Geneva Preview: Kia ex_cee’d Cabrio Concept

Hyundai Group’s attack on the European market continues as the over-ambitious Koreans presented the Kia ex_cee’d Cabrio Concept. The styling of the soft-top Cee’d is the work of Peter Schreyer, Kia’s new Chief Design Officer. Does the name ring a bell? Well, it ought to as Schreyer is considered as the father of Audi’s iconic fist generation TT. Schreyer moved over to Kia last September leaving his job as the head of VW advanced design studios.

Based on Kia’s upcoming three-door version of cee’d (due to go into production in December), the ex_cee’d Cabrio features an electric folding fabric roof. According to Schreyer, Kia deliberately chose to avoid the coupe-cabrio craze as they’re convinced that the fabric roof will have a renaissance in the near future. Having driven most of the coupe-cabrios in the European market and unless manufactures find a way to radically improve reliability issues, I can’t say I disagree with him.

Although Kia doesn’t mention it in its press release, last year at the Paris Show I learned that all four versions of the Cee'd (Cabrio, 2.0 GTi, 3door & Station Wagon) will be presented in 2007, with sales commencing in Europe towards the end of 2007 and the beginning of 2008 (depending on the country). –Continued: Click “Read More…” to see the press release and I more image

PRESS RELEASE: GENEVA WORLD PREMIERE FOR SCHREYER’S KIA ex_cee’dCABRIO CONCEPT

Kia’s exciting all-new ex_cee’d cabrio concept car will be premiered at the 77th Geneva Motor Show on 6 March.

The styling of the eagerly anticipated ex_cee’d cabrio is the work of Peter Schreyer, Kia’s new Chief Design Officer, and hints at the future direction Kia vehicles could be taking under his guidance.

Based on the new three-door cee’d hatchback, due to go into production at the Zilina factory in Slovakia from December, the ex_cee’d shares the same platform, but features all-new exterior panels and a powered folding fabric roof.

By adopting a fabric roof, the ex_cee’d deliberately goes its own retro way rather than following the trend towards cabrios with folding metal roofs. Peter Schreyer paid special attention to designing a classic cabrio with a traditional soft-top roof: “I’m convinced that the fabric roof will have a renaissance. We’ve all lived with the romantic idea of open-air driving for a long time and for me, the fabric roof is the quintessential element of a truly rewarding cabrio.”

With its slight wedge shape profile, muscular wings over 19-inch alloy wheels, and aggressive nose with dynamic front styling, the ex_cee’d has instantly found a form that stands out from the cabrio crowd. The cabrio concept is finished in ‘meringue white’ exterior paint with a ‘bitter chocolate’ fabric roof – colours that are echoed by the interior’s two-tone leather.

“With this new cabrio concept car, Kia has once again demonstrated that it is a young, style-conscious company that knows how to combine elegance with dynamics,” enthused Mr Yong-Hwan Kim, Senior Executive Vice President and COO Kia Motors.

“The Kia ex_cee’d is a fresh aesthetic high-point in our history, an encouraging sign of the growing internationalisation of our brand and a step in the process of evolving into a European company with Korean roots,” he added.

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Paris Show : 2007 Kia Cee'd Sport Wagon

Two out five for Kia who decided to unveil the second version of its European designed, engineered and made, Cee'd. The estate-bodied Cee'd sport wagon follows the 5door hatch Cee'd and a sporty 3door hatch prototype called pro_cee'd, all of whom will make their debut at Paris. Read about Kia's future plans here : 3door, Coupe-Cabrio, GTi & Station versions

Press Release : Due to go into full production in the middle of 2007 and on sale throughout Europe from next September, the vehicle is the next in Kia's European-designed, European-engineered cee'd line-up to be built at the Zilina factory in Slovakia.

The 4.470 mm long, 1.490 mm high, car features a tailgate shaped like an inverted "L" with its hinges set back over the load area so the tailgate rises almost vertically, giving enhanced access to the large-capacity cargo area that has additional storage below the floor.

The vehicle has the same 2650 mm wheelbase as the five-door hatchback cee'd that makes its world premiere in production-ready form at the Paris Motor Show and goes on sale in Europe from December 2006. When the new model goes on sale next September, customers will be offered an extensive choice of five engines, three trim/equipment levels and 12 exterior colours.

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Paris Show : Kia pro cee'd Concept previews next years 3d sport hatch

Surprise, surprise... Kia revealed the first images of its latest concept car that is scheduled to debut at the Paris Motor Show later this month. Named pro cee'd, it's based on the new C-Segment (VW Golf, Opel Astra, Ford Focus, Peugeot 307 etc) Cee'd and it previews next year's 3d version.

"Following on from the original cee'd concept car we exhibited at the Geneva Show earlier this year, our design brief for pro cee'd was to create a teaser for the all-new Kia cee'd sporty hatch which will become the third model in the cee'd line-up (after the five-door and wagon) from December 2007," explained Gregory Guillaume, Chief Designer Kia, European Design Centre.

Have to admit that the Koreans did quite a good job on designing the pro cee'd and especially its rear end which has a hint of Audi in it -ok, it shouts out loud Inglosandt... Although we wont' ever see the chunky 265/30 R19 low profile tyres or the dramatic 4seat interior, lets hope that this time, Kia will remain much closer to the concept than it did with the 5door Cee'd when the 3door version goes in production next year.

Read about the new 3door, GTi (2.0 Turbo), Station Wagon and cabrio versions of the Kia Cee’d here : Inside info on upcoming versions

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2006 Paris Show : Hyundai to present its 2007 VW Golf contender in the form of the FD Concept

Following the steps of its subsidiary KIA, who previewed a few months ago the Cee'd Concept, Hyundai Europe is going to present a near to production version concept car at this years Paris International Motor Show.

Dubbed FD, Hyundai's concept is based on the all-new, European developed, designed and manufactured, Kia Cee'd. It's goal is to give us a preview of Hyundai's upcoming C-Segment competitor which will go on sale in Europe next summer (2007).

Like its Kia counterpart the Ceed, the FD is considered a Top Priority in Hyundai Group's European strategy as both models will compete in Europe's best selling category, the C-Segment. Of course that's better said than done, as the Korean's will have to go against European heavyweights like the Volkswagen Golf, Opel Astra, and Renault Megane.

Finally, it should be noted that when the FD goes in production next year, most likely it'll be available not only as a 5door hatch but like the Kia Cee'd in other versions also. (Click here for the story: Kia Cee'd: 3door - Station Wagon - GTi - Coupe-Cabrio)

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Inside info- Kia's planning to add 4 new version to it’s Cee'd range in 2007: a Coupe-Cabrio, a Station Wagon, a 3door hatchback and a 200 Hp GTi

According to an inside tip I got from a Kia official, the Korean automaker is planning to speed up it's European attack by adding four brand-new versions to its compact model Cee'd (the 5door will make its official debut at the upcoming Paris International Motor Show).

Most importantly, apart from the usual 3door and Station Wagon versions, Cee'd's range will be enhanced with a Coupe-Cabrio and a 2.0 Turbo GTi model producing about 200 Hp - both a first not only for Kia, but for it's Hyundai parent also. As their 5door donor car, all four versions of the Cee'd will be designed, engineered and made in Europe.

According to my sources, all four versions of the Cee'd will be presented in 2007, with sales commencing in Europe towards the end of 2007 and the beginning of 2008 (depending on the country). It's still uncertain if any of these models will find their way in the US market.

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Kia's all new VW Golf contender to be named "cee'd"

Well this comes to us a big surprise... A few weeks after Kia revealed the first photos of its all-new c-segment family car at the recent London Motor Show, they announced today that it will be called... "cee'd" (pronounced "seed"). Ring a bell ? Of course it does, as it takes the name given to its concept-car predecessor .

Anyways, the 2007 cee'd is set to make its world premiere in production-ready form at the Mondial de L'Automobile in Paris on 28 September hitting European showrooms by the end of the year.

Update: New interior pictures

To see more pictures of the 2007 Kia cee'd, click here: KIA

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Official! 2007 Kia ED production model pictures and specifications

KIA REVEALS ALL-NEW CHALLENGER TO C-SEGMENT LEADERS

Catching most of us out of suprise, Kia revealed the first official photographs of its all-new family car – code named ‘ED’ – at the British International Motor Show in London today. Created especially for European consumers, the new model will be Kia’s strongest-ever contender for C-segment honours when it goes on sale across Europe in December 2006 – a genuine challenger to the established class leaders.

The 4.2-metre long ED has an long wheelbase (2,650 mm) and promises to offer class-leading interior space, plus highly competitive levels of equipment and state-of-the-art active and passive safety. From launch, a range of four engines will be available, including 1.4, 1.6 and 2.0-litre CVVT gasoline engines and an all-new 1.6-litre VGT diesel engine.

"Our new C-segment model is code named ‘ED’ because it is a European Design created with European consumers in mind," explains Jean-Charles Lievens, Senior Vice President Kia Motors Europe. "Our ED production model’s styling highlights that this car is a truly European design, tailored precisely to the C-Segment which is uniquely important in Europe. ED is truly a car designed in Europe, manufactured in Europe, to be marketed exclusively in Europe, to fulfil 100% of European customers’ needs."

According to Kia, the ED's exterior appearance, points towards the future elements of Kia’s evolving design language – like the cee’d concept car shown by Kia at the Geneva Show earlier this year and at the British Show today.

Kia’s latest C-segment model, the ED will be produced at Kia’s first-ever European manufacturing facility at Zilina in Slovakia. It will be marketed exclusively in Europe and the five-door launch models will be joined by a range of station wagons and sporty three-door hatchback models from September and December 2007, respectively.

The all-new Kia five-door family hatchback will make its world premiere at the Mondial de L’Automobile in Paris, France, on 28 September 2006, when its name will be revealed.

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Hyundai FD Concept -2007 Elantra & C Segment Hatch

Hyundai gives us a teaser of its upcoming 2007 midsize hatch, that will compete in the Ford Focus & VW Golf category. The sedan version will replace the current Elantra model

Designed by Hyundai’s new site in Russelsheim, Germany, the FD concept is the product of a young team of European engineers who have been given a great deal of freedom by Korean headquarters. The concept will be previewed in the Paris Auto Show in September, with production versions following in early 2007.

The FD is going to be bigger than the Accent -which will continue to be offered as an in-between category model, giving Hyundai a competitor in the C-segment, taking on Ford Focus, Opel Astra and Volkswagen Golf models.

It is already confirmed by Hyundai that the FD will would share the same platform as Kia’s new model, dubbed the ED. This ED, is actually the production version of the C'eed concept seen at the Geneva Motor Show in March, and will replace the current Cerato. But whereas the Kia was largely the work of a Korean team, then 'Europeanised' at Russelsheim, the design of the Hyundai has been created from scratch alongside the engineering development.

Although the ED and FD will share similar mechanical and structural designs, with only minor variations in, for example, suspension tuning, they will have a different image and market positioning. Underlining this, they will be built at two different factories - the Kia ED in Zilina, Slovakia, and the FD at Hyundai’s new factory at the Czech Republic. Engines will be similar to those already in the Hyundai-Kia range, including 1.4, 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0-litre petrol engines and 1.5 and 2.0 turbo diesels.

The new model will be available in hatchback (3 & 5 door) and sedan versions, with the later replacing the current Elantra (see pics). According to European sources, the FD will also base Hyundai’s future midsize coupe-cabriolet and MPV models.

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Kia “cee’d” concept

Cee...ya in Geneva

New Kia “cee’d” concept points to future C segment class car

After the Picanto, Sorento, Sportage and Rio models, Kia is going to give it a shot at the very popular C segment class with an all new compact hatchback. We are going to get a taste of the car at the Geneva Show with the concept “cee’d”.

The forthcoming compact passenger car, codenamed “E.D.” (European Developed?) is
designed specifically for the European market and it will be produced at Kia’s new plant in Slovakia. According to my information, the “cee’d” will be taking the European roads at the end of 2006 competing against cars like Ford Focus, Opel Astra and the Volkswagen Golf. It is also speculated that in 2007, the compact hatchback will be available in the US and the Asian markets

PRESS RELEASE: (SEOUL) February 16, 2006 -- Kia Motors will unveil an exciting new concept car at the 76^th Salon de l’Automobiles, in Geneva, Switzerland at the end of this month. The stunningly attractive, precisely styled show car, named cee’d (pronounced ‘seed’), is based on the forthcoming all-new C-segment model which Kia will begin building at its first-ever European assembly plant in Slovakia from December 2006.

With its tough appearance, combining strongly solid forms with sensitively flowing lines, jewel-like detailing and a broad stance, cee’d points towards the future elements of Kia’s evolving design language.

“Our design brief was to create a ‘teaser’ for the all-new Kia which has been designed entirely in Europe and will make its world premiere at the Paris Show in September,” explained Gregory Guillaume, Chief Designer Kia, European Design Centre. “We wanted to make cee’d as beautiful, as exquisitely detailed and precisely executed as possible. We wanted to introduce this concept as the starting point for the new design DNA for Kia, to highlight that this car is designed in Europe and made in Europe, to fulfill 100% of European customer needs.”

The cee’d has several of the core design elements of two earlier Kia cars -- the Sorento SUV and A-segment Picanto. With this concept car Kia is making these design elements even more understandable to the public. cee’d is a new stage in Kia design, the beginning of communicating its new design language.

cee’d features flowing lines carried through strong forms. The major flow-line runs from low on the nose spoiler, around the grill, over the bonnet, up the A-pillar, along the roof rail to the tailgate spoiler, down the C-pillar and around the rear bumper -- enveloping the whole car.

At the Geneva Show, cee’d is finished in ‘English Pewter’ bespoke exterior paint, blended to give the external surfaces a unique luster that is echoed by the interior. The concept car will be displayed on a low, rotating glass turntable so that visitors can fully appreciate the interior styling, as well as the exterior form. The extended, flared wheel arches envelop bespoke 19-inch diameter polished aluminum wheels sporting 265/30 R19 low-profile tires.

Full details of the cee’d concept car, the all-new Kia Carnival MPV and 2006 upgraded Sorento SUV will be available at the Kia press conference to be held on February 28 in Hall 5 at 12.30 hrs (local time).

The Geneva Show concept car is named cee’d for two reasons. ‘CEE’ to symbolize that both the concept and the forthcoming production model are ‘made in Europe’ with European consumers in mind. And to represent the ‘seed’ for future growth in Kia sales, which the new model will undoubtedly ensure.

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