2012 Kia Soul Plus on 2040-cars

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Kia showcasing Optima T-Hybrid concept in Paris [w/video]

At the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year, Kia showcased a new diesel hybrid powertrain. And at the rapidly approaching Paris Motor Show, it will present that new technology in the Optima sedan concept you see here.
Called the Kia Optima T-Hybrid, the concept mates a 1.7-liter diesel with both a turbocharger and electric supercharger to a small electric motor and a 48-volt lead-carbon battery. The mild hybrid setup allows it to travel in electric-only model at low speeds and at cruise, regenerating brake power to recharge the battery. Kia said it chose the lead-carbon battery pack over lithium-ion because it's easier to recycle and does not require active cooling.
Because the powertrain is still under development, Kia isn't saying what kind of fuel economy or emissions figures it gets in the Optima T-Hybrid concept, but it is targeting a "significant reduction" in emissions and fuel consumption, while delivering 15 to 20 percent more power. Check out the system in action in the video below.

Watch the Kia Soul hamsters take on 'Dueling Banjos'

The Kia Soul hamsters are back, but rather than bopping to the party tunes of LMFAO, they're delivering their own take on "Dueling Banjos." Thankfully, this commercial is more pleasant to watch than the film that helped make the banjo tune famous. Aside from the return of Kia's fuzzy mascots, this commercial also marks the welcome return of plumper hamsters. When Kia launched the Soul EV, it gave its spokesrodents a trimmer figure that made the anthropomorphic dancing hamsters even creepier. As Autoblog chief Mike Austin said when assigning this story, "Sexy EV hamsters were scary." Alongside from the two-minute commercial, Kia has included a three-minute, behind-the-scenes video called Soul Sessions: Making the Music. You can check out the main spot up top, and then get the peek behind the curtain below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Kia Cee'd GT and Pro_cee'd GT are Korean for "hot hatch" [w/video]

Kia has pulled back the curtain on its sportiest offerings to date at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. The Cee'd GT and Pro_cee'd GT benefit from a direct-injection, turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine good for 204 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. Those numbers are up 51 percent and 61 percent over the models' base engine, respectively. A six-speed manual transmission puts power to the front wheels, and Kia says the hatches can spring to 60 mph in 7.7 seconds. Top speed for both sits at 143 miles per hour. Penned by design guru Peter Schreyer, the cars wear tweaked front fascias complete with new grilles, headlamps and fog lamps.
Out back, dual-exit exhaust separate GT models from their common kin, and 18-inch alloy wheels are standard equipment. Indoors, buyers can expect to find a set of Recaro sport buckets and a specially designed TFT instrument cluster. Take a peek at a brief video of the Pro_cee'd GT and the official press release below.