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Kia teases sporty hatchback concept ahead of Detroit

The UK arm of Kia just released a teaser image (click to enlarge) for a new concept car that will be unveiled next month at the Detroit Auto Show. With little information to go on, the single overhead shot of the unnamed concept shows that it will be a two-door hatchback with a 2+2 seating configuration.
The brief press blast, which is posted below, promises that this is a new concept vehicle, so it's unlikely that it has anything to do with the similarly shaped Provo Concept that Kia showed off earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show. Kia says that it will release more images of the concept soon, but it won't divulge the full details about the car until Detroit.

Kia still said to be considering diesels in US

Is Kia making diesel rumors a biennial thing? The South Korean automaker once again may take a closer look at making an oil-burner available for US consumption, JustAuto says. All in the name of fuel economy, of course. Kia Motors America vice president Orth Hedrick tells JustAuto that the automaker may start selling diesels in the States during the next few years. Kia is getting ready to debut its Soul EV battery-electric in the US later this year, and with diesel powertrains gradually overcoming their perceptions of being slow and loud, the company may find a receptive audience in the US for these powerplants. The problem has always been the inconsistent emissions standards between Europe and the US, but that may be resolved by 2018, says Hedrick. Kia's obviously encouraged by rising diesel sales from German automakers such as Volkswagen and Audi, as well as the fact that it just completed a record-breaking six-month sales period for the US. Kia spokesman Scott McKee, in an email to AutoblogGreen, would only say that "identifying new opportunities for growth is part of our long-term strategy" but reiterated that no announcements have been made. Of course, there was a similar buzz during the spring of 2012, when reports surfaced that Kia would start making a diesel-powered Optima, which it provides to European customers.

Kia continues run of Soul special editions with Red Zone

The 2014 Soul has come on strong since its introduction, going so far as to become the Korean automaker's top-selling model last month, but Kia isn't wasting any time in creating a little extra excitement for its boxy hatchback. Although the name is a little wonky, the Kia Soul Red Zone marks the first special-edition model for the second-gen Soul, and its styling is meant to mimic the 2012 Track'ster Concept, the showcar that inspired the design of the 2014 Soul.
While there's no pigskin or AstroTurf (or any other football-related references) to be found on this car, the Red Zone package consists of a distinctive white paint scheme with bright red accents. The red theme continues on the inside with contrast stitching and piping acting as highlights to the otherwise all-black interior. The 2014 Soul Red Zone goes on sale early next year, and while official pricing has not been announced, production will be limited to just 2,000 units.