Kia News

Kia Motors celebrated 3 premieres at the 64th Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung (IAA) in Frankfurt, Germany. The powerful, dynamic and forward-looking Kia GT concept car was unveiled alongside the new three-door hatchback version of Rio and the completely refreshed Kia Soul.

Making its world premiere, the all-new Kia GT took centre stage on Kia’s stand as Chief Design Officer Peter Schreyer revealed the sleek and muscular four-door sports sedan with a rear-wheel drive layout – a first for Kia.

“No matter from which perspective you look at the Kia GT, it is roaring with energy and ready for take-off,” says Peter Schreyer.  “I believe this concept car is a strong statement from Kia that we are ready to fast-forward to an all new chapter.”

The concept has the classic front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout of a high performance sedan, which ensures very different proportions from a front-wheel drive car.  The GT allowed Kia to explore exciting new styling themes – the extended bonnet, the front wheels pushed to the very front of the car, the cab-rearward stance with powerful rear shoulders and a fast-back rear end.

Beneath the GT’s bonnet is a 3.3-litre turbocharged Lambda V6 GDI (gasoline direct injection) engine, generating 395 ps and 534 Nm of torque.  Power is transferred to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The front doors and rear-hinged rear doors open at a slight upward angle, ensuring easy access to the spacious and airy interior which provides generous, uncluttered cabin accommodation for four – thanks in part to the Kia GT’s long wheelbase (2,860 mm) and despite its low stance (overall height is just 1,380 mm).

Under Schreyer’s guidance Kia’s European design team set out to create a concept car that was graceful, athletic and confident, but not aggressive or overbearing.  The focus on dynamism and pace is enhanced by the aeronautical theme adopted for many of the GT’s features.

Sporty three-door to expand appeal of New Rio

Around the world, the five-door hatchback and four-door sedan versions of Kia’s New Rio are already generating positive reviews in the press, and strong demand from customers.  Now, the appeal of Kia’s latest model will be expanded even further with the introduction of the company’s first ever three-door hatchback Rio – also making its world premiere at Frankfurt.

Designed primarily to attract younger buyers to Kia for the first time, the three-door Rio will boost conquest sales after its introduction during the first quarter of 2012.  Ultimately, Kia expects the three-door Rio to account for between 20 to 25 per cent of total Rio sales.

New Rio three-door has the same dimensions as the five-door model (length 4,045 mm) and retains the same low roofline (height 1,455 mm), emphasising its sporty stance.  It will be available with the same range of powertrains, equipment and options as the five-door model.

Popular Soul enjoys a major make-over

Being shown to a European audience for the first time at Frankfurt is the completely refreshed Kia Soul.  This new model will offer consumers a more refined appearance, new powertrains, a higher level of specification, a more premium feel to the cabin and even greater potential for personalisation.

Styling improvements for the new model give Soul a wider, more stable appearance and more refined proportions, thanks to an extended nose (by 15 mm).  The front air intake is wider and the larger fog lamps have a more prominent design.  At the rear, the fog lamps are moved out towards the extremities of the car.  New more powerful headlamps with black bezels and daylight running lights (DRL) are fitted, with LED lights as an option.  New style 18-inch alloy wheels and new ‘pull’ door handles enhance the Soul’s profile.

Inside, the cabin benefits from a revised centre console, circular-type LCD heater controls, a wider choice of interior fabrics and the availability of a Supervision (high definition) instrument cluster as an option.  For greater durability, key touch-points in the cabin are coated in a nano-layered, multi-metal paint.

A number of significant technical updates for refreshed Soul include the introduction of a new 140 ps 1.6-litre GDI gasoline engine and a choice of six-speed manual or automatic transmissions.  The optional EcoDynamics pack, which features ISG (start/stop) and AMS (alternator management), will cut CO2 emissions to just 125 g/km and 139 g/km for diesel and gasoline models, respectively.