Exclusive spy shots: 2013 Kia K9 caught in the wild for the first time!

Before we move to Geneva Auto Show, which officially begins on Tuesday, March 1st., we should take a look at a mysterious prototype, which has been caught in South Korea recently. Heavily camouflaged large-sized sedan is widely believed to be the all-new Kia K9 luxury car, which has been rumored to make its official debut in 2012 or 2013.

Expected to debut in spring next year, the K9 luxury car will share its platform with Hyundai Equus sedan. The highlight of new Kia K9 will be the all-new 5.0L V8 Tau engine, which churns out impressive 429 horsepower and Kia’s new 8-speed automatic transmission. The highly-advanced V8 engine will feature gasoline direct injection technology, as well as Dual Continuously Variable Valve Timing (D-CVVT), which will significantly improve the car’s driving dynamics and refinement.

The 2013 Kia K9 will first go on sale in the home Korean market, however, latest rumors suggest that the model will also appear in the North American market. Thanks for the pics, K-Kim!

2013 Kia K9 spy shots:

Kia TAM is a Picanto based mini-MPV, scheduled to hit the Korean showroom floor later this year.

While we are anxiously waiting for the first official information about the upcoming Kia Soul facelift, Kia engineers continue their testing efforts on a brand-new Kia TAM mini-MPV. Spied for the first time in South Korea a few weeks ago, the mysterious TAM (codename) MPV has now been spotted on European soil undergoing some cold-weather testing.

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Spy shots: Kia Soul crossover to receive a mid-cycle facelift, new six-speed automatic transmission and possibly, an upgraded 1.6L engine.

Spies have caught a heavily disguised Kia Soul crossover undergoing winter testing in Sweden. Though heavily disguised, these latest spy shots reveal us some styling changes made to the car’s front and rear-end.

Up-front, the facelifted Kia Soul will feature a set of redesigned headlights with LED daytime running lights ( now mandatory in Europe), revised front bumper and updated signature grille. Furthermore, the Soul facelift will also receive a revised set of tail-lamps and slightly redesigned rear-bumper.

In addition to styling updates, the new Soul will receive some upgrades under its hood. Confirmed for production is the all-new six-speed automatic transmission, which should improve the Soul’s mpg numbers. Also rumored to appear in the new Soul is the upgraded 1.6L four-cylinder engine. Not much else is known about the possible powertrain updates.

When is Kia going to introduce the Soul facelift? There’s no official word yet on when we’ll see the updated Soul crossover, however some sources close to the automaker suggest we could see it making its official public premiere at the forth-coming 2011 New York Auto Show in April. [Source: driving-dutchman]

2012 Kia Rio 5-door hatchback images released ahead of Geneva Auto Show debut!

Kia released first official images of its all-new Rio 5-door hatchback, which is scheduled to make its official premiere at the Geneva Auto Show. The 5-door Rio hatch will be put on display along Kia Picanto 2012 – model year and Kia Optima hybrid, which will both make their official European premieres at the event.

Kia has confirmed that the 2012 Rio will be available as a three-door or five-door hatchback. The fast-growing Korean carmaker revealed it plans to launch 5-door Rio hatchback first, while 3-door Rio will follow in 2012.

As seen on the official images, the new Rio 5-door features bolder and more sculpted exterior styling. The all-new Rio has its own interpretation of Kia’s signature grille, integrated with the headlamps to give a new twist on the Kia family look. In profile, the body to glass ratio and its strong wedge form give new Rio a dynamic stance.

Kia is confident that styling changes will help the 2012 Rio stand out in the crowded B-segment, currently dominated in Europe by cars such as the VW Polo, Ford Fiesta and Fiat Punto.

Compared to the outgoing Rio, the new model has grown in size. It is 55mm longer, 15mm lower, and 25mm wider than its predecessor. It rides on a 2.570mm wheel-base, which is 70mm longer than with the previous model. Thanks to longer wheelbase, the 2012 Kia Rio 5-door now offers more passenger room, as well as more cargo space (292 liters)

Kia revealed today that the 2012 Rio will have six new fuel-efficient engines with CO2 emissions as low as 85 g/km engines – from a 1.1L diesel engine packing 70 horsepower (available in Europe), up to a 1.6L GDI gasoline engine generating 140 horsepower (available in North America).

The 2012 Kia Rio will also be available with the automaker’s all-new, high-performance 1.2L GDI Turbo engine, which was developed in conjunction with Hyundai Motor Company. The 1.2L Gasoline Direct Injection Turbo engine will be available the European market starting from 2012.

The all-new Kia Rio will be officially unveiled at the Geneva International Motor Show on Tuesday, March 1, 2011 at 16.15 CET. Stay tuned for more information and images!

Kia Rio 5-door hatchback image gallery:

Is Kia going to delay the launch of its brand-new Optima in Europe? Some sources state that European consumers could wait up to 12 months to get their hands on Kia’s striking mid-size sedan!

Due to the high demand for Kia’s new Optima sedan in North America and Asia, Kia could delay the arrival of its new mid-size sedan to Europe. The Optima should arrive to Kia’s European dealerships during the first months of 2011, but some sources close to the automaker now state that European consumers could wait up to one year until they finally get their hands on the new Optima sedan.

It’s no secret that the all-new Optima has been selling really well in the South Korean market. Initial sales of the 2011 Optima (sold as Kia K5 at its home market) in Korea have surpassed those of the 2011 Hyundai Sonata and the K5 now seems to be threatening the reign of the Hyundai Sonata as the number one mid-size sedan in South Korea.

Kia Optima sales are expected to explode in the States as well. The model has just recently been put on sale in the U.S. market and already achieved an impressive sales result. Kia dealers sold almost 2.000 new Optimas in December 2010. The number is expected to grow significantly once Kia imports more cars to its dealers.

Even though Optima’s European launch could be delayed (not officially confirmed yet), Kia will still display the Optima sedan at the upcoming Geneva Auto Show. The forth-coming Geneva Auto Show will mark the official premiere of two brand new hathcbacks, the all-new Kia Picanto and 2012 Kia Rio.