IN 2008, at the New York auto show, Kia showed the world the breadth of its ambition with the Koup concept. The car's design (ex-Audi man Peter Schreyer strikes again) was beautiful, but it was the figures thrown around which impressed - all-wheel drive, a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, 293bhp and almost 400Nm of torque.

All this was to make it into production directly, so naturally we drooled. An affordable WRX competitor? Bring it on.

It was almost unbelievable at the time but considering there was already a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine (rated around 200bhp) in sister company Hyundai's Genesis Coupe, it was still within the realm of possibility.

But between now and then of course, lies the wreckage of the global economy and the ghosts of once powerful carmakers. So Kia, by its own admission, has had to downgrade the production car somewhat to reign in costs not just for itself, but for potential customers too.

Maybe not a popular move, but a smart and necessary one, especially for an automaker wanting to take its place among the biggest car companies in the world before the next decade.

One thing it didn't have to worry about was the styling, an almost perfect transposition of the concept into reality. Preserved were the low, hunkering stance, wide air intake, blistered fenders and even petal-shaped alloys. Round the side is an upturned belt line at the rear arches, adding dynamism, while there's no mistaking the rear-end for anything else.

Kia claims different body-panels from the Cerato Forte sedan (upon which the Koup is based) everywhere except the bonnet. But the good thing is one good look will tell you the same.

DRIVING IT

First off no turbochargers, sorry although Kia says they will introduce the turbocharged engine if it feels there's demand for it.

Until then we'll make do with the familiar 1.6 and 2.0-litre engines, as found on the Cerato, with power outputs of 124 and 156bhp respectively. Drivetrains are also identical with a choice of five-speed manual or four-speed auto.

We tried the 2.0 round Seoul, where it proved an able performer.

There are no major tweaks so torque and power remain the same, although throttle response and the exhaust have been optimised for the sporty audience Kia has in mind for the Koup.

10.5 seconds to 100km/h is decently quick and the Koup is perky off the line although gaining more velocity at higher speeds is a little sluggish. The automatic transmission also gets tweaked with higher rpm ceiling before shifting and faster kickdowns, although what the car needs most is an extra ratio or two for better pick-up. It does have a manual mode although one is really better off with the cheaper full manual tranny, which hits the century in a quick 9.3 seconds.

Where the Koup proves its real mettle though, is in handling.

There have been much more changes to liven things up in that department: overall the coupe is 60mm lower (50mm in height, 10mm in suspension), wheelbase is the same at 2,650mm but with a wider front and rear track (65mm and 79mm).

Add all this up and couple it with feelsome full-hydraulic power steering and you get a car that is both more stable at high speed and fun to drive in the bends.

We expected a lot more roll to go with the firm but still comfortable ride but Kia has managed to banish wallowing in the corners to a highly acceptable rate.

The brakes could use more feel and less travel. But other than that, the Koup's certainly got enough driving verve to back up its visual character.

INSIDE IT

There's not much difference here from the sedan - it's very well put together and feels top-notch, way past the price point.

The rear seats can comfortably fit two adults (or even three) but the only major difficulty is the dropped roof.

Even then only very vertically-advanced peopled will have anything to whinge about.

Possible options shown to us which may (or may not) make their way here are two-tone interiors (red on black, like the Soul hatchback) and a mood lighting system, which pulsates according to the music.

 

 

 

IF you know your BMWs from your Mercedes, then the BMW Z8 should not be too foreign a name. After all, it was the four-wheeled star in the James Bond flick, The World Is Not Enough.

 

The Z8 was the result of a highly successful styling exercise – the Z07 concept – which was in turn inspired by a car so beautiful (and expensive) that it nearly bankrupted German car maker – the legendary BMW 507 from the late 1950s.

 

Designed by Albrecht von Goertz, the 507 is a two-door roadster with a lightweight aluminium alloy 3.2-litre V8 engine. The car was light and fast, but was also priced exorbitantly.

It’s no different today. Expect a price tag of at least 650,000 euros (about RM3.2 million), if you can even find one. And don’t expect any satellite navigation or even power steering. What lies behind that huge price tag is a car that is filled with the heart and soul of the people who made it.

Cranking up its eight cylinders is almost an art form. Turn the key, nudge the throttle gently and listen for the firing squad. Once the octet beneath its long front bonnet roars to life, it will send a pleasant chill down your spine and put to shame any modern V8.

If anyone has lost their passion for cars, the 507 will probably set things straight better than Tongkat Ali.
Cruising along the smooth German country roads lined with tall hedges and the occasional dainty cottage, the smell of petrol invaded the cabin like rich perfume. The seat couldn’t be adjusted very far back and the only thing visible in the rear-view mirror while the roof was up was the number plate of the car behind – and that was only when it got close enough. But none of those really mattered.

The humongous steering wheel might have been slightly obstructed by my tubby thighs, but its response was still sharp – same for its engine as well. It was already 50 years old, and yet, each time I extended my right foot a little further, a pulse of excitement assaulted my nerves.

This is exactly the kind of car that will result in a huge petrol bill – mainly because you would be spending most of your time blipping and downshifting, just to hear the music of the V8. It’s still an immensely intoxicating car to drive – and it’s not because of the fumes.

The car that almost bankrupted BMW

The BMW 507 was created to rival the legendary Mercedes- Benz 300SL. From 1956 to 1959, only 253 units of the BMW 507 were ever produced.

Although at that time, journalists and the public loved it, its production costs were too high to rake in profits. In fact, BMW lost money on each 507 built - something which almost led them to bankruptcy.

Owners of this rare car included Elvis Presley and Hans Stuck, father of famous racer Hans-Joachim Stuck.