The new Kia K9 rear-wheel drive luxury sedan will be named Quoris for markets outside of South Korea when it goes on sale in select countries worldwide from the fourth quarter of 2012.

The automaker won’t tell us yet which markets will get the new Quoris but it’s more or less a given that it will be offered in North America and Western Europe.

Thomas Oh, Kia’s Executive Vice President, explains how the company coined the named Quoris:

“Derived from the English words ‘core’ and ‘quality’, the name of our new flagship sedan hints at the attributes at the very heart of the vehicle. The word ‘Quoris’ conveys solidity, luxury and high-technology, all resonating together as a chorus.”

“Our decision to give this striking new sedan an unconventional name means it will stand out even further from the established crowd, driving Kia sales in what is a new segment of the global automotive market for Kia,” Oh added.

In South Korea, the K9 is available with a 3.3-liter V6 delivering 296HP (300PS) and a 3.8-liter V6 churning out 329HP (333PS), both linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission driving the rear wheels.

Kia has previously told us that the Quoris will be offered in overseas markets with a 286hp (290PS) Lambda V6 3.8-litre MPI and a 329HP (333PS) 3.8-liter GDI engine. However, we believe that in North America, Kia may also introduce a V8 option.

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