Updated Opirus luxury sedan not coming

KIA Motors Australia has confirmed that its revised Opirus flagship revealed overseas last week will not be sold Down Under.

"It’s not what Kia is about," PR manager Jonathan Fletcher told GoAuto.

The newly facelifted 196kW/353Nm 3.8-litre V6 Opirus is loosely based on the previous-generation (XG) Hyundai Grandeur sedan, which itself was a spin-off from the mid-sized EF Sonata platform.

The Mercedes E-class-sized four-door luxury sedan was originally launched at the Frankfurt motor show in 2003.

It unashamedly borrowed styling cues from the top Europeans, including the twin round headlights from the E-class and Jaguar S-types gaping mouth grille.