Kia’s new upmarket flagship sedan, the K9, has gone on sale in Korea featuring a raft of high-tech innovations, including the company’s all-new, in-house developed eight-speed automatic transmission. The South Korean car maker says that the transmission’s wide spread of gear ratios guarantees brisk acceleration and high-speed refinement, while shift-by-wire technology with a joystick control delivers fast and smooth gear changes. The K9, which introduces Kia to an entirely new segment of the global automotive market, will be available in some overseas markets powered by an upgraded 290ps Lambda V6 3.8-liter MPI engine. A 334ps 3.8-liter GDI engine will also be joining the global engine line-up next year. With a 5,090mm overall length and 3,045mm wheelbase, K9 offers generous front and rear occupant space, says a company spokesperson. Overall width and height are 1,900mm and 1,490mm, respectively, which creates a spacious cabin environment.
Source : Engine Technology International. @ rrajowan