Now, following the announcement on the completely redesigned Picanto city car that will break cover at the Geneva Show, our spy photographers snapped the next new model to be added to Kia's range, the 2012 Rio subcompact, while testing in Germany.
The prototype seen in these scoop photos is the five-door hatchback model, but the range will also include a four-door sedan. Although disguised, it's not hard to see that the new Rio 5d will be a more stylish proposal than the current model. From what's visible, the roofline looks more sloped while the front-end appears to feature a similar styling to the European market Picanto and Venga.
Underneath the skin, the new Rio will most likely share its platform with the latest Hyundai Accent, while powertrain options will depend on the market. In Europe, buyers should expect a similar engine lineup to the Kia Venga and Hyundai ix20, including a choice of 1.4-liter and 1.6-liter diesel and gasoline units.
Look out for an auto show debut later in the year, with sales kicking off in most markets before the end of 2011.
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Kia’s Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer, said, “In profile, the new Picanto features significant sculpting and a very prominent rising character line. The result is a layering of light and shadow and this breaks up the height, giving the car a more sure-footed stance”.
Details are scarce right now, but the automaker claims the car has grown in length and has a longer wheelbase, which should improve interior space. Unlike the outgoing model which is available exclusively as a five-door hatchback, the new Picanto will be offered in both 5-door and 3-door body styles (at least in Europe).
The engine range will comprise of 1.0 and 1.2-liter gasoline engines, while Kia will also offer LPG, bi-fuel and flex-fuel variations, depending on local market requirements.
Kia has not given the exact timing of the car's arrival in European markets, but buyers should expect to see the new Picanto in showrooms in the second-half of the year.
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"Hyundai Motor Group's 2011 target appears to be conservative and fully achievable," Tong Yang Securities analyst Ahn Sang-jun told Reuters.
"Sales growth will be slowing because of a high base effect during the 2009 downturn, but Hyundai will still gain a share in the market, which is expected to grow 7 percent this year led by China and the United States," Ahn Sang-jun added.
In order to achieve its goal, the South Korean automaker is planning to roll out a variety if new or refreshed products in 2011 including the Hyundai Veloster small coupe, Azera sedan (Grandeur in South Korea), the European-market i40 SW and Saloon, as well as the Kia Picanto and pro_cee'd facelift. Last year the two companies overhauled their vehicle lineups with an array of new products such as the 2011 Hyundai Sonata and Elantra, and Kia Sportage CUV and Optima saloon.
Source: Reuters 
Along with the new H-shaped front grille finished in black, the 2011 Pro_cee'd also gains restyled headlamps and a reworked bumper. It is also possible that Kia may have upgraded the three-door model's interior as well as its engine line-up, but we won't know for sure until we get the official press release in our hands. Until then, follow the break to check out the rest of the pictures.
Via: Kia-world
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“We launched two new models this year and we want to launch a new model in 2012”, In-Kyu Bae, head of Kia Motors Slovakia told reporters, after a meeting with Prime Minister Iveta Radicova.
Located near Zilina, in the northern part of Slovakia, Kia’s factory has an annual capacity of 300,000 units and builds two SUVs (Kia Sportage/Hyundai ix35) and the Kia Cee’d compact.
The highest demand is for the Sport Utility Vehicles, therefore the Korean maker announced that the plant’s maximum capacity is expected to increase next year.
In the first eleven months of 2010, 207,000 vehicles left the plant's assembly lines, representing a 50% increase compared to the same period last year, while this year’s total output is estimated to reach around 228,000 units.
By Csaba Daradics
Source: Reuters via Yahoo
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KIA Press Release:
"For the past several years Kia Motors' design-led transformation has been delivering production vehicles – such as the Soul, Forte Koup and Sportage – that bear a very close resemblance to the original concept designs that preceded them. At the 2011 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Kia will make another dramatic design statement with the world debut of an all-new, convention-challenging concept vehicle named "KV7."
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the defective calipers could lead to brake fluid leak, followed by illumination of the malfunction indicator light indicating the brake fluid level is low and should be checked, then a soft or spongy brake pedal feel. If the problem is not taken care of, it will lead to reduced braking power.
The recall affects some 7,697 Kia Sorentos manufactured from September 14, 2010, through October 4, 2010, and 1,783 Hyundai Santa crossovers Fe built from September 28, 2010, through November 25, 2010.
Naturally, dealers from both automakers inspect the rear calipers and replace it if necessary free of charge. The two companies have not yet provided an owner notification schedule.
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Kia added that the Picanto has been penned by the firm's European design team based in Frankfurt, Germany, under the direction of Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer, and that it will bring "confidence, solidity and maturity to the A-segment". No other details were released.
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The car is cosmetically distinguished by a light green metallic paintwork, and cream and brown full leather interior offset by a two-tone, cream and black dashboard. Furthermore, Kia's designers added chrome front grille and door handles, roof rails, black bezel headlights, front and rear mud flaps as well as 18-inch silver alloy wheels.
Standard specification includes reversing sensors, front fog lights, electric folding door mirrors, privacy glass, dual auto air conditioning and heated front seats, plus an upgraded 8 speaker sound system with subwoofer and external amplifier, Bluetooth and iPod connectivity.
The Soul Searcher is powered by a 1.6-litre CRDi diesel engine available with either 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic, with prices starting from £16,965 OTR and £18,025 (including VAT at the new 20% rate) respectively.
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The two Korean companies sold a combined 521,369 vehicles in the first ten months of 2010, a 4% improvement over the last year, earning them the title of the biggest Asian carmaker in Europe with a market share of 4.5%. Meanwhile, Toyota's figures, including Lexus sales, dropped by 17% to 511,754 units, which accounts for 4.4% of the European market.
To their advantage, Hyundai and KIA have a more diversified range with the likes of the ix35 SUV, i30 and cee'd compacts, and momentum on their side, as all those recalls and controversy is costing Toyota an arm and a leg, not to mention the bad publicity.
"Hyundai and Kia have clearly benefited from Toyota's massive recalls," said Ahn Sang Joon, an auto analyst at Tong Yang Securities Inc. in Seoul. "They have also expanded their model lineups in European markets giving more choices to consumers."
Furthermore, analysts think that Hyundai Motor Group's sales may climb even more in 2011, seeing that it'll launch models specifically tailored for European taste.
Excellent North American sales are the icing on the Koreans' cake: Hyundai grew by 21% in the U.S. this year, with the Sonata spearheading the success, having a 64 percent jump in demand. And there's more to come with the new Elantra sedan, Azera mid-sizer and Veloster small coupe, just to mention a few of the debuts planned for next year.
Toyota, on the other hand, is on a downward slope, with sales dropping 6.3 percent in the U.S. this year. Nevertheless, we wouldn't be so quick to write off the Japanese brand yet as you never know what the future may bring.
By Csaba Daradics
Source: Bloomberg
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