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2009 Kia Soulster Concept news, pictures, and information

KIA MOTORS AMERICA SHOWCASES THE SOUL'STER CONCEPT AT 2009 NORTH AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW

Open-Air Concept Heats Úp the Show

• Distinctive design portrays style, practicality and efficiency

• Kia Motors America design team delivers another high-style concept


Bringing a sunny beach feeling into Cobo Center on a cold day in January, Kia Motors America (KMA) arrives at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit wîth the Soul'ster open-air concept, a variation of the highly anticipated Soul, arriving at Kia Motors retailers this spring. With young buyers' budgets in mind, the Soul'ster is an efficient front-drive car based on the production model Soul, recently introduced at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show.

'Soul'ster delivers something new, intriguing and relevant to today's buyers – a fun, affordable convertible for active people who like to share good times wîth friends,' said Tom Kearns, chief designer, KMA. 'Defying categorization and providing utility and practicality, the Soul'ster exhibits distinctive design cues and satisfies multiple consumer needs.'

Stylin' Soul'r Yellow Design A two-door concept wîth roadster roots, the brightly colored Soul'r yellow Soul'ster projects a hip industrial look wîth screw borders, reminiscent of a rivet design found on a fighter jet. The windshield is shortened for a sportier and hunkered down appearance. A two-piece top enables passengers to expose the front and back seating areas independently, using elbow-grease technology. The roll bar serves a dual purpose and includes a place for the slider tracks, while providing protection not found in traditional convertibles.

With a unique face, Soul'ster has a tough but refined character. The toughness is expressed through details like the anodized skid-pad insert, which matches the fender vents, roll bar header and wheels.

Soul'ster's attitude incorporates lighting that shines through wîth an amber glow under the headlamps. The side vents, side-mirror turn signals, unique LED headlamps, fog and tail lamps incorporate blue shades.

The energetic, distinctive look carries from front to rear wîth dual chrome exhaust and polished aluminum exhaust tips featuring carbon-fiber interior sleeves. The large 19-inch, five-spoke aluminum alloy wheels perfect the Soul'ster's appearance. Regardless of Soul'ster being viewed from front, back or side, it offers innovative perspectives derived from the original Soul.

Inside Out

Once inside, Soul'ster takes even more progressive variations from Soul beginning wîth the new four-passenger seating design, a diversion from Soul's five-passenger arrangement, lending spacious versatility for long summer weekends. The surprisingly flexible Soul'ster provides real seating for two in the front wîth comfortable seating for two more adults in the back. Fold-flat passenger and rear seats combined wîth ample headroom make this the perfect car for social outings outdoors and on the beach wîth friends. Making basic features hot, its crank-up windows are a purposefully key interior design element as are the dashboard-integrated audio speakers.

Adding to the edgy design scheme, the non-floor-mounted cantilevered seats project the illusion of being suspended in space when viewed from the side allowing for increased rear legroom. Storage compartments below each of the fold-flat rear seats, offer room for myriad cargo needs. In addition to the spacious cargo area, dual storage compartments also can be found in the rear and underneath the cargo hold area.

All Revved Úp

With young buyers in mind, Soul'ster offers an agile, smooth and spirited ride. As wîth its Soul cousin, Soul'ster's can be made available wîth a myriad of engine choices depending upon each market's needs. A 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine is mated to a five-speed manual transmission, which produces approximately 120 horsepower. For those lòòking for a little more power, a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine is available wîth either the five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission, producing approximately 140 horsepower. Fuel economy for both engines is estimated at 30 or more miles per gallon. Other markets might choose the 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine producing 124 horsepower or a 1.6-liter turbodiesel.

2009 Product Line

Kia Motors America offers a dynamic and diverse product line of 11 vehicles to meet the needs of all lifestyles. The 2009 vehicle line features the functional Rondo CÚV and award-winning Sedona minivan along wîth a wide variety of popular passenger cars, including the refined Amanti full size sedan, purposeful Optima mid size sedan, versatile and compact Spectra and Spectra5, and sporty yet fuel efficient Rio and Rio5 subcompacts. The vehicle line also features the all-new and affordably luxurious Borrego, rugged Sorento and value-packed Sportage SÚVs. The Soul will further complement the lineup when it arrives in dealerships this spring.

Source - Kia
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Arrow Right 2009 Kia models
Kia Amanti
Kia Borrego
Kia Borrego Limited SEMA Concept
Kia ceed Hybrid
Kia Optima
Kia Rio
Kia Rondo
Kia Spectra
Kia Spectra5
Kia Sportage
2009 Kia Concepts
Kia KND-5 Concept
Kia No 3 Concept MPV

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Monthly Sales FiguresVolume
April 201347,556 
March 201349,125 
February 201341,505 
January 201336,302 
December 201239,178 
November 201241,055 
October 201242,452 
September 201248,105 
August 201250,028 
July 201248,074 
June 201251,326 
May 201251,771 
(More Details)

 
Amanti
Borrego
Optima
Picanto
Rio
Rondo
Sedona
Sephia
Sorento
Soul
Spectra
Sportage

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