Kia Opirus

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Template:Infobox automobile The Kia Opirus is an executive car/full-size sedan, manufactured by Kia Motors and marketed over a single generation for model years 2003–2012 globally and 2004–2009 in North America. Having debuted internationally at the 2003 Geneva Motor Show,<ref name="nameophir"/> the four-door, five-passenger, front-engine, front-drive sedan was launched to the North American market at the New York International Auto Show and in San Diego,<ref name="seats"/> bearing the Amanti nameplate — and prioritizing luxury content and comfort over dynamic performance and agility.

Intended to give Kia upward access to global premium markets, the Opirus represented a departure for the brand in both styling and market positioning. Developed over 22 months at a cost US$167 million (€143 million), 18% of the overall development cost went to R&D investment and 41% to development of production technologies.<ref name="acronyms"/>

As Kia's first premium vehicle, the Opirus replaced the Mazda 929-derived Enterprise in the South Korean domestic market.<ref name="acronyms"/> The Opirus was also the first Kia vehicle sharing a platform with sister company Hyundai,<ref name="acronyms"/> using a variation of the third generation Hyundai Grandeur/XG Y4 platform. For the Opirus, the platform was lengthened 1.9 inches, overall length increased 4.1 inches and height increased 2.6 inches.<ref name="seats"/> As Kia's largest sedan, the Opirus was marketed in a single trim level, sharing components with the Grandeur/XG, and a range of engines including its 3.5 L V6 engine (North America). All models were manufactured in Kia's Hwaseong Plant near Incheon.<ref name="seats"/>

A 2007 facelift, introduced at the 2006 Paris Auto Show, included upgraded specifications, a curb weight reduction of 250 pounds,<ref name="weight">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> revised suspension and a 3.8 L V6 engine (North America) with a 32-percent increase in power over its predecessor.<ref name="revisions"/> Styling revisions included a shorter and wider grill, revised hood, headlamps, front and rear bumper fascias, alloy wheels, trunk deck lid, tail lamps, dual exhaust outlets and rear quarter panels.<ref name="revisions">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The interior featured a revised instrument panel design.

The name Opirus referred to the ancient city of Ophir, noted for its wealth<ref name="nameophir">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Survey"/> — and was selected via an online survey from the choices of Opirus, Regent and Conzern.<ref name="Survey">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2004, the New York Times described the name Amanti as an untranslatable latinate construction, intended to connote luxury.<ref name="italianate">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Design and equipment

The Opirus' styling — described variously as conservative,<ref name="derivative">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> neo-classic,<ref name="acronyms"/> restrained, unoriginal and derivative<ref name="derivative"/> — drew cues from disparate sources, notably the Mercedes-Benz E-class, Lincoln Town Car, Jaguar S-Type, Lexus GS, Chrysler 300C, and Lancia Thesis.<ref name="nameophir"/><ref name="thesis">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In the Korean Domestic Market, interior features included available heated and reclining rear seats,<ref name="seats">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> high-intensity-discharge headlights, navigation system, electro-luminescent gauges, ignition immobilizer, reverse parking sensors and electronically adjustable suspension settings.<ref name="wishbone"/>

In North America, the sedan was marketed to value-sensitive 40-to-60-year-old professionals<ref name="acronyms"/><ref name="seats"/> with standard equipment at introduction including manually tilting leather-wrapped, four-spoke steering wheel<ref name="seats"/> with faux woodgrain inserts and remote audio and cruise controls; faux wood grain dash, console and door accents (lighter prior to the 2007 facelift, darker thereafter); power locks and windows; CD player with six speakers; electronic driver- and passenger-adjustable climate control; front, curtain and side airbags;<ref name="seats"/> dual zone automatic climate control; keyless entry;<ref name="wishbone"/> herring bone cloth interior; glove-box only key; elongated LED turn-signals; rain-sensing windshield wipers; analog clock; foot-operated parking brake (releasable by a dash-mounted pull-handle); power moonroof; 16" alloy wheels; full-size spare on an alloy wheel;<ref name="cubic"/> and an eight-way powered driver's bucket seat and four-way passenger bucket seat<ref name="watts"/> with door-mounted adjustment controls using a "mock-seat" ergonomic design.<ref name="wishbone"/> The interior received heavy acoustic insulation,<ref name="acoustic">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="derivative"/> and later models included heated rear seats, and electro-luminescent instrument lighting.<ref name="acoustic"/> European models include two ISOFIX anchorage points.<ref name="acronyms"/>

Options included leather interior, 270-watt Infinity stereo with subwoofer and six-disc changer,<ref name="watts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> dashboard LCD screen, trip computer with 4" LCD screen, heated seats, Adjustable pedals, auto-dimming rearview mirror, and pearl coat paint.<ref name="seats"/> Safety equipment included eight airbags, and obstruction-sensing, anti-pinch power windows.<ref name="cubic"/>

The Opirus offered a passenger volume of 105.6 cubic feet<ref name="cubic">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and a 15.5 cubic foot cargo volume<ref name="seats"/> — the trunk equipped with a gas strut-assisted lid and luggage restraining net.<ref name="cubic"/>

In North America, J.D. Power and Associates recognized the Amanti as the "Most Appealing Premium Midsize Car" in its 2005 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout Study.

Drivetrain

The Opirus was marketed globally with the 3.5L Sigma and the 3.8L Lambda engines. The North American Amanti featured the 3.5 liter engine producing 200 bhp at 5500 rpm and 220 lb.-ft. of torque at 3500 rpm.<ref name="wishbone"/> Shifting was by a 5-speed automatic transmission, shifting either in fully automatic or manual sequential modes — the latter controlled via an H-shaped shift gate.<ref name="thesis"/> Steering was an electronically power assisted rack and pinion system<ref name="cubic"/> with an overall ratio of 15.24:1 and a turning radius of 5.7 meters.<ref name="acronyms"/>

Suspension featured coil springs, anti-roll bars (26 mm front, 16 mm rear),<ref name="acronyms"/> gas-pressurized shocks,<ref name="cubic"/> a front independent, double A-arm (wishbone) design<ref name="wishbone">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> with unequal-length control arms and rear multi-link rear geometry.<ref name="thesis"/> Suspension included an ECS (electronically controlled suspension) system with automatic and sport mode, selectable via a switch adjacent to the transmission shift gate and the sport mode providing stiffer shock absorber settings.<ref name="acronyms"/>

Brakes included 11.9/11.2-inch front/rear discs<ref name="discs">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> with four channel, four sensors ABS (anti-lock brakes), BAS (emergency brake assist), EBD (electronic brake force distribution), TCS (traction control system), and ESP (electronic stability program).<ref name="acronyms">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The Opirus is the first<ref name="acronyms"/> Kia to integrate an Electronic Stability Program (ESP), developed with Continental Teves of Germany.<ref name="acronyms"/>

Engines

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Model Years Transmission Power@rpm Torque@rpm 0–100 km/h
(0–62 mph)
(Official)		 Top Speed
Petrol
Delta 2.7L 2003–2004 5-speed automatic Template:Convert @ 6,000 rpm Template:Convert @ 4,000 rpm Template:Cvt
2005–2006 Template:Convert @ 6,000 rpm Template:Convert @ 4,000 rpm
Mu 2.7L 2007–2009 Template:Convert @ 6,000 rpm Template:Convert @ 4,200 rpm
2010–2012 6-speed automatic Template:Convert @ 6,000 rpm Template:Convert @ 4,200 rpm
Sigma 3.0L 2003–2006 5-speed automatic Template:Convert @ 5,500 rpm Template:Convert @ 3,500 rpm Template:Cvt
Lambda 3.3L 2007–2009 Template:Convert @ 6,000 rpm Template:Convert @ 3,500 rpm
2010–2012 6-speed automatic Template:Convert @ 6,200 rpm Template:Convert @ 4,800 rpm
Sigma 3.5L 2003–2006 5-speed automatic Template:Convert @ 5,500 rpm Template:Convert @ 3,500 rpm 9.2s Template:Cvt
Lambda 3.8L 2005–2006 Template:Convert @ 6,000 rpm Template:Convert @ 3,500 rpm
2007–2010 Template:Convert @ 6,000 rpm Template:Convert @ 4,500 rpm 7.5s Template:Cvt
2010–2012 6-speed automatic Template:Convert @ 6,000 rpm Template:Convert @ 4,500 rpm
LPG
Mu 2.7L LPi 2010–2012 6-speed automatic Template:Convert @ 6,000 rpm Template:Convert @ 4,000 rpm

References

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