Having made its global debut earlier this year at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Kia Motors America (KMA) today officially launched the 2009 Borrego midsize SUV. Borrego is one of the first production offerings based off of the new design direction Kia continues to unveil through concept vehicles including the Kue, KND-4, Kee and KOUP. Given a straightforward and clean look, Borrego is intended for those who enjoy an active yet uncomplicated lifestyle. (more…)
Tag: Kia
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2009 All-New KIA Borrego
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KIA Celebrates Grand Opening Of U.S. Corporate Headquarters And State-Of-The-Art Design Center
Today, Byung Mo Ahn, group president and CEO of Kia Motors America (KMA) and Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG), was joined by local and state representatives for the grand opening ceremony of the new 21.7-acre Kia U.S. corporate campus in Irvine, Calif. The $130-million investment includes the Kia Motors America Corporate Headquarters and state-of-the-art Kia Design Center America (KDCA). (more…) -
Kia Motors to keep UEFA EURO 2008 on the move
Kia Motors Corporation announced today that it will deliver 265 passenger cars and provide 463 days worth of buses to ensure efficient and smooth transportation during UEFA EURO 2008™ in Austria and Switzerland, and to fulfil its requirement as official automobile of UEFA EURO 2008™. Kia is supplying official vehicles from its wide-ranging model line-up to the EURO 2008 and seeks to boost its brand recognition through commercial displays at the event venues and A-board advertisements in the stadiums. (more…) -
Kia bares it’s Soul – production car keeps original concept name
Kia Motors has confirmed its all-new segment-busting car will retain the name and spirit of the concept from which it evolved – Soul.
First seen as the SOUL concept car at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, a trio of concept developments then appeared at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show which gave a strong indication to the many characters the new Kia could take on. (more…)
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Kia Soul
Three Kia SOUL concept cars unveiled by the Kia Motors Corporation at the 78th Salon de l’Automobiles this week in Geneva, Switzerland, reveal a whole new ‘fun’ side to the Korean brand.The concept cars – SOUL Diva, SOUL Burner and SOUL Searcher – were created by Kia’s European design team led by Gregory Guillaume, Chief Designer Kia Motors Europe, under the guidance of Kia’s Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer. Following Kia’s recently established tradition, the trio of concept cars are closely related to the new Kia production car which will make its World Premiere at the Paris Show in September. (more…)
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Kia Sports Coupe
Kia Motors Corporation has released a second ‘preview image’ of the concept car it will unveil for the first time at the Frankfurt International Motor Show on 11 September. Shown in profile, the svelte Sports Coupe Concept reveals classic lines coupled with a lengthened cabin design that can accommodate four adults in comfort.Designed in Europe, under the guidance of Kia’s Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer, the all-new 2+2 Sports Coupe Concept, whose name remains a secret at present, will demonstrate an uncluttered, pure and timeless execution and represents a new design ethos for the Korean automotive company.
“The new Sports Coupe Concept is a clear and emphatic statement that the future of the Kia brand is set to be one that will excite and surprise an entirely new audience of consumers,” commented Peter Schreyer. “In making this design departure for Kia it was essential to my thinking that we did not lose sight of the fact that the Kia brand must continue to appeal to customers in the mainstream. It would have been easy to present an extreme supercar at Frankfurt that would attract plenty of attention, but could have no place in Kia’s future. Our Sports Coupe Concept is not simply a flight of fancy.
“I believe this concept car could be a ‘landmark’ vehicle in Kia’s history and I wanted it to appeal to the widest possible audience. This design is not the result of self-indulgent design excess. It incorporates a host of elements that will become the new face-of-Kia right across our product range and it is the clearest design statement about the way I want Kia to be seen as we go forwards,” added Schreyer.
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Kia Pro-cee’d
Kia Motors Corporation has revealed the first ‘preview image’ of its exciting new Kia Pro-cee’d three-door hatchback model which will make its World Premiere at this year’s Frankfurt International Motor Show on 11 September.Based closely on the earlier pro_cee’d concept car shown at the Paris Motor Show in 2006, the new production model has been developed by Kia’s design team in Europe under the direction of Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer.
“Longer, lower and lighter than its five-door sister car, the new Kia Pro-cee’d is going to be a great drive,” enthused Mr. Jean-Charles Lievens, Senior Vice President Kia Motors Europe. “Combining real style and genuine practicality, our new three-door cee’d is sure to delight existing Kia customers and attract a new group of European consumers who have not yet considered our brand.”
Manufactured in Slovakia, the Pro-cee’d will be the third member of the Kia cee’d family, joining the popular cee’d five-door and recently launched wagon models to make Kia an especially strong challenger for C-segment sales in Europe.
Production of the Pro-cee’d model range is scheduled to begin in November with first customer sales during the early months of 2008.
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Kia Picanto
Kia Motors Corporation has confirmed that the newly upgraded 2007 Kia Picanto will make its world premiere at the 34th Salon Internacional del Automovil in Barcelona, Spain on 7 June. Kia’s design teams in Korea and Europe have revisited the company’s smallest car, preserved its ‘young, sporty and friendly’ spirit, and evolved the new 2007 Picanto – a car with more glamorous looks, an upgraded interior and higher quality audio equipment.Attractively refreshed and restyled to be ‘more rounded and intimate’, the 2007 Picanto is 40 mm longer, with an overall length of 3535 mm, featuring an extended, rounded nose and deeper, larger rear bumper. All-new panels are used for the bonnet, front wings, front bumper and rear bumper. The front and rear light clusters are new and follow the ‘rounded’ theme.
A new wider radiator grille, with black mesh background and twin horizontal chromed bars supporting the central Kia badge, is part of the evolving design process that is defining a new ‘Face of Kia’. The standard roof spoiler now extends across the full width of the car, while the wheelbase is unchanged at 2370 mm. Customers will be offered a choice of five new exciting, contemporary colours in a range of nine exterior colours.
“With nearly 400,000 exports since its introduction in 2004, the Picanto has not only opened the door to a segment where we previously had no presence but it has become one of the Kia line-up’s global best sellers,” commented Yong-Hwan Kim, Senior Executive Vice President & COO of Kia Motors Corporation. “We are confident that with its fresh new looks and upgraded equipment the Picanto will continue to appeal to the world’s A-segment customers and reach annual overseas sales in excess of 130,000 units over the next several years.”
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Kia KND-4
Kia Motors Corporation is staging the world premiere of its all-new KND-4 concept car today (Thursday) at the Seoul International Motor Show. Designed to reassert Kia’s credentials as a leading brand in the 4×4 and RV vehicle sectors, the new SUV concept car projects a dynamic, powerful character and exudes a strong sense of individuality. Although clearly a ‘concept car,’ the Luminous Green, three-door, 4466mm-long KND-4 gives a bold hint at how future Kia compact SUV models might look.This is the first Kia vehicle to demonstrate the company’s renewed passion for ‘Designology’ (Design & Technology) – its ongoing commitment to making automobiles that are both more stylish and technologically advanced.
“The KND-4 is an exciting vehicle which showcases Kia’s increasingly sophisticated styling and advanced technologies that will give our future products an even stronger and more distinctive road presence,” commented Mr Yong-Hwan Kim, Senior Executive Vice President and COO of Kia Motors Corporation. “Over time, elements of this concept SUV will evolve into our next-generation lineup, ensuring the continued global popularity of our already competitive 4×4 models.”
The exterior styling of KND-4 is designed to appeal to consumers who crave freedom and an active lifestyle, while removing the traditional boundaries between urban and rural vehicles to create an SUV that looks great in any location. The sleek, rounded nose features LED headlights, while flared wheelarches wrap around large diameter 20-inch wheels and 245/40 R20 low-profile tyres, which appear to bulge out of the vehicle’s form.
The pronounced shoulder line, glass-house profile and sweeping C-pillar give a dynamic flare to KND-4. The full-width rear screen emphasises the interior volume and provides a simple contrast to the complex styling of the LED rear lamp clusters. Short overhangs and a high ground clearance ensure excellent off-road ability.
‘Future-oriented’ High-tech Interior
Designed to seat four people in individual seats, the KND-4’s interior is ‘future-oriented’ with floor, dashboard and door trim panels in metallic finish, highlighted by indirect lighting that reflects in this metallic material and creates an exciting cabin ambience.
The interior is equipped with the most advanced IT technology available to present the driver with information from within and from outside the vehicle. Dominating the centre stack is a next generation AMOLED (Active-Matrix, Organic Light Emitting Diode) display screen which features an ultra-thin screen, ultra-wide viewing angle and ultra-high contrast.
Controlled by multi-function buttons on the steering wheel, the KND-4 offers the driver both Bluetooth and Blu-ray (high density optical disc) technologies, plus a built-in hard disc for the audio player. Blu-ray can store 10 times the information of a regular DVD.
KND-4 is powered by a 2.2-litre VGT diesel engine driving all four wheels via the latest version of Kia’s Active Torque Transfer (ATT) system which, in severely slippery conditions, automatically distributes torque to the wheel or wheels with the best traction.
Conceived and created at the world-class Kia Namyang Design Centre – hence the KND-4 naming – the SUV concept is a clear demonstration that Kia does indeed have ‘The Power to Surprise.’
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Kia ex_Cee’d
Kia’s exciting all-new ex_cee’d cabrio concept car will make its world premiere at the 77th Salon de l’Automobiles in Geneva, Switzerland on 6 March. The styling of the ex_cee’d cabrio is the work of new Kia Design Chief Peter Schreyer and gives a first indication of the future direction the look of Kia-brand vehicles will be taking under his guidance.Based on a pre-production prototype of the new three-door cee’d Sporty Hatch (scheduled for production in December), the ex_cee’d has the same wheelbase, but features all-new exterior panels, sharing only the floor-pan and unseen components with the donor car, plus a powered folding fabric roof. (more…)
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Kia Cee’d Sporty Wagon
The all-new Kia cee’d Sporty Wagon will make its world premiere at the 77th Salon de l’Automobiles in Geneva on 6 March, in production-ready form with a unique extended tailgate for maximum accessibility to the luggage area.“The new Kia cee’d Sporty Wagon retains all the attributes of the cee’d hatchback and offers consumers extra practicality and versatility, with a unique extended tailgate design, while keeping stylish stand-alone good looks with a truly sporty feel,” enthused Mr Jean-Charles Lievens, Senior Vice President Kia Motors Europe. “With ride, handling and performance every bit as responsive as the hatchback, the Sporty Wagon will be available with a similar choice of engines and specifications. The Sporty Wagon is sure to delight existing Kia customers and to attract European consumers who have not yet considered our brand.”
The 4.5-metre long cee’d Sporty Wagon has an unusually long wheelbase and will offer class-leading passenger and luggage space, plus highly competitive levels of equipment and state-of-the-art active and passive safety. Customers in Europe will be able to choose from a line-up of 18 Sporty Wagons, with three equipment levels (LX, EX and TX), five engines, with manual or automatic transmissions, and an extensive range of optional equipment.
Kia Cee'd Sporty Wagon 
To boost load carrying ability and versatility, the wagon’s overall length is increased by 235 mm, with all of that increase behind the rear wheels, and overall height is up by 10 mm. Luggage capacity goes up to a total of 534 litres – loaded up to the bottom of the rear windows – almost 200 litres more than the cee’d hatchback.
The tailgate on the cee’d Sporty Wagon is unique in the C-segment, and designed to give excellent access to the load area. The top hinges have been moved forward by 225 mm (compared to the cee’d hatchback), so the tailgate has reduced outswing and upswing, allowing users to stand closer to the car and the tailgate to be fully opened, even in restricted parking spaces.
For its new cee’d Sporty Wagon, Kia will be offering most customers the same choice of five Euro4 compliant engines and transmissions as the hatchback model – depending on individual markets. Power outputs range from 90 to 143 ps, including an all-new, highly responsive 1.6-litre 115 ps diesel engine designed, engineered and manufactured by Kia in Slovakia.
The launch of the Kia cee’d family (five-door hatchback from December last year, five-door Sporty Wagon – from August and three-door Sporty Hatch – from December) marks a major turning point in Kia’s history. The bringing of this trio to the marketplace is the start of a new era. They are the first-ever Kia cars designed and manufactured in Europe and will introduce a qualitative revolution for the brand.
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Kia Rondo SX
Kia debuted its all-new crossover vehicle, the 2007 Kia Rondo, at the Los Angeles Auto Show just last November and has wasted no time enhancing its “Exciting and Enabling” brand direction with the Chicago International Auto Show introduction of the Rondo SX Concept. Already a capable vehicle – Rondo is based on the current-generation Kia Optima platform – the SX concept elevates the crossover to new heights by showing that practicality doesn’t mean excitement is sacrificed.
“We have positioned the all-new 2007 Rondo as a vehicle of function and versatility,” said Len Hunt, executive vice president and COO of KMA. “The Rondo SX Concept is proof that smart, spacious vehicles don’t need to be boring, and that consumers can still be passionate about a daily driver.”
The Rondo SX Concept is finished in a sophisticated four-stage metallic gray exterior color and reinforces its sporty theme with cues from current Kia SX-trimmed vehicles like the Rio and Spectra models, which include more aggressive front and rear fascias, sportier grille inserts and other exciting exterior details. Key front-end changes include a larger lower air intake, an integrated SX-styled front fascia, new brake cooling ducts as well as a restyled metal-mesh-insert front grille to match. Headlight inner rings also are darkened in color to complete the aggressive look.
Likewise, the rear fascia receives sportier treatment with a new metal-mesh vent insert, diffuser and dual exhaust outlets. Roof rails, which are standard on most Rondo models, have been removed for an aerodynamically cleaner look and the door handles and body-side moldings finished in a contrasting technical silver color to present a smooth and contemporary overall finish. The Rondo SX Concept is fitted with an optional accessory body kit currently available on LX and EX trim lines. However, on the SX concept model, the initially argent-colored lower rear spoiler, fender flares and rear/side fascia extensions of the body kit have been finished in a slightly contrasting metallic gray color. The vehicle sits on aggressive five-spoke, 18-inch alloy wheels fitted with 235/40R18 Michelin® Pilot Sport performance tires to complete its bold exterior stance.
On the inside, the Rondo SX Concept is enhanced with modern luxury sport materials and finishes. From the driver’s seat an SX-familiar black leather-wrapped steering wheel with contrasting red stitching can be easily identified. The seats are trimmed in gray leather with custom contrasting red leather trim surrounding dark gray Alcantara® inserts. Dark gray Alcantara® and red leather accents also can be found on the front and rear door trim. Replacing the stock black parts are SX-styled brushed stainless steel sport pedals, as well as platinum-look accents for the center stack, shifter surround and door switch trims.
The Rondo SX Concept’s 2.7-liter DOHC V6 has been enhanced with a cold-air intake and a cat-back exhaust system that yields an additional 10 horsepower to boost the engine’s output to 192 horsepower. The SX Concept’s ride height has been lowered approximately three inches to improve cornering and augment the sporty aesthetic. The vehicle also is equipped with cross-drilled and slotted front and rear brake rotors for enhanced braking performance.
