2022 ‘K’ Auto List: Car That Starts With K
A car that starts with K can be found on at least 14 different brands.
Most of them are obscure or otherwise out of the ordinary.
Additionally, this list includes not just carmakers with their names like Karma and Kia but also companies that specialize in re-building luxury and high-performance automobiles for the motorsports industry, like Katech and Kellison.
Top 15: Car That Starts With K
1. Kia – South Korea
In this probe, South Korean carmaker Kia is always the first to come forward.
Kia Motors, the country’s second-largest carmaker, currently controls up to 45 percent of Hyundai’s businesses.
In 1992, Kia Motors was officially established in the United States as a California-based corporation.
These include the Kia Optima, Kia Sportage, Kia Forte/Cerato, Kia Stinger, Kia Sorrento, and Kia Telluride vehicles.
In 1993, the Ki Sportage and Kia Sephia, four-wheel-drive vehicles, were introduced to the US market for the first time.
In the early 2000s, there was a Kia Carnival gasket problem.
Head gasket problems plagued numerous pre-2002 Kia Carnivals with water intrusion into the cylinders.
It would have been costly and time consuming for Kia in the 2000s to recall an entire line of automobiles
The Kia Carnival engine seizing program allows owners who bought their cars new about 2002 to have Kia replace the problematic part for them at no cost.
However, individuals who bought used cars that were out of warranty were left with a lemon.
Don’t forget to complete your due diligence when you’re looking to acquire a used car.
You’ll save money in the long run if you hire a reputable mechanic to perform a thorough checkup.
There are certain drawbacks to the brand, but it has grown into one with a wide range of vehicles that include minivans and sports cars, sedans, as well as SUVs.
Both the inaugural J.D. Power Engineering Award for Highest Rated All-New Vehicle and the Business Insider Car of the Year Award went to Kia’s Stinger performance sedan in 2018.
The 2020 Kia Telluride was also mentioned by Motor Trend, Kelley Blue Book, and Hispanic Motor Press as the best SUV of 2020.
A panel of 82 international journalists from 24 nations named the 2020 World Car of the Year the Kia Telluride 2020, making it the largest car built in the United States.
2. Katech | Michigan
Katech, situated in Michigan, is a manufacturer of high-performance engines, parts, and components for the production of ultra-fast racing cars.
Katech will collaborate with motorsports teams to build series-spec engines, vehicle packages, k assistance, and team training, as well as engine control software.
They are a premier performance engine and parts builder – focusing on the aftermarket and motorsports – and they have been key players in the motorsports space for approximately 40 years, having assisted some of the best driving teams in victories at events such as Le Mans, Indy, Sebring, Daytona, and Dakar.
They have been included in this list because their work stimulates innovation in automobile manufacturing, which will result in improved alternatives for the general consumer car market over time, including increased safety features.
3. Kellison | United States
Founder James Kellison established Kellison Engineering and Manufacturing in 1959 to specialize in the manufacture of specialized fiberglass kit race car bodies that could be installed on popular lower-cost automobiles such as the Corvette, so enhancing the overall appearance of the vehicle.
When Kellison senior passed away in 1975, the company came to an end.
After that, a new company called Red Stallion was established, which specialized in the production of Ford Cobra replicas.
For the American motorist, Kellison Corvettes developed lighter and more responsive cars (similar to custom-made Scarabs and Devins) with attention to detail devoted, among other things, to door seals, tire wells, firewalls, and molded-in consoles.
Built on an enhanced ’62 Corvette chassis and wrapped in a modified Kellison J4 body, this Kellison car had windshield and glass from Buick and Studebaker, as well as an up-specced 302 engine that would have provided it with remarkable performance.
It was never raced but instead used as a road vehicle.
4. Kaiser | United States
A post-World War II American automobile manufacturer that operated from 1945 until the early 1950s, Kaiser Motor Corporation specialized in building stylish, but sluggish, convertibles such as the Kaiser-Darrin convertible, which was their flagship model.
A distinguishing feature of the Kaiser-Darrin convertible depicted above was that it was the first American car to be built with a fiberglass body and sliding car doors, which were ultimately deemed unpractical.
This design was a component of the mid-century modern design paradigm that emerged in Detroit in the 1950s, and it is still in use today.
The Kaiser Darrin was introduced on the market in 1953 for $3,668, which was significantly higher than the prices of its immediate competitors, the Cadillac 62 and Lincoln Capri.
The Darrin had some unique design features for the time, including a tinted windshield, electric windshield wipers, whitewall tires, and wind wings.
However, its engine had significantly less horsepower (90 bhp) than its competitors, even though it could reach speeds over 95 miles per hour.
It was seen as more of a cruising convertible than a sports vehicle, and it was also known to suffer from understeering problems.
Despite this, the uniqueness of the design, as well as the limited number of vehicles produced (a total of 435), have helped to establish this car as an iconic and highly sought-after option among vintage automobile enthusiasts.
There have even been some collectors who, after obtaining a Darrin, upgraded the engines with superchargers and several carburetors to increase the performance of the vehicles.
Production of these convertibles came to an end in 1955, and under the new flagship firm Willys Jeeps, they began manufacturing Jeeps in Ohia, Kansas, in 1956.
Kaiser Jeep, which had been renamed in 1963, was sold to American Motors Corporation in 1963, effectively ending Kaiser’s involvement in the vehicle industry.
The AM corporation is now a manufacturer of Hummers.
5. Kurtis Kraft | United States
He was an American designer who also produced racing vehicles under the name Kurtis Kraft.
In business from the 1930s through the 1960s, his cars were well-known for racing in the Indy 500 and doing admirably (winning 5 times).
There were approximately 120 Kraft midget cars competing at Indy.
Cars developed by Kraft included sports cars, quarter-midgets, midgets, Bonneville cars, and spring cars, as well as USAC Championship vehicles.
Typically, the cars were fiberglass-shelled, low-bodied, and two-seater sports cars that were produced from 1949 until approximately 1955.
Midget vehicles and midget car kits were made by Kraft in an estimated 550-600 units.
Would be fascinating to know how many of these cars are still in existence and are being held by vintage auto enthusiasts here in the United States of America.
Mr. Kraft was the first non-driver to be inducted into the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame, and he was recognized for his contributions to the midget automobile industry.
6. Karma | United States
Karma is a luxury electric vehicle manufacturer established in the United States that is owned by Chinese investors.
With its headquarters in California, the company was acquired by the Chinese Wanxiang Group, which had previously acquired Fisker Automotive, which had gone bankrupt in 2014.
It is well-known for developing a variety of electric vehicles, including the Karma Revero (a luxury hybrid electric sedan) and the Pininfarina GT (a high-performance electric vehicle) (a luxury electric hybrid coupe).
According to Karma, the company will manufacture approximately 200 Revero vehicles in 2019.
As part of their marketing plan, the company will limit the quantity of Revero vehicles produced to create a sense of exclusivity surrounding their product and brand.
The 2020 Karma Revero is available for purchase in the United States for approximately $134,000 (including on-road charges), and it has a top speed of approximately 125 miles per hour.
7. Kepler | United States
In addition to manufacturing high-end, high-performance cars for the super-rich, Kepler Motors is an American automobile manufacturer.
Its 800 horsepower supercar, the MOTION, made its premiere at the 2009 Dubai International Motor Show, and its CEO is world-record-holding speed decathlete and racing driver Russ Wicks This all-wheel-drive vehicle features “Dual Powertrain Technology” – we consider this to be a trademark – and is powered by a Ford Twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 engine with a horsepower rating of 550 horsepower.
Considering the price, the entire bundle appears to be quite reasonable.
Their newest model, the 17B Track Package, has 1,009 horsepower and is available for purchase as well.
It appears that they are only selling ten units of this particular model, and while we were unable to uncover pricing information, suffice it to say that they will not be inexpensive.
8. KTM AG | Austria
KTM AG, an Austrian motorcycle manufacturer that was created in 1992, had its start in the motorcycle industry.
However, since the mid-1990s, they have expanded their product line to include sports vehicles like the X-Bow RR, KTM X-Bow R, and X-Bow GT, which include innovative features such as fully-enclosed carbon fiber bodies.
They are powered by 2.5-liter, five-cylinder engines from Audi, which produce 523 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque, which isn’t too shabby for a sports car.
The KTM X-Bow, seen above, is a light carbon fiber car that is road legal in Europe and North America.
You should expect to pay between $150,000 and $300,000 for the most contemporary models, depending on the year and make you like.
9. Karmann Ghia | Germany
The Karmann-Ghia, which debuted at the Paris Motor Show in 1953, was created by Volkswagen to boost its market share beyond the economy car segment.
Karmann Ghias were produced in Germany and Brazil from 1955 to 1974, and they quickly became a favorite among vintage car enthusiasts.
As a result, three series of automobiles were produced: type 14, type 34, and type TC.
The type 14 was more curved; type 34 was more angular; and the type TC series, which resembled several 1970s Citroen cars and Alpha Romeo, was sold in Europe.
When this model was first released, it was limited to the United States alone.
As a result of its legendary elegance and flair, the Karmann Ghia has also appeared in numerous Hollywood films and television shows, including Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Kill Bill.
When it came to automotive design, Walter Teague said that Karmann Ghia had to be the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
The Karmann Ghia’s body was handcrafted, but it had a sports car design.
VW Beetle boxer engines were advertised as 2+2 coupes, despite their lack of performance or speed.
Volkswagen found this to be a winning mix, and nearly 500,000 units were built as a result.
10. Kicherer | Germany
Audi and Mercedes-Benz sedans are transformed into supercars by Kicherer, a German after-market automobile manufacturer that specializes in this conversion.
Using Kicherer’s incredible hand-crafted three-piece rims, he turned a Mercedes Benz SLS into an SLS 63 Supersport GT, which is featured in the video below.
Not only that, but Kicherer also performs a wonderful job of tweaking the engines, boosting the 571 PS (420 kW/ 563 bhp) Mercedes engine to 630 PS (463 kW/ 621bhp), as well as providing a significant increase in torque, as seen in the video above.
This vehicle can accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in around 3.5 seconds and reach top speeds of 199 miles per hour.
11. Kremer | Germany
Kremer Racing is a German motorsports racing team owned and operated by brothers Manfred and Erwin Kremer in the city of Cologne.
This company specializes in up-speccing Porsche vehicles and racing them across the world, as well as competing in international motorsports events and selling their vehicles to competitor racing teams.
They were victorious at Le Mans in 1979. (driving for 24 hours).
They were victorious at Serring in 1980. (driving for 12 hours).
In 1995, they were victorious in Daytona (driving for 24 hours).
12. Keating Supercars | United Kingdom
Since its inception in 2006, British kit-car maker Keating Supercars has produced four vehicles: the Keating TKR, Keating SKR, Keating Bolt, Keating ZKR, and Keating Berus.
The Keating SKR is the company’s entry-level model, while the Keating TKR is the company’s flagship model.
In 2016, Keating Supercars presented a version of the Bolt that will be offered in the United States at the Autosport International motorsports show.
The Keating Bolt is said to be the fastest production car in the world, capable of reaching speeds of up to 300 miles per hour.
There will only be a limited number of these vehicles available for purchase, around 30 every year.
13. Kleemann Kompressor Systems | Denmark
These individuals do not drive branded automobiles.
They do, however, make superchargers for Mercedes-Benz engines with 8, 6, and 4 cylinders, as well as suspension and tuned exhausts, chassis components, and wheels among other things.
14. Kaipan | Czech
When it comes to creating automobiles for the European and Eastern European markets, the Czech car-maker known as Kaipan has been going strong since 1992.
The Kaipan 47 was based on the Lotus Seven and had a top speed of 110 miles per hour, and these men are Lotus fanatics to the core.
However, the firm was created in 1992, and the company’s first car was manufactured in 1997, the Kaipan 47 based on the Lotus Seven (1957-1972).
Later, a modified type 57 with a Volkswagen engine 1.8 20V Turbo was used in its place.
Skoda engines with better emissions ratings were utilized in their succeeding models (Kaipan 57 and later) from 2006 forward to comply with European authorities.
Models 16, 57, and 14 are now available from Kaipan. The original version of the 47 has been canceled.
Newer variants have a top speed of about 117 miles per hour, according to the manufacturer.
There are several countries where Kaipan’s cars are exported.
We don’t think you’ll be able to find one of these in the US unless you chance to be a collector yourself.
15. Koenigsegg | Sweden
When the company was founded in 1994, it was based in Ängelholm, Sweden, where it still works today.
The CCXR model was named one of the world’s most attractive vehicles by Forbes.
Recent models have reached speeds of up to 241 mph (or km/h)! (CCR model broke Guinness World Record).
The Agera RS depicted below, broke a new world record for average speed over a closed 11-mile stretch of Nevada State Route 160 in Pahrump, Nevada.
Although later research proved that the automobile had achieved speeds of 284 mph.
