Kia previews 3-door pro-cee'd

[jetsetter]

Kia announced it will unveil its Euro-only pro-cee'd 3-door hatchback on September 11 at the Frankfurt Auto Show. The pro-cee'd is based on the 5-door cee'd and has similar interior volume to its bigger brother thanks to an identical wheel base. The pro-cee'd features doors that open 70 degrees to ease rear-seat ingress and egress.

PRESS RELEASE:
KIA UNVEILS FINAL CHAPTER IN cee'd STORY

Longer, lower and lighter than its five-door sister car, the new Kia pro_cee'd – to be debuted at the Frankfurt International Motor Show on 11 September - brings yet more style and more sportiness to the C-segment in Europe.

"The new Kia pro_cee'd offers consumers sensationally stylish looks with a truly sporty feel to the driving experience, while also retaining most of the practicality and versatility of the popular cee'd five-door hatchback," enthuses Jean-Charles Lievens, Senior Vice President Kia Motors Europe. "With performance, ride and handling that is even more responsive, the pro_cee'd will attract European consumers who find three-door cars particularly appealing."

The 4250 mm long pro_cee'd delivers class-leading passenger and luggage space. The cee'd family wheelbase (2650 mm) is retained, so despite its lowered, sporty appearance, pro_cee'd provides generous legroom front and rear, and luggage capacity with the rear seats upright matches the five-door model. The 19-model line-up of three-door hatchbacks is scheduled to go on sale early next year.

"With the pro_cee'd we have communicated sportiness mostly through the car's exterior design," explains Gregory Guillaume, Chief Designer Kia Motors Europe. "At the front, we have extended the nose by 10 mm and introduced a shallower grille, new-style headlamps, a wider, lower bumper with a prominent lip spoiler, a deeper central air intake and larger fog lights set in elliptical depressions.

"It is the side profile that makes pro_cee'd truly distinctive. The windscreen is much shallower and the vehicle height is reduced by 30 mm. The doors, which are 276 mm longer than the front doors of the five-door cee'd model, have a unique design with a more prominent swage line that highlights the sporty character of this model and a beltline that rises much more steeply towards the rear of the car.

"The side window, C-Pillar and tailgate spoiler are all new and although the rear screen is steeply raked, rear headroom remains good. Unlike other cee'd models, the exhaust tailpipe on the pro_cee'd is boldly displayed," concludes Guillaume.

The larger pro_cee'd doors with their extra-wide 70 degree openings ensure good access to the rear seats. To boost practicality, Kia's designers re-styled the rear seat cushion, which is now fixed, and re-engineered the 60/40 split backrest so that it is easy to release and simply folds down onto the cushion with no need to remove the head restraints.

With pro_cee'd, Kia is offering customers the full choice of cee'd family powertrains – five Euro4 compliant engines, with power outputs covering a 90 ps to 143 ps range, and three transmissions – as offered in the five-door hatchback and wagon models.

Like its siblings, pro_cee'd will also be available with three equipment levels plus 12 exterior colours and a wide range of optional extras – so that each customer can create a 'personalised' vehicle to suit their needs and tastes.

The optional Sports Pack, which comprises 17-inch alloy wheels with 225/45 R17 tyres, stiffer dampers, sport-concept interior trim (with 'tyre-track' pattern fabric and silver stitching, plus alloy pedals and stainless-steel door-scuff plates) is expected to be a popular choice with pro_cee'd buyers.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/kia-show...html#more-5553

I kinda wish they would bring this here. Nice little car.

[jayhawk]

Looks like an Astra.

[hansvonaxion]

The Koreans are keeping the better designs for themselves.

[BlaRo]

Turning an already dumb car name into the dumbest, most blitheringly stupid bag of marketing wank in the industry today. The car looks interesting otherwise, though.

[thedguy]

It's a pretty good looking car I'll give it that.

[Redliner]

I know I should hate it, but I don't...

[Vette Boss]

It's actually quite funky for a Korean car. Interior is still a bit of a downer, it's quite drab and dreary looking in there.

[TomCat]

Taillights look like they're from a Yaris, front seems like equal parts Focus ST and Subaru Legacy.

Overall, a good looking little car. Korean cars are really moving up, pretty much to Japanese standards... almost. And now China is taking Korea's old spot on the shit-car scale.

[Blind_Io]

I hate to say it - because I came in here really wanting to hate a Kia - but I kinda dig the styling. The interior still looks like the inside of a cheap econo-box, but it doesn't look trashy.

All in all - not bad. If it drives as well as it looks then this could be a major coup for Kia.

[KaJuN]

I read the thread title thinking "this is going to be bad!" but as soon as I saw the car I thought" wow that isn't bad!". I just hope it's as good to drive as it is to look at.

[Copycat]

Now slap that seven year guarantee on top of that styling and there'll definitely be a market for it. Unless of course, they give it a too high price tag.

[Cobol74]

Sell it v.cheap and 'bop', winner. Ceed itself has a good rep for a cheapish motor, interior quality especially is good.

[ViperVX]

well it looks ok & it will be cheap - prime choice for single moms with mediocre jobs.

[Blind_Io]

Damn, just how many "Viper" names do we have on this board? Someone need to let a mongoose loose in here.

[WellsieTRD]

That actually doesn't look too bad. Can't believe I just said that about a Kia...

[SuperStalin]

Looks great actually. I'd buy it, and I wouldn't mind the 7 year guarantee they offer either.

[EsPpY]

LOL what a name. PROCEED ?

And I hate this car for being Euro only, jeez.

[SuperStalin]

KIA MoveAlongSir.

[Donington]

Good car, stupid name

[Wizegui]

I kind of like the name. At least they didn't use numbers. Cool looking car as well.