The design of the recently unveiled Kia Sportspace concept is an interesting discussion topic in itself. It looks like an Audi that’s been designed by an Italian, and I mean that in the best possible way.

While Alfa Romeo idles away occasionally firing off an announcement about a future sedan (which would have to come as an estate, as well) seemingly at random, other manufacturers are seriously upping their game; Kia is obviously one of them, as is Hyundai, along with Mazda and even Volvo.

The Sportspace concept reflects this, as well as the fact that it’s a passion project that first emerged in the mind of Kia’s chief of design, Gregory Guillaume, back when he still hadn’t finished his studies.

He says “this car comes from an ambition I had when I was studying design in Switzerland as a young man. I always had this picture in my mind of creating a vehicle that I could have used to go for a weekend’s skiing with friends before driving back for it to be displayed at the Geneva Salon. Geneva is a special show for me – it comes as winter starts to release its grip.”

We already know Kia says this is not ‘a traditional estate car,’ and we believe them, although with that rising shoulder line, it’s not a shooting brake either.

Guillaume explains the philosophy behind the car’s outward appearance: “the visual weight of the rear is reduced with careful shaping of screen, door and rear bumper. The edges cut into the mass to make its raked appearance believable and less wagon-like.”

The interior is another highlight of this concept, and it undoubtedly shows the way Kia is choosing to go forward. It’s far more futuristic than anything it currently sells, but as with so many concepts these days, it’s fully functional and buildable.

Regarding the interior, Guillaume says it’s “very black” and “with focus on control and function - but the ambience of the passenger compartment must also be refined, relaxed and a welcoming place to be. The sense of space was essential.”

With this more detailed explanation of the design roots of the Sportspace (which is said to preview the next Optima), Kia also added an extra photo of the interior.

The redesigned Kia Optima is expected to make its debut in early April.

According to a report from Edmunds, the Korean automaker will debut the 2016 Kia Optima at the upcoming New York Auto Show ahead of the sedan arriving in dealerships later this year.

The Optima is Kia’s number-one selling vehicle in the U.S. and an insider says the new Optima will have all new sheet metal though the overall appearance will be familiar and evolutionary.

Based on recent spy photos of the 2016 Kia Optima, expect the styling to borrow cues from the Sportspace concept that will debut next week at the Geneva Motor Show. According to sales data, the Kia Optima sold 159,020 units last year in the U.S. and accounted for 27 percent of the company’s volume.

Previews next-gen Optima wagon

Kia has introduced the very appealing SPORTSPACE concept this week at the 85 th Geneva Motor Show.

Likely previewing a wagon version of the next generation Optima, Kia’s striking SPORTSPACE concept promises to offer "stylish and exciting transportation for four" thanks to an attractive design created by Peter Schreyer, the same man responsible for the iconic design of the first generation Audi TT. Hopefully the production version will stay true to the concept as much as possible, but expect the interior cabin to be substantially different.

The SPORTSPACE adopts a front-wheel drive layout with power coming from a 2.0-liter turbo gasoline engine outputting 250 HP (184 kW). Kia says the concept is 4855mm long, 1870mm wide, 1425mm tall and rides on 20-inch alloys inset with carbon fiber.

The generous 2840mm wheelbase grants a spacious interior cabin where there are 28 rolling ***** in the trunk as part of an innovative loading system. Interestingly, these ***** are automatically lowered by 3mm when the car is started as a safety measure to keep the stored items in place at all times.

Kia’s beautiful Sportspace Concept is without a doubt the star of the automaker’s Geneva Motor Show booth.

In the absence of any official reference to a future production model inspired by this D-segment study, the most logical speculation is that it previews the next-generation Kia Optima.

Whether the upcoming Optima will get an estate version it remains to be seen, but it’s pretty clear this study will not be shelved after the Geneva Motor Show closes its gates. It’s definitely one of those pre-production studies automakers have accustomed us to in recent years.

Designed at Kia’s Frankfurt design studio, under the direction of Gregory Guillaume, Chief Designer Europe, the Sportspace offers “stylish and exciting transportation” for four passengers, “without sacrificing the performance, sustainability and economy that Kia is known for.”

Kia refuses to categorize the Sportspace, saying it is neither a saloon nor a wagon, neither a hatchback nor a shooting brake. So what is it then? In Kia’s own words, “a vehicle that can meet the demands of those who refuse to be categorized when it comes to their lifestyle or their motoring needs.”

Let’s say that settles it and end this story by adding that no details were offered about the car’s powertrain.

Kia refuses to categorize the Sportspace, saying it is neither a saloon nor a wagon, neither a hatchback nor a shooting brake. So what is it then? In Kia’s own words, “a vehicle that can meet the demands of those who refuse to be categorized when it comes to their lifestyle or their motoring needs.”

The Kia Sportspace concept will head to production within the next 18 months.

After making its worldwide debut at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, a spokesman for the Korean automaker confirmed to Top Gear that the concept will head to production as the Optima wagon. In addition, the CEO of Kia Motors Europe, Michael Cole, admitted that the company wants to “enter segments that we’re not in to support our growth,” and wagons sell particularly well in Europe.

As a result, don’t expect to see the Optima wagon on U.S. shores anytime soon considering how weak wagon sales are in North America. The European market will likely get to enjoy a performance version of the Optima wagon in the future as well the Korean automaker said. What North American shoppers can get excited for is the idea of a performance sedan that was previewed by the Kia GT concept.

Those hoping to see the GT4 Stinger concept head to production will have to wait a bit longer. Currently the company has no plans of bringing that to production due to everything already on its plate.

These sketches are our first teaser glimpse at the production version of Kia's new generation Optima sedan, due for a world premiere at the New York Auto Show on April 1.

Naturally, as with all teaser sketches, they're a bit on the optimistic side – heck, the Optima here looks more aggressive than the Geneva Motor Show Sport Space concept that hinted at the design direction for the mid-size sedan as well as a possible estate addition to the range.

What we'll take from these official renderings is the more sculpted sides and the pronounced wheel arches together with the more angled rear window and a glasshouse that has a strong resemblance to the current model that was introduced at the 2010 NY Auto Show.

The only piece of information we get from Kia is that the new Optima was "passionately designed and obsessively crafted".

We do know that it will share its platform with the latest Hyundai Sonata, so it should offer a similar engine lineup in North America, including a 1.6-liter turbo, a 2.4-liter naturally aspirated four and a 2.0-liter turbocharged unit.