl ad titled "Drive the Dream" for the new Optima Limited Edition featuring a slew of stars including Victoria's Secret super model Angel Adriana Lima, the Motley Crew, martial arts champ Chuck Liddell and bull rider Judd Leffew.
Out of all those stars, we all know who will capture the attention of most viewers.
Kia's marketing division came to the same conclusion as us and so it created a five-hour long looped version of the hot Brazilian model repeatedly waving her chequered flag. You can watch both videos after the jump.

Kia Hooks its Belgium CEO up to a Lie Detector to Dispel Doubts About 7 Year Warranty

If there’s one thing South Korea’s Kia does better than any other automaker, it is offering especially long warranties. In Belgium, for instance, the warranties across their entire range of vehicles extend to seven years.
That’s no mean feat, though intriguingly Kia Belgium have found that a lot of new car buyers believe the seven year warranty scheme is too good to be true. Either there’s a catch, or it doesn’t cover all Kia models, or there’s some extra charges that need to be paid first.
To counteract these rumours, and gain some additional customers, Kia Belgium hooked its General Manager Benoit Morrene up to a polygraph (lie detector) and let the general public ask him questions in an online, streamlining environment.

Kia Reunites Joyride Characters for New 2012 Sorento Ad

Though not as successful as their music-loving hamster counterparts, Kia’s oddball cast of life-size children's characters from last year’s Joyride commercials are back for a new advertising campaign.
Muno, Sock Monkey, MR. X, the vintage robot and teddy bear will star in two new 30-second TV spots for the 2012 Sorento CUV. As with the original campaign, "Joyride 2" was created by David&Goliath, KMA's advertising agency of choice. The first commercial begins airing today and will be followed up by the second spot next month.