2008 Kia Cee'd 3door Hatch Spied

Kia’s European built, designed and engineered C-Segment model will soon welcome a new member in its family, a 3door version which will also base next year’s 225Hp GTi –we don’t know the name yet. Spied here wearing more camo than a Paradoxophyla palmate (a narrow-headed frog native to Madagascar that’s a master of camouflage – don’t blame us, blame the Discovery Channel…), the 3door Cee’d has been designed by Peter Schreyer, the father of Audi’s iconic fist generation TT.

As Kia people pointed out to us last year at the Paris Show, the 3door Cee’d will closely resemble the pro cee’d Concept. Of course, we’ve heard that before so we’re not keeping our hopes up too high. Either way we’ll soon find out since as our Kia insider informed us, the 3door Cee’d will break cover at the Frankfurt Show this September. -Continued: Click “Read More…” below

Pics via: kiaworld

2007 Australian Annual Cost Of Vehicle Ownership Survey

An Australian survey concerning vehicle ownership cost? As strange as it may seem, not only do we like knowing that Lexus is Japanese and Land Rover is British (…), but we also find interesting totally useless stuff like how many bucks will an Aussie block pay to own his 6cylinder Commodore or Falcon. For the record, your average Mike will pay 233.40 & 229.13 AUD par week respectively that translates to €142.1 & 139.5 and $191.2 & 187.7 again, respectively.

The Royal Automobile Club of Victoria’s (RACV) conducted this particular survey and the calculations include the cost of financing the vehicle, depreciation (hence the high numbers we mentioned above), as well as operating costs including scheduled services, registration, insurance, fuel, tyres, etc. We don’t know why, but the Aussies only included Australian and Japanese carmakers along with a couple of Kia’s and Hyundai’s. Follow the jump (click "Read More...") to check out analytical ownership costs per vehicle category.

Key to the tables

Standing costs include those incurred on a periodical basis, such as depreciation in the value of the vehicle, interest on the loan, registration, driver’s license and RACV roadside assistance membership.

Running costs include those that result primarily from usage of the vehicle, such as fuel, tyre replacement, service and repairs.

Total Costs combine both Standing and Running costs. They are calculated as an average, based on costs incurred over the first five years of ownership and 15,000 km annual travel distance.

Via: RACV

Kia Picanto Facelift: Official Details & Images Released

Kia came out with an official release and more images of its updated Picanto mini that’ll premiere at the Barcelona Auto Show on June 7, 2007, In a nutshell, the 2008 Picanto received a new front end, different rear light clusters and an updated interior inspired from the Cee’d. There are no changes in the engine range. The Koreans believe that the facelift will help boost annual oversees sales in excess of 130,000 units over the next several years. -Press Release & Images after the jump

Upgraded 2007 Kia Picanto set for Barcelona Motor Show debut

• - Refreshed, restyled and longer – new 2007 Kia Picanto to debut on 7 June
• - Fresh colours, plus upgraded interior, audio equipment and power steering

(SEOUL) May 25, 2007 – Kia Motors Corporation has confirmed that the newly upgraded 2007 Kia Picanto will make its world premiere at the 34^th Salon Internacional del Automovil in Barcelona, Spain on 7 June. Kia’s design teams in Korea and Europe have revisited the company’s smallest car, preserved its ‘young, sporty and friendly’ spirit, and evolved the new 2007 Picanto – a car with more glamorous looks, an upgraded interior and higher quality audio equipment.

Attractively refreshed and restyled to be ‘more rounded and intimate’, the 2007 Picanto is 40 mm longer, with an overall length of 3535 mm, featuring an extended, rounded nose and deeper, larger rear bumper. All-new panels are used for the bonnet, front wings, front bumper and rear bumper. The front and rear light clusters are new and follow the ‘rounded’ theme.

A new wider radiator grille, with black mesh background and twin horizontal chromed bars supporting the central Kia badge, is part of the evolving design process that is defining a new ‘Face of Kia’. The standard roof spoiler now extends across the full width of the car, while the wheelbase is unchanged at 2370 mm. Customers will be offered a choice of five new exciting, contemporary colours in a range of nine exterior colours.

“With nearly 400,000 exports since its introduction in 2004, the Picanto has not only opened the door to a segment where we previously had no presence but it has become one of the Kia line-up’s global best sellers,” commented Yong-Hwan Kim, Senior Executive Vice President & COO of Kia Motors Corporation. “We are confident that with its fresh new looks and upgraded equipment the Picanto will continue to appeal to the world’s A-segment customers and reach annual overseas sales in excess of 130,000 units over the next several years.”

Technorati: Kia+Picanto, cars, Carscoop

2008 Kia Picanto Facelift: New Face & Interior

Nearly 4 years after the Picanto’s debut in early 2004 Kia “pro-cee’ded” to its mini's first facelift. Up front, the redesigned Korean mini gets a new set of headlights, a “Cee’d” styled grille, a new bumper and hood. In the rear, the F/L Picanto features new light-clusters and a slightly redesigned bumper. Apart from giving it a fresher look, these changes also resulted to a slight increase in length with the Picanto now measuring in at 3.540 mm (+40 mm).

Inside, the 2008 Picanto has adopted various goodies from the Cee’d like the gauges with bright orange illumination, the 3spoke steering wheel along with a redesigned center console equipped with a new factory radio-CD and new button-wear all inspired from Cee’d’s (we know, you got the point). There are no changes in the engine range as the facelifted Picanto will continue to be offered with the current 61Hp 1.0 & 65Hp 1.1 petrol and the 75Hp 1.1 diesel motors. -More Pictures after the jump

Technorati: Kia+Picanto, cars, Carscoop, blogs,

"Kia Cee’d XR": Made By INCUS Tuning House... However, A 225Hp 2.0 Turbo Is Coming In ‘08 April

Although we posted a detailed report on all upcoming versions of Kia's Cee’d last week we thought it would be a good idea to get a few things clear after seeing a report on the Cee’d XR on Autocar today. First of all, the "XR" styling kit was unveiled in March at the 2007 AutoRai Show in Amsterdam -see here. Second, it’s the work of a tuning house called INCUS (Innovative Customization Sys) that also offers a kit for the Hyundai Elantra/ Avante. From what we made, INCUS doesn’t seem to be associated with the Hyundai Group –any help from Korean speaking readers will be more than welcome.

As for the "hot" Cee’d, while our inside source hesitated to give us a name, he was pretty clear about two things; it’s going on sale in Europe in April 2008, and it’ll be equipped with a 2.0-liter Turbo engine delivering 225Hp (and not 200Hp as previously thought). And yes, its going to be based on the 3door Cee’d that goes on sale in Europe this October, a month after its worldwide debut in Frankfurt this September. -More Pictures of the INCUS Kia Cee’d XR after the jump

Technorati Tags: Kia+Cee’d, cars, Carscoop, blogs,

Kia cee'd: Cabriolet & 3door coming to Europe in October '07, 225Hp GTi in April '08

Last September we broke the news to you that Kia was aiming to present four brand-new versions to its C-segment cee'd (3d, Station Wagon, Cabrio and GTi) all of which would go on sale in Europe between late 2007, early 2008. Yesterday, we managed to obtain specific info on the presentation and unveiling dates of the cee’d 3door, Cabriolet and 3door GTi (the SW has already been presented). The production versions of the pro cee’d (3d) & ex cee’d (Cabriolet) concepts will be unveiled at the forthcoming Frankfurt Motor Show in September with sales starting in Europe in October. The 3door GTi, which from what we learnt will get a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine delivering 225Hp (!) and not 200 as previously thought, will make its debut at the Geneva Show in March 2008 with sales beginning in April.

Technorati: Kia+cee’d, auto+news, car+news, automobile, cars, automotive, vehicles, Carscoop, blogs, 2007

Kia cee’d Sportpacket – No 200Hp 2.0T hidden here

From the looks of it, the allegedly “scoop” pics of a top-spec Cee’d xR that circulated around the net a couple of days ago where featuring nothing more than a Cee’d with a full-bodykit. The “uncovered” Cee’d you’re seeing here was officially presented at the 2007 AutoRai car show in Amsterdam. Apart from the inarguably nice-looking bodykit, the sportpacket also includes interior modifications. Via: Kia.nl

Technorati : Kia+Cee’d, Tuning, auto+news, car+news, automobile, cars, automotive, vehicles, autos, Carscoop, blogs, 2007, images, pictures

Kia Cee’d xR: Could this be the 200Hp GTi version?

Last year we were tipped off that Kia planned to introduce 4 more versions of its new Cee’d hatch –a 3door, a Coupe-Cabrio, a SW and a GTi equipped with a 2.0-liter Turbo engine pumping out approximately 200Hp. Six months later and we’ve already seen the production version of the SW and prototypes of the hardtop Cabrio and the 3door hatch, but until now, we had no visual encounter with the GTi. Although we have no confirmation that these scoop images feauturing a 5d Cee’d in GTi combat actually reveal Kia’s sporty version of the Cee’d, it does look like it’s the real thing. Via: Autoblog.com , Source Caradisiac

Technorati: Kia+Ceed, auto+news, car+news, automobile, cars, automotive, vehicles, Carscoop, blogs, 2007, pictures, images