Photo: SB-Medien
In the crowded world of mid-size sedans, Kia's Optima isn't the type of vehicle to boast about. Not even the hybrid variant has the means to rock your boat as much as more modern and posher rivals such as the Volkswagen Passat B8 or 2015 Hyundai Sonata.
Of course, the lower starting price and plethora of kit offered as standard are the biggest arguments over posher competitors from Germany, but Kia's mid-size sedan cannot escape the fact that it's an old bugger. As such, there's a new model coming soon enough.
When will that happen? Sometime next year if we take into account the first generation lived for five years or so, while the current one is turning five in 2015. Further evidence supporting this assumption comes in the form of numerous third-generation Kia Optima test mules, which were spotted in places such as the United States of America and Europe.
On this occasion, our spy photographers caught on film an example of the 2016 Kia Optima on what the spirited driver calls the Green Hell. Our carparazzi and our very eyes can confirm this particular mule broke down on the Nurburgring, in a fast bit called the Hohenrain, which is near the corner a curious Koenigsegg Agera development prototype crashed at the beginning of September.
Fortunately for both the test driver and engineers, there was a tow truck on hand to ship the Optima to the Hyundai Motor Group's European Technical Center. Yes, even the South Koreans have their own test facility near the Nurburgring Nordschleife to fine tune the suspension setup of new models.
Technical details on the 2016 Kia Optima and a video of it heroically lapping the Ring can be found here.
When will that happen? Sometime next year if we take into account the first generation lived for five years or so, while the current one is turning five in 2015. Further evidence supporting this assumption comes in the form of numerous third-generation Kia Optima test mules, which were spotted in places such as the United States of America and Europe.
On this occasion, our spy photographers caught on film an example of the 2016 Kia Optima on what the spirited driver calls the Green Hell. Our carparazzi and our very eyes can confirm this particular mule broke down on the Nurburgring, in a fast bit called the Hohenrain, which is near the corner a curious Koenigsegg Agera development prototype crashed at the beginning of September.
Fortunately for both the test driver and engineers, there was a tow truck on hand to ship the Optima to the Hyundai Motor Group's European Technical Center. Yes, even the South Koreans have their own test facility near the Nurburgring Nordschleife to fine tune the suspension setup of new models.
Technical details on the 2016 Kia Optima and a video of it heroically lapping the Ring can be found here.
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