(Mon 22 Feb 10)

The rather dramatic-looking beast in these design studies is the new Kia Optima, which will make its world debut at the New York International Auto Show on April 2.

If the name isn't familiar to you, that's because Kia has never used it in the UK. What you are actually looking at is the next-generation Magentis. The current Magentis, though undoubtedly out-of-date, isn't a bad car, but hardly anybody buys it because Kia markets itself in this country as a maker of small cars and SUVs.

That may have to change, because the new car looks pretty good. You'll have to wait for it, though, since it won't go on sale anywhere in Europe until spring 2011, and no UK launch date has yet been announced.

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