The Rear-Drive Flagship Kia K900 Will Drop At The LA Auto Show

For those of you who have spent years lusting after a luxurious, V8-powered rear-wheel drive Kia, you need only wait a few weeks for the flagship Kia K900 sedan to make its American debut at the LA Auto Show in November.

Known as the K9 in its South Korean homeland, the K900 will be offered with both V6 and V8 power. Full specs haven't been released yet, but likely that means the 333 horsepower 3.8-liter V6 and the 429 horsepower 5.0-liter V8 engines from the soon-to-be-replaced Hyundai Genesis. The latter engine also sees duty in the top-tier Hyundai Equus, which is closely related to this car.

And that's where I start to ask questions about the K900's role in the marketplace. It is expected to cost between $50,000 and $70,000, which means in V8 trim it will be in about the same range as the Equus. Is there room for two ultra-sedans made for Korean oligarchs in the U.S. market?

Equus sales haven't been much to write home about, so one has to wonder what their expectations are for the K900. And then there's the new Genesis, which may provide enough luxury and performance to get the job done for much cheaper.

Anyway, good on the Koreans for making more premium luxury cars. We'll have to wait and see how buyers warm up to them.