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World premiere for all-new Kia ex_cee’d cabrio concept |
2007-02-23 |
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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 clear indication that Kia could produce a stunning looking cabrio under his guidance.
Based on the new three-door cee’d Sporty Hatch (scheduled for production in Slovakia from December), the ex_cee’d has the same wheelbase, but features several new exterior panels, while sharing the floor-pan and numerous unseen components with the three-door car, plus a powered folding fabric roof.
By adopting a fabric roof for the ex_cee’d, Kia 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, it is the fabric roof that is the quintessential element of a truly rewarding cabrio.”
With its slight wedge shape profile, muscular wings over 19-inch alloy wheels, and an 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 forward in the process of evolving into a European company with Korean roots.”
cee’d family marks historic turning point
The launch of the Kia cee’d family (five-door hatchback from December last year, five-door Sporty Wagon - from August 2007 and three-door Sporty Hatch - from December 2007) 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.
Endorsing the quality of this new model range, Kia is giving all cee'd vehicles a remarkable 7-Year / 150,000 kilometre warranty which is transferable to subsequent owners.
Geneva Show Press Conference
The Kia ex_cee’d cabrio concept, Kia cee’d Sporty Wagon and Kia Rio Hybrid sedan will be unveiled on Stand 5231, Hall 5, during the Kia Motors press conference at 14.00 hrs on 6 March.
Kia Motors Corporation (www.kiamotors.com or www.kia.com) -- one of the fastest growing automakers in the world -- was founded in 1944 and is Korea’s oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles. As part of the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, Kia aims to become one of the world’s premier automotive brands. Kia’s 14 manufacturing and assembly operations in 9 countries produce more than 1.3 million vehicles a year that are sold and serviced through a network of distributors and dealers covering 160 countries. Kia today has over 33,000 employees and annual revenues of almost $19 billion. It is the major sponsor of the Australian Tennis Open and an official worldwide sponsor of the Davis Cup. From 2007 to 2014, Kia will be an official automotive partner of FIFA -- the governing body of the FIFA World Cup. Kia Motors Corporation’s brand slogan -- “The Power to Surprise” -- represents the company’s global commitment to surpassing customer expectations through continuous automotive innovation.
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