Kia Motors chose the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show to take wraps off a high-performance version of the 2016 Optima. The new Kia Optima GT will go on sale in Europe next year packing a 2.0-litre T-GDI engine with 245 horsepower.

Kia’s second GT model after the cee’d family comes with an athletic appearance by which we mean it’s just a normal Optima with a big grin on its face. The car gets sports bumpers and 18-inch wheels, plus a redesigned ‘tiger-nose’ grille. On the whole, Kia Optima GT looks acceptable.

Kia says in developing the new Optima GT ride and handling were at the top of the list of priorities, which is why this car will get its own bespoke Electronically-Controlled Suspension system, larger disc brakes and a tailored version of Kia’s new rack-mounted motor-driven power steering (R-MDPS). All that means the front-wheel-drive sports sedan can make the best of its engine 245 PS and 353 Nm (260 lb ft) of torque to provide you with a joyful driving experience where you can go from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.4 seconds and onto a top speed of 240 km/h.

Kia Optima GT will hit the market a few months after the standard model launches in Europe in the fourth quarter of 2015.