Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Hyundai, Kia
Kia's updated Opirus may give sneak peek at new Amanti
While trolling the AutoWeek forums we found a post that led us to Kia's Korean website where, front and center, the brand was touting the "N.E.X.T. Opirus". We're not sure what "N.E.X.T." stands for, but it's clear from these photos that Kia has gone to the trouble of cleaning up the front and rear clips of the Opirus, which is the basis for the North American Amanti. The front end looks much better with a wider and shorter grille (are those LED lamps in the lower bumper à la the Audi S6?), while out back... is that... is that a Bangle-butt on a Kia (see the rear shot after the jump)? The interior including the center console is also redone and now includes the requisite navigation system the Amanti has been missing for so long.
The improvements are much appreciated, but end far short of a complete redesign. The Opirus, however, does get a major boost in power thanks to the corporate 3.8-liter V6 also used in the Hyundai Azera. Producing 263 horsepower, the larger powerplant would give the Amanti a lot more get up and go than its current 200-hp, 3.5-liter V6.
The AutoWeek forum members are now haggling over price, some insisting that if these changes occur to the North American Amanti that its base price will immediately crest the $30K mark, putting Kia in uncharted territory.
(Follow the jump for additional pics of the exterior and interior)
[Source: AutoWeek forums]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Kamil 2:12PM (7/17/2006)
Still looks like a cheap replica of some unidentified luxury car. What an ugly POS. I feel bad for the people who'll buy it... for a lot of reasons.
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Josh 2:14PM (7/17/2006)
Number 1: It's still a piece of trash. It probably still bobs and dips like a 1982 Buick Skylark.
Number 2: The front turn signals are yellow LED's (for absolutely no good reason). This is the same as the current car, and quite annoying to look at when an Amanti is coming towards you with the turn signals on.
Case in point: my Korean dry cleaner got rid of hers after 6 months and bought a Nissan Murano. Even national pride can't overcome crap.
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Richard Warren 2:16PM (7/17/2006)
YUK!
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Aki 2:20PM (7/17/2006)
It's still disproportional. Greenhouse looks too tall because the car is too short and stubby. Should increase size by a like a foot then it'd look a little more decent. If it's the N.E.X.T. Amanti, it's U.G.L.Y.
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Dr. Woo 2:23PM (7/17/2006)
Slightly more horrifying than the Lancia Thesis.
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Bob 2:27PM (7/17/2006)
It looks like the drug induced love-child of a mercedes E class grill and a Linconl Town car rear-end.
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kevin 2:34PM (7/17/2006)
talk about no character
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Dan Dessner 2:38PM (7/17/2006)
I agree that this car is loathsome, but my Dad loves his. It's big, soft, quiet, comfortable and has been bulletproof in the 14 months he's owned it. To each his own....
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Tim UF 2:40PM (7/17/2006)
Will this be based on the Hyundai Azera (the engine at least is shared)? If so, looks aside, it should be a decent auto at a bargain price.
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GCH 2:49PM (7/17/2006)
I thought Kia was abandoning this design with a back roof line that remind us of the buick regal from 1980-84.
Very elegant but these efforts should be done on a new design.
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Tim 2:55PM (7/17/2006)
Buy this and discover the true meaning of the word depreciation. And understeer.
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PJ 2:58PM (7/17/2006)
I'm not seeing much 7-Series imitation in the rear end, but those taillights are clearly cribbing the Maybach's...
Tim, just to answer your question, the Amanti and Azera don't share platforms. From what I understand, the Amanti's dates back to the Hyundai XG 300, while the Azera is built on a stretched version of the new Sonata platform.
It's interesting. Everything about the Amanti screams cheap lux-car knock-off, but it's been a strong seller for Kia since it was released. Then again, I guess the same could be said of the Buick LeSabre and Mercury Grand Marquis, and those have been best-sellers too. I'm just surprised that the aging traditional-car crowd has been so willing to accept a Korean substitute.
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Jim in Tampa 3:04PM (7/17/2006)
Josh (No. 2) - I don't find the LED turn signals on the front of the Amanti annoying. They behave just like LED tail lights found on many cars. And I think you'd better get used to them because I bet you're gonna see a lot more LED front turn signals.
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Alex Nunez 3:05PM (7/17/2006)
Dr. Woo:
Nothing -- not even this calamity -- is more horrifying than the Lancia Thesis.
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Alex Nunez 3:07PM (7/17/2006)
At least from the interior, which looks pretty nice, to be fair, one can't see the bodywork.
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noe 3:13PM (7/17/2006)
to be short the cars looks like a jaguar front if it had a f@#ked up face lift and the roof of a minivan and i agree with all the rest UGLY.
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Loren 4:02PM (7/17/2006)
Looks like they took a Lincoln Towncar and shrunk it
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carbuzzard 4:06PM (7/17/2006)
What the Amanti has provided is a lot of "stuff" for the money. And the float-a-lot ride some people love, such as Dan noted about his dad. Most Amanti buyers would prefer to have an S-Class, or perhaps a DTS, so if you will generously help them by providing a very substantial downpayment, I'm sure they can swing it.
That said, with Len Hunt at the helm, I suspect that the handling dynamics (and other elements) of the Amanti's replacment will be better. Hunt held up the Optima for six months to make sure it was right...and it is. He can do that with the Amanti, too.
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Jay 4:37PM (7/17/2006)
It's strange that they'd not update it since the XG350 was kicked to the curb for the Azera. As far as the LED lamps go, the previous Amanti had the LED turn signal lamps...this one's seem to be wider.
I was given one as a rental a couple of years ago, and while it's certainly not my cup of tea, I can see where anyone looking for an inexpensive comfortable cruiser would like it very much. It has a huge amount of body roll, so it's not going to win any handling awards, but retirees on a budget searching for a big roomy cushy car will love it.
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ron 4:38PM (7/17/2006)
I think you guys are totally missing the target audience for this car! There are a hell of a lot of us baby-boomers retiring and looking for vehicles that fit our new (read downsized) lifestyle. Most will have more money in retirement than any other retires that have come before us (or will follow) and we will spend it. Many want luxury (or near-luxury), but we're financially astute enough to not to blow it on a 'Benz or a Beemer. We don't want a land yatch such as the Town Car, but contrary to what Cadillac tells us, we have no intention of burning down the road in a CTS(or whatever) listening to Led Zep blaring in our ears! So cars like this just may be the ticket! And BTW, that tall roof you don't like just may let you sit a little more upright, and your siatic nerve will surely thank you for that!
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