Using another brand name to make your products appear more alluring and special is nothing new in the auto industry. But if there's one brand that has no problem whatsoever associating its name with other carmakers, that has to be Lotus. In its latest venture, the British firm has lent a helping hand to Kia to fine-tune the UK market Soul crossover. Lotus has been working on the Soul since late 2008, customizing the overall suspension settings and bump stops for UK road conditions ahead of the crossover's market launch in March.This is the first time that Kia has developed a model specifically for UK roads and drivers in mind. "The result of our partnership with Lotus is a more composed ride which we think is much more suitable to what our roads can throw at Soul, and additionally, it is also a more exciting car to drive," said Paul Philpott, Managing Director, Kia UK.
One of the most interesting and realistic concept studies at this year's Detroit Show is the Kia Soulster, or as the Korean automaker calls it, the Soul'ster. Derived from the just introduced Soul crossover, the two-door concept blends elements of a mini-pickup and a roadster, in a rather convincing and funky way. The front-wheel drive four seater features a shortened windshield for a more low-slung appearance as well as a two-piece top that enables passengers to expose the front and back seating areas independently.
The tops slide on a black roll bar that extends to the back of the vehicle providing extra protection. Other unique features include the restyled fascia, new LED headlamps and 19-inch, five-spoke aluminum alloys.
Inside, Kia's designers went for a more distinct and rugged look leaving the bare essentials - even the windows are rolled down manually. The non-floor-mounted cantilevered seats can be folded flat if needed while Kia also added storage compartments below each of the rear seats. Furthermore, in addition to the cargo area, dual storage compartments also can be found in the rear and underneath the cargo hold area.
If it were to produced -and we can't find a reason why it shouldn't- the Soulster would be available the same powertrain options as its conventional 5-door sibling: a 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine is mated to a five-speed manual transmission, which produces approximately 120 HP and a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine available with either the five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission, producing approximately 140 HP.
The first official photo Kia's Soulster concept car was unofficially published on the internet today. Based on the just released Kia Soul, the three-door, four seater with the large rollbars and chopped rooftop looks pretty neat blending elements from convertibles and pickup trucks. There's no word on the powertrain choices, but we gather the Soulster will most likely be equipped with one of the 4-cylinder engines found in the Soul. Kia's new concept study will make its official debut at the 2009 Detroit Show this weekend.Via: Automarket
Kia today announced official pricing for its all-new Soul 'urban crossover'. The Soul will be available in four trims: Soul, Soul+, Soul! (exclaim) and Soul sport. Apart from the entry-level Soul that's equipped with a 120HP 1.6-liter engine mated to a five-speed manual transmission, the other three versions are offered with a 140HP 2.0-liter engine that can be hooked up to either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission. Prices range from $13,300 -or $13,995 with the $695 freight charge included- for the Soul 1.6L to a little under $19,000 for the Soul Sport with all the boxes ticked.More specifically, the Soul+ 2.0L, which includes standard keyless entry remote, solar glass and 16-inch alloy wheels, will start at $14,950 and top out at $17,100 when options including the Audio Package and power moonroof are included.
The Soul! 2.0L that adds the power moonroof, fog lights and 18-inch alloy wheels will be priced beginning at $16,950 and peak at $17,900 with all available options included. As for the range-topping Soul Sport 2.0L, it includes side sills, a rear spoiler, 18-inch alloy wheels and unique front and rear fascias, and will start at $16,950 and end at $18,600 with all available options included.
