Kia’s Concept Car’s Name Retained

Kia Motors Corporation has finally decided to retain the name and spirit of the SOUL concept cars which are the all-set to stand as the company’s all-new production model. The SOUL was showcased earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show and it was introduced and debuted during the successful 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit which featured splendid vehicles and dazzling truck parts. Aside from making the SOUL the official name to the all-new production vehicle, Kia has revealed the first official photograph of the production car, which will be called the ´Kia Soul´.

“Reaction from the media and public to the three SOUL concept cars first unveiled at the Geneva Show in March and shown subsequently at other international events has been overwhelmingly positive. This reaction, plus the fact that both physically and emotionally, the SOUL concept cars are so closely related to the new Kia Soul production car, made it a natural choice to retain this evocative name,” says Mr Hyoung-Keun Lee, Senior Executive Vice President and COO, International Business Division, Kia Motors Corporation.

“The SOUL concept cars reveal a whole new ´fun´ side to Kia. They signal that our new Kia Soul production model is poised to defy conventions and offer buyers a ´world of possibilities´ for expressing their personality. This new model will reach out to new groups of consumers, appealing especially to the young and young-at-heart – whatever their age,” added Mr Lee.

The three concept cars namely the SOUL Burner, SOUL Diva and SOUL Searcher, were designed and created by Kia´s European design team under the superb management of Gregory Guillaume along with the leadership of Kia´s Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer who is behind the several magnificent vehicles and truck parts in the market.

“The name SOUL accurately reflects how people will be able to ´express their spirit – their psyche´ with this new product. Through a variety of options, accessories and colours, they will be able to personalise their Kia Soul and create a sense of individuality, making their new car a true reflection of their personality,” explained Kia´s Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer, who strongly approved that name choice at the Geneva Show.

“Because the new Kia Soul is not a replacement for an existing vehicle and is destined to play a unique role within the Kia global line-up, it can be a bit of a rebel! The trio of Geneva concepts were ´appetisers´ for the new model introduction at Paris, and you can be certain that the new Kia Soul model will retain the core DNA of the three exciting concepts,” says Gregory Guillaume who’s looking forward to the upcoming 2008 Paris Motor Show.

Anthony Fontanelle is a 35-year-old automotive buff who grew up in the Windy City. He does freelance work for an automotive magazine when he is not busy customizing cars in his shop.