Kia Builds a Full-Size EV4 GT from Tennis Court Clay for Nadal

Kia has sculpted a full-size EV4 GT from a blend of industrial modeling clay and earth taken directly from the tennis courts where Rafael Nadal won his greatest titles.

The one-of-a-kind sculpture now sits at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Manacor, Mallorca, where a large group gathered to present it to the man himself.

Designers mixed the standard clay used in automotive development with soil collected from the surfaces in Monte Carlo, Rome, Madrid and Roland-Garros in Paris.

Those four venues produced 63 of Nadal’s singles titles, including a record 14 French Open victories that earned him the nickname King of Clay.

The car’s body is outlined in white tape, which also serves as the boundary marks for a tennis court, with the design mirroring the game’s regulations.

Additional text on the artwork commemorates Nadal’s 50 consecutive clay-court wins and five seasons as the top-ranked player in the world.

His autograph is tucked into the rear of the sculpture.

Although the EV4 GT is based on a production car, it has been stripped of everything but its body.

There is no cabin, no seats, no drivetrain — it is a stationary piece that cannot be driven off the showroom floor.

Some observers have pointed out that it is mounted on production-style wheels and tires, which made it much easier for the crew to get it into position than a standard clay model.

Clay still plays an important role in automotive development, particularly in the early phases of design.

A digital tool cannot provide the same sense of surface tension or reflections, and sometimes designers simply want to reach out and grip the material to make it work better.

In this case, the standard modeling clay was combined with the hefty substance used for tennis courts, giving the finished piece a real link to the surface Nadal competed on.

Kia Spain has sponsored Nadal since 2004, the year before he won his first Grand Slam title.

He has served as the brand’s global ambassador since 2006.

Nadal eventually resigned from professional tennis last year, after spending 209 weeks atop the global rankings.

His professional career ended at the Davis Cup Finals in November 2024.

During his career, he won 22 Grand Slam singles titles, including the record 14 French Open championships.

He also won two Olympic gold medals, five Davis Cup titles with Spain and 92 individual titles overall.

Nadal was the world’s No. 1 player in the ATP rankings for 209 weeks and is one of the most successful players in tennis history.

The sculpture was presented at the Rafa Nadal Academy, where a large group gathered to pass it on to the man himself.

Nadal stated that receiving the sculpture was a meaningful gesture that connected his tennis legacy with his long-time sponsor.

The EV4 GT is Kia’s latest electric vehicle model, part of the brand’s push toward electrification under its Plan S strategy.

Kia has not announced any plans to produce a clay version of the EV4 GT for sale — the sculpture is a one-off art piece.

Automotive clay modeling has been a standard practice in car design for decades, used to create full-size prototypes before production tooling begins.

The technique allows designers to evaluate proportions, surface reflections and details in a way that digital screens cannot replicate.

By mixing actual tennis court clay into the modeling material, Kia created a direct physical connection between the car and the surface that defined Nadal’s career.