Carscoop Reader Spots New Kia Cadenza Filling up in California

It's been a little over a year since Kia lifted the wraps off its stylish replacement for the Amanti, called the K7 in South Korea and Cadenza in other countries, but we're still waiting for the firm's flagship sedan to show up in the USA. However if these (fuzzy) photos are anything to go by, Kia may be getting ready to launch the Cadenza onto the U.S. market.

The silver-colored mid-size sedan was scooped by Carscoop reader Nick K., who you might remember from the first ever Prius MPV spy shots we posted last September, while filling up at a gas station in California.

"The other day I was sitting at a restaurant in Corona Del Mar, California and spotted a Kia Cadenza (K7). Here are the VERY zoomed in pictures I took with my phone," Nick told Carscoop.

The Cadenza, which sits above the Optima in Kia's range, is available in its home country with a choice of three gasoline engines ranging in output from 165HP for the four-cylinder model to 295HP for the 3.5 liter V6. All variants feature front-wheel drive and a new six-speed automatic transmission.

Kudos to Nick K. for the Kia spotting!

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Kia Release Sketches of 2012 Rio Hatchback, will Debut in Geneva

Kia has big plans for this year's edition of the Geneva Salon as along with the 2012 Picanto city car, the South Korean automaker will also host the world premiere of the 2012 Rio supermini, the first official sketches of which were released today.

The company said that its Ford Fiesta rival is "designed to inject emotional appeal into the B-segment, targeting progressive, energetic consumers who want a stand-out design", adding that the new Rio's styling marks “the next big step” in the company’s ongoing design revolution.

But while it's obvious that the new Rio will be a more stylish proposal than the current model, our recent spy shots suggest that Kia's renderings aren't as close to reality as the company would like us to believe.

Kia also says that the Rio's interior will be more upscale offering "a feeling of quality typically associated with larger, more expensive models." In the teaser sketch we see that Kia will use colored trim throughout the cabin.

The firm's Director of Overseas Marketing, Soon-Nam Lee commented:

"Downsizing is becoming more and more of a trend these days and a B-segment car as attractive as all-new Rio, with its driver-oriented cabin and interior trim options, will no doubt help consumers to be more comfortable making that switch. New Rio is the ‘next big step’ in Kia’s design revolution and we anticipate this model becoming even more popular than the current vehicle."

Kia withheld details on the new Rio's powertrain lineup but 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.

According to Kia, the current Rio was the firm's third best-selling vehicle in overseas markets during 2010 selling more than 205,000 units.

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Kia KV7 Concept Live from 2011 Detroit Motor Show

Unveiled at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, the gullwing-door Kia KV7 is a concept on a mission, aiming to change the perception about conventional MPVs. The South Korean automaker beleives that a people carrier should not only be roomy and versatile, but also eccentric and packed with the latest available technologies.

At a first glance, the vehicle's simple lines aren’t that impressive, but once the exotic doors are open – it also has a pillar-less passenger door – the perception changes dramatically. You’d expect to find similar solutions on a sleek supercar or expensive luxo-barge, but somehow Kia’s designers managed to successfully pair them with the brand’s trademark boxy design.

The wide bodied (80 inches or 2.03 meters) concept also features stretched LED headlights, a relatively small greenhouse and less vertical A-pillars. Paired with 20-inch alloys wrapped around in 225/45 tires, all these elements create the illusion of a lower stance.

Inside, the KV7 offers multiple seating configurations thanks to the swiveling seats, and comes equipped with all sorts of modern infotainment systems, including a floating tabletop touch-screen computer. Wi-Fi is also on the menu.

The design study is motivated by the same 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that we’ve seen on the 2011 Kia Optima, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

By Csaba Daradics

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Gullwing-door Kia KV7 Concept Flies into Detroit

After two teaser shots and a couple of leaked images earlier today, Kia’s “activity MPV” concept, the KV7, finally hit the showroom floor at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show.Designed to challenge the notion that minivans are strictly for transporting people, the KV7 stands out with its boxy design and, according to the Koreans, also wants to serve as a “connected social hub for groups of friends and adventure-seekers”.

“From the outset, we felt the category was in need of an honest reassessment due to the fact that everyone seems so desperate to attach the word “sporty” to their MPV even though MPVs, at their very core, are simply a box”, said Tom Kearns, Chief Designer, Kia Motors America. “Rather than reject the box we chose to celebrate it, just like we did with the Soul, and the result is a straightforward yet sophisticated vehicle that retains the functionality MPVs are known for and meets the changing and diverse needs of today’s consumers”.

Unlike most MPVs on the road today, Kia’s design study has a wider and lower stance thanks to the less vertical A-pillars and windshield. This is emphasized by the LED headlights, which cover almost the entire width of the fascia. The lines of the body are simple, while the 20-inch alloys add a sporty touch.

Nothing spectacular, right? Wrong. As you can see in the photos, the KV7's stylistic highlight are the Gullwing-style rear doors, which help create a massive point-of-entry to when opened in conjunction with the pillar-less front passenger door.

Measuring 192 inches (4.87 meters) in length, the concept offers flexible seating configurations and multiple storage options. All seats can swivel, including the driver’s seat, and there’s even a mini-lounge in the rear with seating for three, which, says Kia, promotes interaction in an open social environment.

Designers chose a cheerful color palette of soft beige and green tones and used a variety of unconventional materials, such as teak wood and wool, complemented by LED “accent illumination”.

The dashboard is dominated by a large display, integrating all infotainment, climate and navigation functions, and moves more than six inches towards the driver when the engine start button is pushed. Passengers have their separate interface, in the form of a floating tabletop touch-screen computer display and the KV7 is Wi-Fi enabled.

The last piece of the puzzle is found under the bonnet. Kia fitted the concept with a 285 hp 2.0-liter direct-injected turbocharged engine, also used by the U.S.-spec 2011 Optima sedan, coupled to a 6-speed automatic transmission.

By Csaba Daradics

KV7 specification summary

Exterior Dimensions
Length: 191.85 in. (4873mm)
Width: 80.0 in. (2033mm)
Height: 68.1 in. (1729mm)
Wheelbase: 122.0 in. (3100mm)

Exterior Features

§ Wide stance, smooth exterior skin and 20-inch wheels with 225/45 tyres

§ A-pillar and windshield design that is less vertical than traditional minivans

§ Passenger-side gullwing door which creates a massive point-of-entry to when opened in conjunction with the pillar-less front passenger door

§ A continuous line of LED fog lights that span the entire front end of the vehicle

§ LED Directional turn indicators on the outside mirrors and the rear of the vehicle that pulse in the direction being signalled

§ Interpretation of Kia’s signature bold tabbed grille with vertical LED headlamps integrated within the design

§ A distinctive windshield and series of near-continuous windows starting at the A-pillar for maximum visibility

Interior Features

§ Four custom-built swivelling seats, including the driver’s seat

§ Rear-corner mini-lounge with seating for three

§ Integrated storage compartments

§ Modern colour palette featuring soft beige and green tones

§ Unique seat and surface materials

§ Variety of unconventional textures, including reclaimed teak wood flooring and sustainable wool and felt materials

§ Front dash moves more than six inches toward the driver when push button start is engaged

§ Large multi-use display which integrates infotainment, climate and navigation systems in one simple-to-use interface controlled by a trackball mouse mounted in the dash

§ Rear floating tabletop touch-screen computer display

§ Wi-Fi enabled cabin

§ Ability for multiple passengers to connect their smart phones simultaneously

§ Multiple flush-to-the-floor accent illumination points and standout green LED lighting throughout the front dash, instrument panel and rear display area

Driving Functions

§ New Theta II 2.0-litre GDI turbocharged engine (as fitted to U.S. spec Optima)

§ 285 horsepower

§ Six-speed automatic transmission

§ V6-type power and performance while maximising fuel efficiency

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First Photos of Kia's Detroit Show KV7 Concept Study

We've already seen a teaser rendering of Kia's new KV7 concept, but the first real-life photos of the South Korean automaker's Detroit motorshow-bound design study have just made their way onto the internet. Official details remain slim, but we do know that the crossover concept with the very Ford Flex-like shape and the Gullwing-style rear doors has been penned at Kia's California design studio. We'll have more on the KV7 from the Cobo Center later today.

Source: Bobaedream

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