2012 Kia Sportage on 2040-cars

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Kia teases B-segment concept headed to Frankfurt

It's not uncommon to see an automaker go a little outside of its comfort zone when creating a concept car, but Kia seems to be going all out for a new small concept it plans to unveil at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Although there is not much information to go on about this unnamed concept, Kia does say that it "hints at a possible future B-segment contender."
With headlights that would look at home on a C7 Corvette or Jaguar F-Type and door cut lines reminiscent of a Ford GT, we can only imagine how sporty this car will look in the flesh. The wide door openings also give a good glimpse inside the car revealing details deep, flat-bottomed steering wheel with paddle shifters and the peculiar rotary-style shifter, but our attention is on the instrument panel switches. If you look closely, the second switch from the left seems to be for a center differential possibly hinting at a future sporty all-wheel-drive Kia. Yes, please! Scroll down for the brief press release on the car, and stay tuned for more info as we'll be on hand covering the show next month.

Kia unveils K4 sedan concept in China

Among the dozens of foreign automakers eager to showcase their wares to the Chinese market, Kia arrived at the Beijing Motor Show with the new K4. Though technically categorized as a "concept," the K4 previews a sedan which Kia intends to launch in China later this year.
The K4 is a midsize sedan measuring 186 inches long and riding on a 106-inch wheelbase that makes it bigger than the Forte (sold in the Far East as the K3) and just a few inches shorter than the Optima (aka K5). The form is draped in familiar Kia-style bodywork, with a high trunk and low nose to give it a wedge shape and a familiar if somewhat new take on the headlights and grille seen on other new models from the Korean automaker.
Power comes from a 1.6-liter turbo four (smaller than the engines available in the Optima/K5) mated to a seven-speed DCT. Kia has also fitted the K4 concept with push-button ignition, UVO infotainment system, rear-view camera, six airbags and stability management. In short, everything you'd expect from the latest product of a global automaker.

Kia teases Cross GT concept for Chicago debut

Kia is headed to the Chicago Auto Show with a new concept. Details are scarce on the Cross GT at the moment, but we know the machine was penned as a luxury crossover. Larger than the current Sorento, we would wager there's three rows of seating on board. And while it's unclear whether or not Kia plans to bring something similar to market, we like what we see in the shadowy teaser above. The Cross GT seems to wear the company's "tiger nose" styling well, and the familiar D-pillar upkick ties the machine in nicely with the rest of the company's people-movers.
The 2013 Chicago Auto Show kicks off on February 7th, and should feature a number of interesting reveals. Those include the upcoming Toyota Tundra and what could be a special version of the Dodge Dart. Stay tuned for our live coverage on the show floor.