Kia Uses Clay From Nadal’s Championship Courts to Create a One-of-a-Kind EV4 GT Tribute

Clay plays a defining role in two very different worlds. In tennis, it is the surface on which Rafael Nadal built his legacy. In the car industry, it is the material designers use to model and refine a vehicle’s shape before it goes into production. Kia has now brought the two together in a tribute to its longtime ambassador.

According to a press release published by Kia, the automaker built a full-scale clay concept of its EV4 GT and presented it to Nadal at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Manacor, Mallorca.

A Sculpture With a Story

The concept was made by mixing standard automotive modelling clay with clay taken from the courts where Nadal won a record 63 men’s singles titles. Its proportions follow the real EV4 GT hatchback. The surface is orange-red, and strips of white design tape run across it in the pattern of court markings.

Smaller details nod to Nadal’s achievements, including his 63 clay titles (Monte Carlo and Rome among them), a record run of 50 straight sets won on clay, and the five seasons he ended ranked number one in the world. Kia notes that these touches were made only for this artwork and will not appear on production cars.

Why Clay Still Matters

Design work is increasingly digital, yet Kia points out that clay modelling remains part of vehicle development. Designers can feel proportions, surfaces, finishes and tensions by hand and refine a shape before production begins. The tribute uses that process to honour an athlete known for his dominance on the surface, including a record 14 men’s singles titles at Roland-Garros.

The partnership between Nadal and Kia began in 2004, when Kia Spain started backing a young Nadal. After his first Grand Slam victory in 2005, he became Kia’s global brand ambassador in 2006. Kia says the relationship has rested on resilience, discipline and continuous improvement, and that while Nadal became one of the defining athletes of his era, the company itself changed its brand, design approach and electrified model range.

Tennis is a wider commitment for Kia. In 2026, it marked 25 years of involvement with the Australian Open, and it also works with the Rafa Nadal Academy to connect fans and encourage young players. Soohang Chang, President and CEO of Kia Europe, said the tribute reflects the journey the two have shared. Nadal called the gift deeply meaningful, a reminder of all they had experienced together.

The Car Behind the Concept

The real EV4 GT is a five-door electric hatchback with dual-motor all-wheel drive producing 215 kW and 468 Nm of torque, reaching 100 km/h from rest in 5.6 seconds.

It also has Electric Dynamic Torque Vectoring, electronically controlled suspension, GT Mode and Virtual Gear Shift. Kia says these figures are European specifications and remain tentative until homologation is confirmed.