Geneva Preview: Kia ex_cee�d Cabrio Concept

Hyundai Group�s attack on the European market continues as the over-ambitious Koreans presented the Kia ex_cee�d Cabrio Concept. The styling of the soft-top Cee�d is the work of Peter Schreyer, Kia�s new Chief Design Officer. Does the name ring a bell? Well, it ought to as Schreyer is considered as the father of Audi�s iconic fist generation TT. Schreyer moved over to Kia last September leaving his job as the head of VW advanced design studios.

Based on Kia�s upcoming three-door version of cee�d (due to go into production in December), the ex_cee�d Cabrio features an electric folding fabric roof. According to Schreyer, Kia deliberately chose to avoid the coupe-cabrio craze as they�re convinced that the fabric roof will have a renaissance in the near future. Having driven most of the coupe-cabrios in the European market and unless manufactures find a way to radically improve reliability issues, I can�t say I disagree with him.

Although Kia doesn�t mention it in its press release, last year at the Paris Show I learned that all four versions of the Cee'd (Cabrio, 2.0 GTi, 3door & Station Wagon) will be presented in 2007, with sales commencing in Europe towards the end of 2007 and the beginning of 2008 (depending on the country). �Continued: Click �Read More�� to see the press release and I more image

PRESS RELEASE: GENEVA WORLD PREMIERE FOR SCHREYER�S KIA ex_cee�dCABRIO CONCEPT

Kia�s exciting all-new ex_cee�d cabrio concept car will be premiered at the 77th Geneva Motor Show on 6 March.

The styling of the eagerly anticipated ex_cee�d cabrio is the work of Peter Schreyer, Kia�s new Chief Design Officer, and hints at the future direction Kia vehicles could be taking under his guidance.

Based on the new three-door cee�d hatchback, due to go into production at the Zilina factory in Slovakia from December, the ex_cee�d shares the same platform, but features all-new exterior panels and a powered folding fabric roof.

By adopting a fabric roof, the ex_cee�d deliberately goes its own retro way rather than following the trend towards cabrios with folding metal roofs. Peter Schreyer paid special attention to designing a classic cabrio with a traditional soft-top roof: �I�m convinced that the fabric roof will have a renaissance. We�ve all lived with the romantic idea of open-air driving for a long time and for me, the fabric roof is the quintessential element of a truly rewarding cabrio.�

With its slight wedge shape profile, muscular wings over 19-inch alloy wheels, and aggressive nose with dynamic front styling, the ex_cee�d has instantly found a form that stands out from the cabrio crowd. The cabrio concept is finished in �meringue white� exterior paint with a �bitter chocolate� fabric roof � colours that are echoed by the interior�s two-tone leather.

�With this new cabrio concept car, Kia has once again demonstrated that it is a young, style-conscious company that knows how to combine elegance with dynamics,� enthused Mr Yong-Hwan Kim, Senior Executive Vice President and COO Kia Motors.

�The Kia ex_cee�d is a fresh aesthetic high-point in our history, an encouraging sign of the growing internationalisation of our brand and a step in the process of evolving into a European company with Korean roots,� he added.

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