About two weeks ago, Kia->ke41 announced that would head to the 2014 Detroit Auto Show->ke222 with a 2+2 concept car that will preview the long-rumored Kia sports car. Today the company revealed the concept's official name and a new image of the concept.

This new concept is named the GT4 Stinger and, according to the details that Kia gave us, it will bring into focus the latest version of Kia’s signature "Tiger Nose" grille.

Along with the revised grille, the GT4 Stinger will also feature vertical LED headlights flanking the white surround of the grille, brake cooling vents, 20-inch wheels and a carbon fiber front splitter mounted below the bumper. This first image really gives us a nice look at this striking front end, and we simply cannot wait to see it.

On top of this awesome-looking nose, this concept will carry a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that delivers a total of 315 horsepower to the rear wheels through a six-speed, close-ratio manual transmission. If this potent four-pot finds its way into a production model, then Kia will officially put Toyota, Scion and Subaru on notice to get off their rumps and add some much-needed power to the GT 86, FR-S and BR-Z triplets.

Stay tuned for more details on the concept, which Kia plans to release on January 13th, shortly before the official unveiling.

Click past the jump to read more about this awesome concept.

Teaser Images

Dec 18, 2013 - Teaser Image No. 1

Jan 2, 2014 - Teaser Image No. 2

Jan 9, 2014 - Teaser Image No. 3

Exterior

The design of the GT4 Stinger was created by the team at Kia's Irvine, California design studio. This is the same team that created the Cross GT Concept.

The idea was to create a modern interpretation of a thoroughbred sports car with short overhangs, taught dimensions and a long hood. The large grille seen here actually features a lighting setup that makes it glow a soft white, and the front splitter on the car is made from carbon fiber.

The actual exterior sizing of the GT4 is shorter than a Forte, but features a width that is greater than the Cadenza. With its swooping roofline and 49.2-inch height, the GT4 Stinger sits lower than the Porsche Cayman S.

Exterior Dimensions

Interior

The interior of the concept sticks with the same purposeful design theme. The floor is covered with rubber rather than carpet, and the pedals are made from billet aluminum. The seats are large racing -style units and the driver is greeted by a flat-bottom steering wheel. Minimalism is a strong design point in the cockpit, as the door pulls have been replaced by pull-straps and there is no stereo.

Drivetrain

Under the hood of the Kia GT4 Stinger concept is a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that has been tuned to 315 horsepower. This same engine is used in the Optima race car and creates more than 400 horsepower, so there is plenty of opportunity for power increases.

All that power is routed to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission. The importance of having a clutch pedal has been minimized in the recent years of ultra-fast dual-clutch automatics, but for a rawer driving experience it is impossible to beat the engagement that comes from rowing your own cogs.

Chassis

Tucked into all four corners under that exciting "Ignition Yellow" paint are 20-inch alloy wheels wrapped in Pirelli rubber. Those huge rims help to hide an equally huge set of brakes in the form of Brembo Gran Turismo 15-inch, cross-drilled rotors and four-piston calipers -- this are nearly equal to the hardware fitted to the newly announced Z06 Corvette.

Competition

Toyota GT 86

When Kia announced the new sports car, they described it as "a little less pure than the Toyota GT 86, more of a comfortable cruiser." Of course back then we didn't expect it to be this powerful.

Unlike the GT4 Stinger, the GT 86 is powered by a a 2.0-liter, naturally-aspirated, flat-four engine that delivers a total of 200 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 151 pound-feet of torque at 6,600 rpm.

Conclusion

Kia has stated that there are no plans to produce the GT4 Stinger, but if they take this general design and hardware, Kia could have a car that will disrupt the performance market for years.