Kia EV4 GT: a dirt car to celebrate Rafael Nadal

Giving a car to Rafael Nadal? Too easy. Giving him a car made of clay?

Now that’s more like a gift for Rafael Nadal, a man who has spent his career making his opponents eat dust. Kia has thus put its hands out of its pockets to get into the clay.

The manufacturer created a life-size replica of its EV4 GT, mixing automotive modeling clay and clay from the courts where the Spaniard won his 63 titles on this surface. A sculpture presented at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca. As for performance and autonomy, we’ll pass: this Kia is more for admiring than for driving.

Washing Prohibited

Its orangish-red body is decorated with white stripes reminiscent of the lines on a court. Several details pay tribute to the Majorcan’s statistics: 63 trophies on clay, 50 consecutive sets won on this surface, and five seasons finished at the top of the world rankings. Not to mention his 14 titles at Roland-Garros. At this level, it’s no longer a record; it’s a full occupation of the place.

Behind this delightfully down-to-earth idea, the connection makes sense. Clay is still used by automotive designers to work on volumes and appreciate the proportions of future models. In Nadal’s case, clay has also played a significant role in shaping a legend. With, admittedly, a bit more sweat.

The initiative celebrates a relationship that started in 2004, before Rafa became Kia’s global ambassador in 2006. Over twenty years together: in both sports and automobiles, such loyalty deserves a unique piece. One question remains, which the communiqué does not address: how to dust off this EV4 without removing a piece of Monte-Carlo or Rome? Out of caution, we’ll leave the pressure washer in the garage. Some traces of clay

You might be interestedin this article:

Innovation

• 04/11/2026 18:02

Driving hands-free in France starting December, Cadillac’s promise

READ ALSO: The Renault 4 has its Roland-Garros version