It is only a couple of weeks before the Paris Motor Show commences and Kia officially pulls the wraps off its unequivocally most anticipated car in the automaker's history, Soul. Due to go on sale around the world including Europe, Asia, and the U.S., the Soul is Kia's answer to the Nissan Cube, Scion xB, and the rapidly escalating demand for frugal, fuel-efficient, compact cars.Penned by Peter Schreyer - the renowned car designer responsible for bringing the Audi TT and Audi's Bauhaus look to life - the Soul is Kia's boldest offering in terms of design ever, as evident from the slew of striking design elements such as the sleek front fascia and the bulging wheel arches. The eye catching theme continues inside with the sporty interior and the evident attention to detail judging from the official images.
The Kia Soul will be available in an array of different engines, depending on the market: a 126 horsepower 1.6L VGT diesel, a 126 horsepower 1.6L DOHC 4-cylinder gasoline, and a 142 horsepower 2.0L 4-cylinder gasoline. The 2.0L unit will be standard in the North American-spec Soul. All engines will be mated to either a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic transmission.
Following Scion's successful formula of giving its customers a slew of customization options, Kia will offer just about as many for the Soul. Cosmetic features such as 18-inch sport alloy wheels reminiscent of the Soul Burner Concept, exterior decals, front skirt, and alloy fuel filler door indicate Kia's ambition with the Soul.
The Soul is expected to go on sale in South Korea by November 2008. It will manifest to many parts of the world by mid-2009. The official date for the European launch is set for February 2009, while Americans will be getting theirs from April 2009. Production will commence at Kia's Gwangju facility in November 2008. In the U.S., the Soul is speculated to cost less than its primary rival: Scion xB.
Bookmark this page for all the latest news and images of the 2010 Kia Soul, as the days to the Paris Motor Show on October 2nd near.
Continued: Hi-res images (updated daily, commercials
UPDATE: New exterior, interior images added.
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