The new sedan absolutely nails the landing.
When one thinks about the Kia K5 (previously known as the Optima) images of motorsport and high-performance driving do not necessarily come to mind. After all, this mid-size executive sedan was never designed to tear up the straights of the Nurburgring, but rather to transport mildly important business people to board meetings. In a recent video posted on the Kia Motors America YouTube channel, the Korean brand attempts to dispel that stereotype with a stunt that is seldom pulled off. "The flat spin 360; often imagined, rarely attempted. Accomplished, just this once" goes the video, which shows a Kia K5 being flung over a ramp at crazy angles.
The K5 GT used in the video is far from stock and has been extensively modified with a roll cage, skid plate, containment seat, 5-point harness e-brake, deactivated airbags, and stripped out interior. The video shows the Kia in a shipping container yard bolting for a ramp. Above it a billboard reads "a 290 horsepower pilot twist".
The car hits the ramp at a massive angle and flies into the air where it completes a 360 spin, after which it nails a not-so-elegant landing. The car clearly takes some damage but manages to drive away after the fact. The whole thing looks very impressive, and while it might not be the best way to convince people of buying a K5, it is good to know that the car can pull off the move.
This stunt forms part of Kia's investment in a primetime slot on the 72nd Emmy Awards telecast. "Partnering with the 72nd Emmy Awards puts the all-new K5 front and center during one of the most watched live television events of the year," said Russell Wager, director, marketing operations, Kia Motors America. "The K5 launch is like nothing the midsize sedan category has ever seen and this latest initiative highlights the 'It Factor' that sets the K5 apart from everything else."
The Kia K5 GT is powered by a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder developing 290 horsepower and sells for $30,490.
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