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Kia introduces sleek Novo Concept at Seoul Motor Show

As you've no doubt noticed, we're deep, deep into coverage of the 2015 New York Auto Show. But despite the glitz and glamor of the Big Apple, our attention is also draw to Asia today, where Kia has introduced the handsome Novo Concept at the 2015 Seoul Motor Show. Powered by a 1.6-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder and with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission shipping power to the front wheels, the Novo's powertrain is not unlike what we saw yesterday in the 2016 Optima. Of course, that's the extent of the technical details, as the Novo is far more of a design exercise than a tech demonstrator. Taking its name from the Latin for "to make new," the Novo was designed by Kia's team in Namyang, South Korea. Billed as a four-door coupe – as is the trend nowadays – the Novo rides on a version of the company's C-segment platform, giving some idea of its size. Kia's hallmark "tiger nose" grille is flanked by laser headlights, and is the most obvious tie-in to the brand's current design language, while other elements, like its fastback profile and pillar-less greenhouse are add some spice to the visuals. Those compact rear doors are hinged at the rear. Meanwhile, a vertical side grille, reminiscent of the early Jaguar XF, meets a strong shoulder line that extends from the headlights and terminates in the middle of the rear door. Kia has released a spate of images of the new car, which accompanies the company's design-oriented press release. Head down and take a look. Related Video: KIA NOVO FASTBACK CONCEPT PREMIERED AT SEOUL MOTOR SHOW Coupe style for Kia's latest concept Minimalist interior with high-tech features 1.6 litre turbo GDi engine and seven-speed DCT Delivering a bold and exciting, coupe style with a driver-focused cabin, Kia's latest concept car, the Novo, has been unveiled at the 2015 Seoul Motor Show. Giving clear hints at future Kia styling and strategy the Kia Novo is aimed at modern urbanites with stressful jobs and frantic schedules. Interpreted by Kia's designers, the name 'Novo' represents the concept of making something new and fresh. Taking its name from the Latin 'novatus' the Kia Novo concept establishes a calming, focused environment in which drivers can refresh and rejuvenate as they transition from one life commitment to the next. Fittingly, 'novatus' also provides the origin of the English word, 'innovation', which the Novo concept brings to life with thoroughly innovative styling and high-tech interior features.

Kia Soul to get AWD?

The funky Kia Soul is one of the three affordable, efficient and style-first boxes on sale today (along with the Scion xB and Nissan Cube). Like its competition, it sits atop a front-drive platform with a longitudinally mounted four-cylinder engine.
It's a dandy car in this setup, but it sounds like Kia may be looking to differentiate the Soul from the herd by offering an optional all-wheel-drive system in the future. According to the report filed by Kia World, the popularity of the small, stylish crossover segment is expected to expand considerably over the coming years, especially overseas.
Citing the optional all-wheel drive on the Renault Captur, Ford Ecosport and Opel Mokka (Buick Encore in the US), along with the eventual arrival of a sub-Tiguan Volkswagen, called the Taigun, an all-wheel-drive Soul seems to make a lot of sense for these foreign markets. In the American market, meanwhile, AWD would open the Soul up to a new segment of buyers that like its looks but want all-wheel ability. Kia World is claiming the Soul AWD could hit markets in 2016 wearing a ruggedized version of the sheetmetal shown on the 2014 Soul that debuted in earlier this year in New York. Expect a bit of extra ground clearance to accompany the new drivetrain. Finally, all-wheel drive would likely only be available on the mid-range Soul + and top-spec Soul !.

Foreign automakers pay from $38 to $65 per hour to non-union workers

As leaders for the United Auto Workers gather in Detroit for their Special Convention on Collective Bargaining to work out the negotiating stance for this year's new labor agreements with the Detroit 3 automakers, what they most want to do is figure out how to eliminate the two-tier wage scale. However, the lower Tier 2 wage has allowed the domestic automakers to reduce their labor costs, hire more workers, and compete better with their import competition. As it stands, per-hour labor rates including benefits are $58 at General Motors, $57 at Ford, and $48 at Fiat-Chrysler – a reflection of FCA's much greater number of Tier 2 workers. The Center for Automotive Research released a study of labor rates (including benefits) that put numbers to what the imports pay: Mercedes-Benz pays the most, at an average of $65 per hour, Volkswagen pays the least, at $38 per hour, and BMW is just a hair above that at $39 per hour. Among the Detroit competitors, Honda workers earn an average of $49 per hour, at Toyota it's $48 per hour, Nissan is $42 per hour, and Hyundai-Kia pays $41 per hour. The lower import wages are aided by their greater use of temporary workers compared to the domestics. Automotive News says the ten-dollar gap between those foreign camakers and the domestics turns out to about an extra $250 per car in labor, which adds up quickly when you're pumping out many millions of cars. That $250-per-car number is one that, come negotiating time, the Detroit 3 will want to reduce, as the UAW is trying to raise both Tier 1 and Tier 2 wages. Another wrinkle is that the domestic carmakers are considering the wide adoption of a third wage level lower than Tier 2. Some workers who do minor tasks like assembling parts trays kits and battery packs already make less than Tier 2, but the UAW will be quite wary about cementing yet another wage scale at the bottom of the system while it's trying to fight a bigger battle at the top. News Source: Automotive News - sub. req., BloombergImage Credit: AP Photo/Erik Schelzig Earnings/Financials UAW/Unions BMW Chevrolet Fiat Ford GM Honda Hyundai Kia Mercedes-Benz Nissan Toyota Volkswagen labor wages collective bargaining labor costs