Kia KEE Concept

Kee Concept

With a grill that could be described almost as a grin, the concept Kia Kee has been making the rounds at various International auto shows.  It certainly is a departure from anything Kia currently produces.  According to Kia the “face” of this car will be the new style design in future models. The sports coupe is named “Kee” for a couple of reasons. ”Ki” means lifeforce in Korean and the success of this vehicle is “key” to Kia’s success.

Kia Kee Concept

The most striking initial feature of the KEE is its headlamps and use of LED lighting on the front.  Kia, like other Asian automakers, has suffered from an identity crisis and is desperately trying to find a definitive style in which to be identified with.  Whether this lighting treatment makes it to production or not, the design is certainly distinctive.  Although concepts often bear little resemblance to production vehicles, Kia says it intends to stay true to the concept and also deliver a realistic sports coupe based on real world needs.  Therefore the 2+2 configuration has been utilized which offers the flexibility of 4 passengers, though realistically only in a pinch.  Like most cars built as a 2+2, the rear seat area is best left to shopping bags or kids.  The car also features a hatchback to allow cargo to be easily moved in and out. 

Kee Concept

The 2.7-liter V6 engine produces 197 horsepower and is managed by steering wheel paddles to shift the six-speed semi-automatic sequential transmission.  Inside the cabin the KEE has other unique elements.  An unusually-designed lever sits atop the aluminum center console and requires only a nudge forward or backward to select the desired drive mode and the top of the computer mouse-like lever flips up to reveal the electronic starter button.

Kia Kee Concept Interior

The vehicle as a whole makes use of light-weight aluminium and plastic components whenever possible to keep weight low and help deliver real performance to accompany its aggressive styling.

It will be interesting to see if the look of this car is a hit with buyers or not.  If it is, it will give Kia something to smile about.

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2008 New York Auto Show: The Scion Hako Pops Before Your Eyes

At first glance spectators are forced to make a Love it, or Hate it response when the new Scion Hako concept advances. That is just the response the Toyota designers of the Hako were looking for. Never ones to go with the flow Scion is looking to offer something up that is just as polarizing as the Prius… something that says “I Choose Scion.” Thus giving those who say “No Way In Hell am I driving THAT Scion” a chance to ridicule those who do, but that’s okay.

Fueled by a mix of the original Scion xB and xD design and with a flare for the American roadster heritage the Scion Hako has a commanding presence, particular in orange, for a car of its stature. Measuring in at 145.7 inches in length storage for the Hako should be rather easy to come by. In fact it might fit comfortably on most homes patio.

Filling the interior with plenty of gadgetry is sure to impress the crowd, but if this pint-sized clown car (said with honest affection… i kid, i kid) is truly aimed for production then give me a better hint at what we can truly expect. Without much information in the way of specifications Scion has left us with nothing but an intriguing and polarizing design that we are sure to fill with our own speculation, and maybe that is just what they were after.

To see more of the Scion Hako and to draw your own conclusions about its unique shape follow the link to the next page for a full gallery of photos and the official Scion Press Release. (more…)

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Detroit Auto Show: Ford’s Verve Sedan Concept reClasses the Small Car Segment

Back in the 1980’s when the small car or compact car segment was booming what you found were commonly stripped down econo-boxes. As North America moved on to SUV’s and worked to negate its compact past Europe was moving forward and melded the small car segment into a sophisticated and high selling class of vehicles. With the Verve 4-Door Sedan Concept Ford is attempting to introduce some of that European class into the newly revived small car segment in North America.

The Verve Concept is built off a sharing between Ford North America and Ford Europe to bring one of its winning designs over to America. Ford has thus brought to the 2008 Detroit Auto Show their 4-Door Verve Concept that is intended for North America and their European 3-Door hatchback Verve. (more…)

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Pebble Beach “Best of Show” honors goes to the Duesenberg “Mormon Meteor”

This years Best of Show at the 2007 Concour d’Elegance at Pebble Beach is the 1935 Duesenberg SJ that was dubbed the “Mormon Meteor” by its original owner. The car was built with special contours and wind resistant properties to achieve the land speed record. Driving the car for the record speed was Ab Jenkins - a Bonneville Salt Flat racer since 16 years-old and at the time of the record Mayor of Salt Lake City. The “Mormon Racer” is a Historic car that has returned again to glory.

Powering the record setting Duesenberg was a 420 cubic inch Duesenberg J engine. It was a dual overhead camshaft engine with four cylinders per head that cranked out 400 horsepower. In 1935 400 horsepower was a staggering number compared to the 85-hp of a Ford Flathead engine. (more…)

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The company shares information that the new gen Prius will come into production ...

Toyota executives foresee the future of the company engaged in the production of more hybrid and electric cars. They disclose that by the end of 2009, they will release the plug-in version of the Prius. Around 10 more new models of hybrid vehicles will be introduced by 2010. An electric car in 2012.

The concept cars from Toyota are results trying to come up with solutions for possible problems in the future. They talk in reference to the $4 per gallon fuel price last summer and treat it as a preview of what things may come.

An electric car concept, the FT-EV, will be unveiled during the Detroit Auto Show. This vehicle shares the DNA of the iQ which is an urban commuter already on public sale in Japan. The non-electric iQ is said to land to the US soil as a Scion.

The core plan of Toyota on the long run will be to focus on the development of non-plug-in vehicles like the Prius.

Toyota aims to sell a million hybrid cars by early 2010. The Japanese car maker says that the new Prius and Lexus HS250H on display in the Detroit Auto Show is a glimpse of what’s to come in the future.

The company shares information that the new gen Prius will come into production by late 2009 earlier than the plotted 2010 schedule. The new prius will be built to run on a NiMi battery for the hybrid version and lithium-ion cells for the plug in.

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