All-new Kia Optima makes an early debut. Kia Motors releases official images of its new mid-size sedan.

The next generation Kia Optima (currently, also known as ‘Magentis’ in some markets) is set to make its world premiere next month at the 2010 New York International Auto Show.

“The next generation Optima possesses the power to surprise,” says Peter Schreyer, Kia’s Chief Design Officer. “It’s a car that people will simply not expect from Kia – and that’s exactly what we set out to achieve.”

The Optima exudes an athletic confidence from every angle and shutline – its raked roofline, the high and pronounced shoulder line of its sculpted flanks and its extended wheelbase are complemented by boldly flared wheelarches and a shallow glasshouse that create a saloon with a muscular and self-assured stance.

The striking visage of the Optima features a new interpretation of Kia’s bold ‘tiger’ family face that’s edged by piercing projector headlamps.

Longer, wider and lower than before, the Kia’s coupe-like profile is enhanced by the sweeping chrome arc that flows from A to C pillar, a distinctive design motif that visually lowers the car further still and enhances its cab-backwards proportions.

Spacious, and with class-leading levels of safety and luxury equipment, the Optima’s intelligently configured and driver-oriented cabin underlines this newfound poise and presence.

“The Optima embodies Kia’s confident new design direction,” says Schreyer. “It’s a global car with individual appeal.”

The Kia Motors press conference for the New York International Auto Show will take place on April 1, 2010 from 10:10-10:35 a.m. at the Kia Stand on Level 1 of the ‘Jacob Javits Center’ located between 34-39 Streets on 11th Avenue in New York City.

New Kia Optima image gallery:

Kia releases teaser images of its next generation Optima / Magentis midsize sedan, which is set to debut at the New York Auto Show.

Kia Motors Company released four teaser images of the next generation Kia Optima (called Magentis in Europe) mid-size sedan just a few weeks before its official worldwide premiere scheduled for New York Auto Show.

A fresh design from the ground up, Kia’s latest generation of its popular mid-size sedan is completely transformed and boasts a bold, athletic and sporty exterior lay-out penned by Peter Schreyer and his colleagues at Kia’s design headquarters.

The new model has grown in size. It is longer, lower and wider compared to the previous generation Optima sedan and now features a significantly longer wheelbase and more space for both people and luggage.

According to Kia, the next generation Optima sedan is scheduled to hit the US showroom floor in Fall 2010, while sales in European markets will commence at the beginning of 2011.

Next generation Kia Optima / Magentis images:

Kia unveiled Ray plug-in hybrid concept car at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show.

Kia Motors has unveiled its “Ray” plug-in Hybrid concept at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show, to highlight its innovative fuel-stretching and emissions-cutting technologies.

Following the Kia Borrego Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV), the Forte LPI Hybrid, the petrol cee’d Hybrid and the twin-turbo diesel Sorento Hybrid the “Ray” concept is a bold new collaboration between design and engineering and inventively showcases a futuristic four-seat compact saloon based on the Kia Forte platform.

Designed with lightweight and recycled materials, as well as hexagonal solar cells embedded in the glass roof panel to power extra lighting or climate control systems, the Kia “Ray” boasts a range of up to 746 miles.

“It is important to imagine early in the design process what people will want in the future from a green perspective. People want to reduce their carbon footprint without driving carbon copies,” said Peter Schreyer, Chief Design Officer for the Kia Motors Corporation.

“Being green doesn’t have to be an obvious statement anymore and the Kia “Ray” exemplifies a viable blend of modern, eco-minded features for today’s environmentally conscious consumers,” he added.

The stylish, aerodynamic “Ray” combines design and engineering for maximum efficiency, incorporating clean, flush surfaces minimising unnecessary edges giving a flowing profile and a pronounced rear shoulder ending in a slightly higher deck for reduced drag.

The “Ray” also features touch-screen controls, drive-by-wire steering, “cool-glazing” solar glass and a lithium-polymer battery - all possible indicators of future technology from Kia. As a plug-in hybrid, “Ray” is designed to cover driving distances of more than 50 miles using just its electric motor on a single charge, and has a fuel economy rating of more than 202 miles per gallon for a total range of 746 miles.

You should definitely continue your read after the jump to find even more details about Kia Ray PHEV concept car - after the jump!

Kia Ray concept car gallery:

(more…)

Second teaser image previews front fascia design of Kia Ray hybrid concept car.

Kia has just released the second teaser image of its latest Ray concept vehicle. The Ray concept is a plug-in hybrid car that is set to be unveiled at the Chichago Auto Show next week. The teaser photo reveals a futuristic design of concept car’s front fascia, which features extended LED headlights and fog lamps integrated into the front bumper.

Official Kia press release:

KIA LOOKS TO THE PLUG-IN FUTURE WITH “RAY” CONCEPT AT CHICAGO SHOW

As Governments and motorists keep up the interest levels in an electric-car future Kia Motors Corporation has revealed the first preview rendering of its latest concept car - called Ray - which will make its global debut at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show next month.

Styled by the team at Kia Design Centre America, the Kia Ray project was undertaken to demonstrate how Kia’s evolving design direction would be applied in the packaging of a plug-in hybrid vehicle.

The actual car will form the centre-piece of the Kia Motors America display at Chicago and the vehicle will contribute to Kia’s on-going development of alternative-fuel vehicles.

Already Kia has pioneered potentially real-life fuel cell vehicles and has working prototypes operating in California and Korea. Additionally Kia has various hybrid-engined vehicles providing real-world data in various locations and plans to commercialise Liquefied Petroleum Gas hybrid vehicles in Korea within the next 12 months.

Currently no date has been set for hybrid Kia models to be put on sale in the UK but on-road testing of petrol and diesel hybrid vehicles is due to start in Britain this year.

The Kia Motors press conference for the 2010 Chicago Auto Show will be staged at 1:30 p.m. on February 11, 2010.

Auto Show Update: Here’s yet another set of Kia teaser shots. This time, we can show you four high-quality Kia Optima teaser images.

Kia Ray concept image:

New Kia Sportage makes its official debut ahead of Geneva Auto Show. 

Kia today revealed its long-anticipated next-generation Sportage crossover. The company released a series of images previewing the production-ready Sportage crossover fully undisguised.

As evident from the pictures, the all-new Kia Sportage crossover marks a dramatic shift in design direction for the brand’s popular compact SUV. Like all new Kia vehicles so far, the new Sportage received a distinctive family face with “Schreyer” grille and Sorento-inspired daytime running lights. The combination of high beltline and narrow glasshouse makes it look fantastic, while its plastic body cladding boasts an off-roading appearance.

The new model looks eye-pleasing, but Kia claims that Sportage also offers vastly improved ride quality thanks to a brand-new platform with longer wheelbase. In terms of size, the model is longer, lower and wider than its predecessor and offers more passenger room. The boot space has also increased significantly, according to Kia.

The hot-looking 2011 Sportage crossover is set to hit the Kia dealerships within a few months with a wide range of highly competitive gasoline and diesel engines. Since the model shares its underpinnings with Hyundai’s Tucson crossover, it is expected that both crossovers will share their engines, as well as transmissions.

Kia has yet to release more details, but you can expect to see a 2.0L and 2.4L four-cylinder gasoline engines fitted under the hood of North American Sportage. In Europe, Kia Sportage is expected to get a 1.6L GDI gasoline four-cylinder and a choice of 1.7L and 2.0L four-cylinder diesel engines.

As speculated before, Kia has now confirmed that the world-wide premiere of its brand-new Sportage crossover will take place at the forth-coming Geneva International Auto Show, which opens its doors on March 2nd. If you plan to visit the event, make sure not to miss the Kia stand in the hall 6!

New Kia Sportage image gallery:

Euro- and US-spec Kia Sportage images:

About.com names the 2010 Kia Forte sedan to “Best New Cars of 2010″ list.

Recently named “Car of the Year” for 2010 by NADAguides.com, the 2010 Kia Forte sedan has now been named to the “Best New Cars of 2010″ list by popular online resource About.com.

The 2010 Kia Forte was one of 12 vehicles selected by About.com for its attractive combination of high quality, extensive standard safety features and overall value.

Taking all new and redesigned vehicles for 2010 into consideration, About.com reviewed and selected the top 12 vehicles they felt best offered consumers an exceptional combination of value, style, quality, safety features and amenities.

“In today’s economy consumers are looking for an attractive, well-equipped vehicle at a great price point, and the stylish Forte sedan offers exactly that and more,” said Michael Sprague, vice president, marketing of Kia Motors America (KMA).

“Recognition from a widely referenced consumer site like About.com brings more attention and credibility to the progress of the Kia brand and consumers can expect to see more of our new signature design direction in the near future as we continue the largest product rollout in company history.”

Available in LX, EX and SX trims, pricing for the Forte sedan starts at $13.695 for the LX trim, while the EX begins at $15.995 and the SX starts at $17.495.  In addition to competitive pricing, Forte comes well-stocked with a long list of standard amenities, starting with a standard AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio system outfitted with SIRIUS Satellite Radio capabilities with three months complimentary service.

Also standard on all models is an auxiliary audio input jack and USB port for connecting personal MP3 players as well as Bluetooth wireless technology and connectivity with steering wheel-mounted controls, which enables hands-free operation for all compatible mobile phones.

In addition to offering affordability and standard amenities, Forte also showcases a class-leading combination of standard safety features with active front headrests, advanced two-stage airbags, front seat-mounted and side curtain airbags, four-wheel disc brakes with an antilock brake system (ABS), brake assist (BAS), electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), electronic stability control (ESC), a traction control system (TCS) and a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS).

FAMA Magazine names Kia Soul the “Small car of the year”…

Adding even more recognition to its growing list of accolades, the 2010 Kia Soul was named “Small Car of the Year” by FAMA Magazine during an award presentation at the 2010 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit.

Also named one of “10 Great and Safe Rides for Teens” by AutoWeek magazine, one of the “Most Exciting Cars of 2010″ by TIME.com, given two “Top Safety Picks” by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and named to the “Top 10 Back-to-School Cars” list by Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com, Soul was selected by FAMA for its extensive list of safety features, dynamic styling, impressive interior room and value.  

“Soul offers today’s consumer a practical and attractive option with a more than impressive package of vibrant styling, extensive safety features and standard amenities,” said Michael Sprague, vice president, marketing of Kia Motors America (KMA).  “In today’s economy we feel it’s important that buyer’s don’t have to sacrifice these necessities for overall value, and Soul delivers.”

Editors from FAMA selected the top vehicles across six categories, including Editor’s Choice Award, Green Car/Hybrid of the Year, Best Luxury Sport Utility, Sport Car of the Year, Small Car of the Year and Car of the Year for Women.  Each vehicle considered possessed a long list of safety features, impressive styling, interior space and value.

Available in four trims, Soul, Soul+, Soul! (exclaim) and Soul sport, Kia Motors’ affordable halo vehicle offers an attractive starting price below $14,000(1).  Four special edition Souls, based on the Soul+ trim, also are being released throughout the year, including Denim Soul, Ignition Soul and most recently Shadow Dragon Soul.  Offering consumers even more ways to customize the Soul, each special edition comes with its own unique exterior color and packaging.

In addition to presenting an immense amount of style and value, Soul also offers an extensive list of standard safety features, including front seat active headrests, dual front advanced airbags, front seat-mounted and full-length side curtain airbags, an Antilock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Traction Control System (TCS), Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist System (BAS) and a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).  Front and rear crumple zones, side-impact door beams, an impact-absorbing steering column and Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system also come standard.

Kia Motors saw its US sales rose 43 percent in December 2009, while total 2009 sales increased 10 percent.

Kia announced its U.S. sales rose 43 percent to 21.048 units in December 2009 from 14.644 sold in the same month a year earlier, while its total 2009 sales rose 9.8 percent to 300.063 units.

Kia’s December 2009 sales gains came from increased sales of new models, such as Forte sedan, Forte Koup and Soul crossover. Leading the US sales last month were Kia Forte Koup and Forte sedan with sales of 4.903 units. Taking second and thrid spot were B-segment Rio and the outgoing Sorento SUV, with 3.932  and 3.136 units sold, respectively.

The all-new Kia Soul crossover came in fourth, with 2.816 units sold, while Optima sedan  concluded the top five best selling Kia cars in the U.S. market with 1.978 units sold. Among other Kia vehicles, Rondo and Borrego also achieved modest sales gains for the month, while Sedona, Sportage and Amanti sales decreased when compared to the same month a year earlier.

“In the midst of our largest commitment to the U.S. market ever, we have once again prevailed against difficult economic times and a down automotive industry by increasing our market share for the 15th consecutive year,” said B.M. Ahn, the CEO of Kia Motors America and Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia. “Our new and appealing design evolution paired with our core principles of quality, safety, value and technology will continue to boost our brand into the next decade.”

Kia’s US sales:

Every new Kia car sold in Europe is now available with Kia’s awesome 7-year warranty!

Kia is kicking off 2010 by extending its unique seven-year warranty to all its cars - delivering Europe’s best manufacturer-backed protection for new car buyers.

Previously available on Kia’s European-built products such as cee’d and Sportage, the seven-year warranty will now apply to every vehicle in the Kia range from the Picanto city car to the range-topping Sorento.

“We have already declared our intention to become the world’s No1 car maker for customer satisfaction and our new 7-Year Kia Warranty on all models is a major step towards achieving that goal,” commented Paul Philpott, Chief Operating Officer, Kia Motors Europe.

The new “7-Year Kia Warranty” will apply to all vehicles sold and registered in more than 20 European countries after 1 January 2010.

Michael Cole, Managing Director of Kia Motors (UK) Ltd., explained: “The warranty covers every vehicle in our line-up for up to seven years - and no-one in the business can boast that. Even better, the warranty is transferable to subsequent owners bringing a big boost for used values.”

“The new 7-Year Kia Warranty is simply the ‘longest and best’ warranty available on any car, anywhere in Europe. Clearly, a longer warranty is a better warranty and this move will give every Kia owner not just enjoyable motoring but genuine long-term peace of mind.”

The all-new 2011 Kia Sorento prices to start at $20.790  (including a $795 destination charge).

The all-new 2011 Kia Sorento will be making its inroads into Kia’s dealerships across the USA in January next year, with a starting price tag of $20.790 for an entry-level, front-wheel-drive model, while prices will top out at $29.690 for the all-wheel-drive Sorento crossover with 6-speed automatic gearbox and more potent six-cylinder engine.

The entry-level Sorento with front-wheel-drive drivetrine offers seating for five people and is equipped with 2.4L Theta II gasoline engine. The four-cylinder unit, which produces 175 horsepower, is paired with six-speed manual transmission.

The top-of-the-range Sorento model is equipped with more potent six-cylinder Lambda II engine, which puts out class-leading 276 horsepower and 248 ft-lb, and mates Kia’s all-new six-speed automatic transmission. It is available in either front-while-drive or all-wheel drive variants with prices ranging from $27,990 to $29,690.

The all-new 2011 Kia Sorento crossover is the very first Kia vehicle that is being produced at Kia’s Georgia-based production facility, which can build up to 300.000 new vehicles per year. Production of the 2011 Sorento has already begun, while sales are scheduled to commence during January 2010.

2011 Kia Sorento prices (Note: prices include $795 shipping charge):

Base model: 2.4L four-cylinder engine, Manual Transmission, 4×2 = $20.790

Sorento LX: 2.4L four-cylinder engine, Automatic Transmission, 4×2 = $23.190

Sorento LX: 2.4L four-cylinder engine, Automatic Transmission, 4×4 = $24.890

Sorento EX: 2.4L four-cylinder engine, Automatic Transmission, 4×2 = $25.390

Sorento EX: 2.4L four-cylinder engine, Automatic Transmission, 4×4 = $27.090

Sorento EX: 3.5L six-cylinder engine, Automatic Transmission, 4×2 = $27.990

Sorento EX: 3.5L six-cylinder engine, Automatic Transmission, 4×4 = $29.690

Is this the much anticipated Kia K9 luxury sedan, based on Genesis’ rear-wheel-drive platform?

The attendees of the Songdo design conference, held in South Korea, have been revealed a very interesting designer sketch from Kia’s chief designer, Peter Schreyer. During his on-stage presentation, an image of mysterious Kia vehicle appeared on the back-screen.

Many believe that this was the very first sneak peak preview of Kia’s upcoming rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan, codenamed CH, which has been expected to hit the Korean market in late 2010 and will be positioned above the just recently launched Kia K7 luxury sedan.

The rumoured Kia K9 sedan is expected to share its rear-wheel-drive architecture with Hyundai Gensis sedan. It is also expected to be equipped with Hyundai-Kia’s all-new 8-speed automatic transmission which will soon be applied to the high-end Hyundai Equus luxury sedan.

If we speculate further, the K9 luxury sedan will likely feature similar engine line-up as its sibling model from Hyundai, but according to some reports from various Korean magazines, the automaker also plans to introduce a brand-new, high-performance 4.0L V8 engine in the K9 sedan.

Sometime ago, we published a leaked document that outlined the release dates of Kia’s upcoming vehicles. According to the document, the all-new CH should have been unveiled in September 2010, but recent rumours suggest its January 2011 release. [Source: aboutcar.co.kr]

Kia K9 gallery: 

Kia will launch volume production of the 2010 Hyundai ix35 (known as Hyundai Tucson in US) at the beginning of 2010.

Hyundai will start assembling its all-new Tucson crossover at Kia’s state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Slovakia, according to Kia. The all-new Tucson, which made its official debut at the LA auto show, will be named the ix35 when it goes on sale in Europe at the beginning of 2010.

The all-new Tucson (ix35) is brand-new compact crossover from Hyundai, which is replacing the very successful first-generation Tucson model after six years on the market. The 2010 Tucson now features a completely redesigned exterior and interior, as well as a brand-new platform with state-of-the-art powertrain technology, including a range of new gasoline and diesel engines and new manual and automatic transmissions.

Overall, its a great package and according to several automotive publications, this is probably the best and the most competitive made-by-Hyundai vehicle ever!

And now the most important thing, technically, the all-new Tucson is a twin model of the upcoming Kia Sportage crossover, which is scheduled to make its official debut in the first half of next year.

The 2011 Kia Sportage is expected to feature all the goodies you can find in the all-new Hyundai Tucson, and, as latest spy shots revealed, it will continue the evolution of Kia’s striking design language that combines appropriately designed proportions, surfaces and lines, so expect to see a very modern executed exterior and interior design lay-outs!

Kia Cadenza eyes to take 40 percent of full-sized sedan market in Korea.

When Kia officially unveiled the all-new K7 (Cadenza) in Korea this Tuesday the company revealed it eyes to take 40 percent of the local full-size sedan market. According to the company, around 100.000 units of full-sized sedans are sold on average each year in the country, which means Kia targets to sell 40.000 Cadenzas per year.

For the 2010, Kia has set its domestic sales target at 35.000 units, while in the following year, the company hopes to raise domestic sales to 40.000 units. Kia also plans to increase its exports to overseas countries from 5.000 in 2010 to 25.000 units in 2011.

In Korea, the all-new Cadenza will compete head to head against similarly sized sedans, all built by domestic car companies (Hyundai Grandeur/Azera, Samsung SM7 and Daewoo Veritas), as well as against a number of European and Japanese rivals.

As seen in the official press release Kia Cadenza comes equipped with a host of safety and convenience features including lane departure warning and tire pressure monitoring systems, a reversing safety camera with interior mirror display screen, front and rear park assist system, cooled front seats, heated steering wheel, powered extendable seat cushions, panoramic sunroof and many other features.

The Korean-market Cadenza is available with a broad range of engine options. Available as an entry-level engine, the 2.4L Theta II engine which produces 180 horsepower and achieves 11.8 kilometers per liter of fuel.

The 2.7L V6 engine generates 200 horsepower and manages 11 kilometers per liter of fuel, while the top of the range 3.5L V6 tops out at 290 horsepower and the fuel economy clocks in at 10.6 kilometers per liter. In addition, Korean-specs Kia Cadenza will also be available with a 2.7-liter liquefied petroleum gas engine that churns out 165 horsepower.

Pricing for the entry-level Cadenza, equipped with four-cylinder engine, ranges from 28.4 million won to 30.7 million won ($24.200 to $26.100 ), while the trim fitted with 2.7L V6 engine is priced between 30.6 million won to 38 million won ($26.100 to $32.300). The 3.5L V6 powered Cadenza starts at 38.7 million won ($32.900) and goes up to 41.3 million won ($35.100) for the top of range Kia Cadenza/K7.

Kia Cadenza gallery (image source: rpm9.com):

Kia Cadenza luxury sedan to feature a range-topping 290-hp V6 mated to an all-new 6-speed automatic transmission and a variety of high-tech features including “Welcome” system, as well as cabin mood lighting and RPAS reversing sensors.

The long-anticipated Kia Cadenza has been officially unveiled to the South Korean consumers today. The 4965 mm long Cadenza sedan will take over the role of large luxury sedan for the Kia marque from the 10-year old Opirus and is destined to totally transform Kia’s sales performance in the D2 segment.

The Cadenza name is derived from an Italian musical term used to describe an elaborate, ornamental flourish for a concerto or aria.  It perfectly symbolizes the dynamic sedan’s striking design philosophy and upscale image.

Under the direction of Kia’s Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer, the large sedan design team in Korea was determined to transform every aspect of the brand’s range-topping model, to deliver sporty and sleek styling, agile and dynamic performance, exceptional comfort and refinement and competitive high-tech features.

“With the Cadenza, we have created an all-new, large sedan that will revitalize Kia’s fortunes thanks to its exciting appearance, strong performance and luxurious cabin which will guarantee a much broader consumer appeal, attracting thousands of new customers to our brand,” commented Mr Hyoung-Keun Lee, President, Kia Motors Corporation.

According to Kia, the all-new Kia Cadenza will make its very-first overseas appearance at the Riyadh Motor Show in Saudi Arabia on 12th of December, while the model is also set to be displayed at the forth-coming Dubai Motor Show, which opens its doors on December 15th.

Continue your read after the jump to find more information on the all-new Kia Cadenza…

Kia Cadenza gallery: 

(more…)