Kia Thinks Big with Track'ster Concept that Could Spawn a 3-Door

Without doubt, the spotlights at this year's edition of the Chicago Auto Show are on the Koreans. Following the presentation of Hyundai's new Elantra GT and Coupe models, its sister company Kia has unveiled an impressive concept model for a sporty, three-door version of the Soul called the Track'ster Of course, if you throw in a pair of round headlights and vertical tail lamps, the Track'ster could very well be a conceptual proposal for high-performance Mini model…
That's not to say the Track'ster hasn't got character but many details like the alloy wheel designs, the blacked out front pillars, the two-tone paint job and the prominent LED driving lights on the lower part of the front bumper do have a certain British flavor.
"The idea was to make the Track'ster tough looking, like a bulldog," said Tom Kearns, chief designer for Kia's Californian design studio, which was responsible for the creation of the Track'ster.
"But the car had to be approachable as well. We wanted to base the car in reality so people instantly knew it was a Soul, but with a lot of attitude. It had to be a bold interpretation that would change people's conceptions of what a sporty Kia could be," Kearns added.
Other notable highlights include the heavily beefed up wheel arches to cover up the 245/40-19-inch front and massive 285/35-19-inch rear Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 high-performance tires, while the concept's wheelbase is stretched to 101.2 inches, almost an inch longer than the production Soul. The car's width stands at 75.5-inch width, which is more than five inches wider than the regular five-door Soul.
Inside, Kia's designers opted for a two-seat layout with a new dashboard design and the usual futuristic trim you find on concept models.
Under the hood, you'll find Hyundai and Kia's 2.0-liter turbocharged four rated at 250-horsepower and linked to a short-throw six-speed manual transmission. Surprisingly, Kia fitted the Soul-based concept with an electronically controlled four-wheel-drive system.
The Track'ster rides on a lowered sports suspension and features 14-inch Brembo vented and cross-drilled disc brakes with by six-piston calipers in front and 13.6-inch discs paired with four-piston calipers at the rear.
Kia says that it has no current plans to produce the Track'ster, but we wouldn't be surprised if the company decides otherwise in the very near future.

PHOTO GALLERY

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Geneva Preshow: 2012 Kia Rio Revealed in Detail, gets 1.2-liter Turbo Gasoline Engine

Kia's product assault continues with the presentation of the all-new Rio subcompact, which will receive its world premiere together with the new Picanto at the forthcoming Geneva Motor Show in the beginning of March.
The latest car to be revealed by Kia boasts a far slicker exterior design than the current Rio bringing it in line with the rest of South Korean company's passenger model range. There are no photos of the interior, but Kia says its newcomer "will deliver a high level of quality previously associated with larger models" along with a wider selection of trim options.

The Korean firm's Ford Fiesta-sized vehicle features a wheelbase extended by 70 mm (to 2,570 mm) compared to the outgoing Rio thus promising to offer improved passenger space together with an increased cargo capacity to 292 liters for the hatchback body style. Exterior dimensions changes include: +55 mm (overall length), -15 mm (height) and +25 mm (overall width).
In Europe, the firm's B-Segment contender will be offered with a comprehensive range of petrol and diesel engines including a 1.1-liter diesel unit delivering 70-horsepower and CO2 emissions from as low as 85 g/km.
But the big surprise is the announcement of an all-new 1.2-liter Turbo Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) that will be available from 2012, and which will offer the Koreans a significant advantage over its Japanese rivals.
Soon-Nam Lee, Director of Overseas Marketing for Kia, commented: “This new model is a big step forward. The Rio has always been successful, and with this new incarnation we have a car that people will want to buy for its looks.”
The new Rio will go on sale in Europe as a 5-door model this fall, with a 3-door to be introduced into the range in early 2012. Pricing and full range details will be announced nearer the on-sale date.

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2011 Kia Rio Tiger Style

Kia insists on not holding back any punches with its new lineup, and its fourth-gen Rio is no different. The new Rio is lower, longer, and wider, and looks all the better for it. With the added dimensions come more passenger space, more comfort, and more storage capacity. Don't worry, as Kia will offer a variety of engines and transmissions to suit your needs. Scroll on down for the all-informative spreadsheet.

One neat optional feature is the Emergency Stop Signal, which flashes the brake lights thrice to let drivers behind the vehicle know there's sudden braking to be had ahead.
Really, this car is Kia front to back, inside and out. Featuring Kia's trademark Tiger face and a distinctly "Kia" roof line, this B-segment contender can't be confused for anything else in the parking lot. Inside, you'll find a familiar Kia Rio interior but updated to fit into the new Kia family.
Buyers can also expect to see a very modern selection of options and add-on such as iPod/USB ports, Bluetooth, heated seats, LED running lights, and automatic stop/start.
The new Rio model is longer (by 20 mm), wider (by 25 mm), and lower (by -15 mm) and features a wheelbase extended by 70 mm (to 2,570 mm), thus promising to offer improved passenger space and cargo capacity (+7% at 280 liters) over the previous model. Notably, it will also be available for the first time in both 3-door (in Europe) and 5-door body styles.
In Europe, the new Rio will offer customers a choice of three- and four-cylinder engines with outputs ranging from 70-to-109HP, a CO2 rating as low as 85 g/km, plus fuel consumption as low as 3.2 lt per 100 km (73.5 mpg US).
Diesel options include a 1.1-liter with 70HP and 162Nm, and a 1.4-liter with 90HP and 216Nm of peak torque. The gasoline lineup comprises of a 1.4-liter with 109HP and 136Nm that powers the fastest Rio from 0 to 100km/h (62mph) in 11.5" and on to a top speed of 181 km/h (112mph), and a 1.25-liter unit producing 85HP and 118Nm with a combined fuel economy of 4.8lt/100km (49mpg US).
The regular Rio models will have a CO2 rating of 94-to-124 g/km, but in Europe, these figures can be further reduced by specifying Kia’s optional fuel-stretching ISG technologies (automatic stop-start, advanced alternator control, upgraded starter motor and low-rolling resistance tires), which is available on all models. Equipped with Kia's ISG, emissions will range from 85-to-114 g/km, and fuel economy from 3.2 to 4.8 lt per 100 km.
Standard transmission for both diesels and the larger gasoline engine will be a six-speed manual gearbox, while the 1.25-litre 85HP engine has a five-speed box. A four-speed automatic gearbox will be available as an option on the 1.4-litre 109HP.

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New Kia Picanto

The 2012 Kia Picanto mini made its global premiere alongside the also new Rio supermini at the Geneva Motor Show today. The South Korean firm's city car will be offered for the first time with a choice of 5-door and 3-door body styles, with Kia officials expecting the new three-door model to account for 33% of Picanto sales.
Like all recent Kia models, the new Picanto benefits from a far more expressive design inside and out compared to its predecessor. It also promises to offer more space inside as the overall vehicle length has increased by 60 mm, and the wheelbase has grown by 15 mm. These increases, along with the enhanced interior packaging, offer an additional 36mm legroom for the front passengers while trunk capacity has increased by 27 per cent to 200 liters.

Another novelty for the Picanto is the availability of eight different packages for the interior including two environment colors – ebony black and alpine gray, four different cloth options and two additional ‘premium’ trim packages.
In Europe, the Picanto will be offered with a 1.25-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine that produces 85HP and 121Nm of peak torque, and a 1.0-liter three-cylinder unit available in gasoline only (69HP and 95Nm) and LPG / Gasoline Bi-fuel (82HP and 94Nm) versions. The Bi-fuel model features a 35-liter LPG tank and a 10-liter gasoline tank, allowing owners to drive up to 150 km (93 miles) after the LPG has been used up.
All engines come with a standard 5-speed manual, while a 4-speed automatic transmission will be available as an option on the 1.25-liter 85HP engine.
Regular models in the new Picanto line-up will have a CO2 rating of 95 to 105 g/km, while fuel economy will range from 4.2 to 5.9 lt per 100 km (39.9 - 55.6 mpg US).
As with the Rio, all 2012 Picanto models wil also be available with Kia’s fuel-stretching Eco-Dynamics technologies (automatic stop-start – ISG, advanced alternator control, upgraded starter motor and low-rolling resistance tyres), cutting emissions to between 90 and 100 g/km and improving fuel economy to a range of 4.1 to 5.6 lt per 100 km (42.0 - 57.4 mpg US).

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