Like its sister brand Hyundai, Kia will soon be going into all-new market territory many thought would never happen. Instead of being associated with cheap econoboxes, Kia has dramatically redefined itself over the past few years, specifically in the design department. Vehicle quality is also top-notch. But would you ever consider paying upwards of $70,000 for a Kia? That apparently will be the case when the South Korean automaker launches the full-sized, rear-wheel-drive K900 luxury sedan. Yes, Kia is moving into the luxury market.

We've known for some time that Kia wanted to bring the model to the US from its home base in South Korea where it's sold as the K9, but market timing had to be right. Based on the same platform as the Hyundai Equus, the K900 will be Kia's first RWD sedan in the US. The question is whether US customers would be willing to pay anywhere from $50,000 to $70,000 for it. Kia plans to market it as a "BMW 7 Series value for a 5 Series price." Looking at Kia's success rate so far with stylish and value-packed models like the Optima and Cadenza, the K900 could very well be another winner.