Geneva Preview: Kia's Rio Hybrid
Kia comes to Geneva with three new vehicles in tow. The cee'd will be available for the first time in final production-ready form and Kia also has "a striking new concept car, which will indicate the options open to its European design and manufacturing bases." We'd like to know more, but we'll have to wait a while for all that.
It's the third vehicle, the Kia Rio Hybrid, that we know the most about. The car's been rumored for years, and it's not hard to find spy shots of the car, but Geneva will be where Kia gives us some details on the hybrid and how it's going to be tested.
Called "a new vision for the future of clean motoring from Kia," the Rio Hybrid has a 1.4-litre 90 PS petrol engine mated to a 12-kW synchronised electric motor. Almost 4,000 will soon become part of a huge real-world hybrid test for the Korean Ministry of the Environment.
Gallery: Kia Rio
[Source: Kia UK]
Dear colleagues,
KIA AT THE 77th GENEVA MOTOR SHOW
Kia press conference – Tuesday 6 March at 14:00
Location – Hall 5, stand 5231
Kia Motors will unveil three exciting vehicles at the 77th Salon de l'Automobiles on 6 March. All three will show how far Kia has come in recent times and give a clear vision of the near and maybe not too distant future.
New cee'd SW will be seen for the first time in final production-ready form. The unique European designed and built estate version of the cee'd will be on sale in the UK in the autumn.
Also on display will be a new vision for the future of clean motoring from Kia. The Rio Hybrid uses a 1.4-litre 90 PS petrol engine mated to a compact 12 kW synchronised electric motor. In one of the most ambitious research and development exercises Kia has ever undertaken almost 4,000 Rio Hybrid vehicles will hit the road supporting the Korean Ministry of the Environment with clean transport solutions. The Hybrid will instantly become part of Korea's largest 'real-world' testing programme to develop clean and efficient hybrid vehicles.
Kia will also be unveiling a striking new concept car, which will indicate the options open to its European design and manufacturing bases.
Hardly an unveiling, but new Kia Motors (UK) Ltd Managing Director Paul Philpott will be available for interviews throughout press day. Ad hoc discussions are welcome however it may be prudent to contact the press office to arrange a time slot for an in-depth one-to-one.
Paul will be joined by the recently appointed CEO and President, Mr S Y Kim and by myself, Stephen Kitson. Sue Cugley and Jon Walsh from the UK press office will attend, as will a number of senior engineering, product planning, design and engineering staff from Kia Motors worldwide.
Please feel free to join us at any time on the Kia stand for an update of all that is new within Kia.
Yours sincerely,
Stephen Kitson
Communications Director, Kia Motors (UK) Ltd
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Rick Lyon 6:13PM (2/21/2007)
Jesus please drop the tonka toy bumper guards and door guards. Those 9" thick plastic pieces really destroy anything this car had going for it.
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dave 3:50PM (6/02/2007)
I cant wait for KIA RIO HYBRID coming to Texas ;)
Finally someone will give Toyota some competition on its high Prius prices ;) ( although both are good ideas)..........I would like to be emailed with updates about the Kia Rio Hybrid...i own a toyota now and while its ok with average 30mpg...
when gas hits 3.65 this winter.....a hyrbid for 18K or so would be GREAT help ..........
I would also like to see Kia make a 'Smart Car' like Mercedes/UAG is doing, as its the next coming revolution for Americans :) yea finally smaller quality cars with super gas mileage are coming !! :)
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theartistknownasthegreatwhitey 6:51PM (1/16/2008)
Hybrid cars will become more and more a neccessary for automakers to produce. KIA is certainly moving in the right direction with this vehicle. We need to see more (and less expensive) hybrid cars.
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