2012 Kia Optima Ex Sedan 4-door 2.4l on 2040-cars

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Kia reveals Sportspace concept ahead of Geneva

If you were wondering why Kia kept the back end of its upcoming new European concept hidden from view in the previous teaser, one look at these latest images should tell you why: Though the show car is tipped to preview the replacement for the Optima, this one's packing a wagon body-style. Dubbed the Sportspace concept, this D-segment/midsize estate was penned at Kia's European design studio in Frankfurt and is set to bow at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. The Korean automaker isn't telling us much about it, except to emphasize that it was designed as a grand tourer "without sacrificing the performance, sustainability and economy that Kia is known for." We wouldn't be surprised, then, to see some sort of high-output hybrid system in place under the hood. The design bears all the hallmarks of a modern Kia, with the tiger-nose grille up front and clean lines throughout, but tapering back to a wagon's tail that reminds us of the Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagon – which is no idle praise. Whether that means the next-gen Optima will be offered in wagon form in Europe (where they're in particularly high demand) or anywhere else, however, remains to be seen. Kia SPORTSPACE concept to be unveiled at Geneva (SEOUL) February 17, 2015 – Kia Motors Europe will unveil an innovative new concept, the Kia SPORTSPACE, at the 85th Salon International de l'Automobile in Geneva on 3 March 2015. Created for long distance driving, the SPORTSPACE has been designed for fast and efficient travel with maximum comfort and minimal stress, in the best grand touring tradition of the weekend getaway. Designed at Kia's Frankfurt design studio, under the direction of Gregory Guillaume, Chief Designer Europe, the SPORTSPACE features a unique and captivating body shape. The car is born out of a commitment to provide stylish and exciting transportation for four which is also spacious and functional, without sacrificing the performance, sustainability and economy that Kia is known for. Recognisably a Kia due to its signature 'tiger nose' grille, finely judged proportions and simple, clean surfaces, SPORTSPACE has a bold, dynamic shape with real road presence. At the same time, it offers a high level of interior comfort and substantial practical load space.

Kia decides on Mexico plant location for small car assembly

Mexico has long been a hot spot for auto manufacturing, but the country's fortunes have been boosted lately, with Honda, Mazda and Nissan recently adding factories there, and BMW is said to be poised to join them soon. Now, new reports indicate that Kia might start building south of the border to keep up with demand.
Insiders speaking to Reuters claim that the Korean automaker is very close to striking a deal to build a factory for two small models in Monterrey, Mexico, with a 300,000-vehicle annual capacity. Assembly could reportedly begin as soon as 21 months after ground is broken.
If true, Kia has done a fantastic job of keeping the deal under wraps. The only hint at anything like this brewing was a rumor last year that Hyundai may have investigation building a factory in Mexico. The company currently operates a factory in Georgia that builds the Optima and Sorento.

2014 Kia Soul to get quasi-SUV look for Europe [w/poll]

The 2014 Soul is bigger and more refined, and Kia says its look has been inspired in part by the Track'ster concept. Interestingly, European buyers will get the option of a different look than what we'll see in our showrooms. They'll be able to specify the SUV Styling Pack seen here, which includes matte-black cladding on the front and rear fascias, along with what Kia refers to as piano-black trim on the wheel wells and side skirts. The roof is available painted black, white or red. With all of that black trim and slightly tougher look, the styling reminds us of the Fiat 500L Trekking, a model the Soul will compete directly against.
European markets also have the ability to spec their Souls like our North American version, which substitutes body-color trim for most of the black pieces. Currently, there are no plans to bring the SUV Styling Pack to the US. But that doesn't mean we'll never be able to buy this butch-look Soul on our side of the Atlantic. Company spokesperson James Hope confirms to Autoblog, "[Kia] has no plans to offer something similar to the EU-spec Soul at this time. However, we are always monitoring the market and if we saw an opportunity we would certainly look into it."
Feel free to peruse the press release below for more details on the Euro-spec Soul - which is slated to debut at next month's Frankfurt Motor Show - and then let Kia know if they should bring the SUV Styling Pack here by participating in our poll below.