Peter Schreyer’s design reinvention of Kia appears to be kicking into high gear with this provocative tease of an upcoming Geneva Motor Show concept. We used to swoon with anticipation over teasers of German branded cars, but now there seems nothing untoward about a Korean brand doing the same for what looks essentially like a small, crossover-type car. My, how the business has adapted.
Kia was clever enough to realise that market growth comes from aggressive and high quality product introductions and that’s why, in 2009, when the majority of brands were battening down the hatches because of recession, Kia recorded its biggest growth ever: 27% improvement worldwide.
The concept Peter Schreyer and his design team are teasing this time around, will be heading to March’s Geneva Motor Show for a full unveiling, but for now, the Korean car manufacturer has chosen to keep most details under wraps, including the three-door concept’s name.
What Kia did want to share about the car is that it is a “racy new urban concept” vehicle and: “With the company’s signature tiger-nose morphing into a mischievous, yet friendly, grille and headlight arrangement, coupled with strong styling lines that exude speed and energy from every angle, Kia’s newest concept vehicle is guaranteed to attract attention.”
Hear, hear. We agree with them on that and we appreciate that Peter Schreyer and Kia are clearly shrewd enough to realise they can’t rely on the ‘tiger nose’ for too long before it loses its lustre with consumers. This teased Kia concept appears to adapt the tiger nose, (with an almost Chevrolet Camaro-looking bonnet line), successfully from that point of view. The narrow grille blends into the headlights at the front and the one-piece tail-light line is prominent at the rear too.
Many are saying it will be a Nissan Juke and Renault Captur crossover CUV competitor, but certainly from the concept rendering at the moment, it appears to take the form of a low, sporty, three-door hatchback. It wears aggressive exterior design, aerodynamic body work, LED lighting on both ends and the rakish silhouette hints towards a fast and exciting future. Well, much more so than the lovable Kia Soul for instance.
Apparently also joining the sporty concept model at Kia’s Geneva motor show stand, will be the new GT versions of the Cee’d and Pro_Cee’d hatchbacks. The GT-badged Kias hope to take on the Volkswagen Golf GTI with their 150 kW turbocharged engines.
