Wednesday 8th February 2012

Kia Track'ster concept - official

Go easy, it's just a bit of fun and, hopefully, a sign of hot Kias to come

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Those with a limited appetite for Stateside marketing hyperbole best look away now, but Kia’s single-minded dedication to the art of apostrophe abuse has reached new heights with a new Soul-based concept.

Widebody look kinda works

Teased earlier in the week and now revealed at the Chicago motor show, the Track’ster is apparently enough to make, quote, “car enthusiasts begin to salivate.”

We’ll gloss over that, and boasts that “the idea was to make the Track’ster tough looking, like a bulldog” (thank you Kia’s American design boss Tom Kearns, now go back to your easel) and instead try and draw some clues about where Kia is going with this concept. Like Toyota’s Scion brand, Kia is relentless with its assault on the youthful end of the Stateside car market, which means lots of ‘street’ attitude, flirtations with the modding scene and many and varied ways to carry, connect and interact with the Apple touchscreen device of your choosing.

Cabin not for the faint of heart

It’s not entirely clear why the Inferno Orange highlights on the paintscheme are, as promised, ‘perfectly suited for racing’ but the Track’ster is, whisper it, rather cool looking.

OK, it’s showfloor eye candy but as a statement of intent it does test the water for Kia to offer something a little more PH-worthy in its line up.

The Track’ster gets a 250hp turbocharged 2.0-litre engine – a fair step up from the 138hp of the most potent (relative) car currently in the range.

Inside there’s a suitably fancy interior including a quick release strut brace for accessing the spare wheel and storage bins for helmets and other track paraphernalia.

Rio B-Spec racer the genuine track Kia

While all very impressive we’re perhaps more interested in Kia doing something along the lines of the B-Spec Rio racecar we saw at LA last year. Now that looks like a proper track car…

[Twincam16]

Actually, that doesn't look half bad. Are Lotus still involved in the ride/handling setup of the Soul platform?

[womble779]

This looks better than any of the cars i have stolen over the last few years but quite like that DS3 which isn't a bad thing i just hope they get the security sorted.

[JADCampbell]

I don't hate this. The interior is a touch much, but I admire their enthusiasm.

[Rawwr]

JADCampbell said:

I don't hate this. The interior is a touch much, but I admire their enthusiasm.

Those seats look nice.

[DanDC5]

I like it

[Stig]

doogz said:

Although (and i know i'm being picky as fk here, but cars are for driving) the throttle and brake pedals look quite far apart? And the round brake pedal probably isn't going to lend itself to heel and toe too well. Looks funky, but i'd prefer my pedals to be functional.

Have you got the feet of a pixie or something?

[exocet ape]

That shape as a small-ish car rather than micro SUV would be a winner.

[collateral]

No good reason for the comedic proportions of the rear wheels

[anonymous-user]

Kia in 'Only second to Toyota for number of threads started' shocker! I like this a lot very different from a lot of cars on the road. Even if this only ends up a some sort of Suzuki Swift Sport level car it will be a step in the right direction for Kia.

[Alfa159Ti]

I love it!

Kind of looks like a Suzuki Swift on steroids. It also reminds me of the old Peugeot 205 'Dimmas'.

I even love the interior.

Kia are on a such a roll at the moment - nice to see the automotive landscape being rearranged and to see some fresh faces with new ideas.

Interesting to contrast the handsome restyling of Kias with the French marques that have become more and more ugly over the years. I expect Kia are taking sales away from them hand over fist...

[uremaw]

Looks ace. Much better than anything that's come out of the mini factory in recent memory.

[JohnGoodridge]

Now I actually like that.

To be perfect though, it just needs the engine, or better yet a tuned version of their V6 behind the rear seats, rather than in front of them...

[V8 FOU]

collateral said:

No good reason for the comedic proportions of the rear wheels

Just the thing for a hot front wheel drive hatch? Err...no...

[soad]

DanDC5 said:

I like it

Yup, me too

[snorkel sucker]

I like the fact that Kia have ambition.

Lets be honest here, the stalwart of all hot hatches, Peugeot, went seriously off the boil not so long ago after being pick of the bunch in the '90s - they proved that even the best of the best can lose touch with how to make a good car, even after they have already produced them.

That Kia are even attempting to start on the rocky path to hot hatch / performance car stardom is to be applauded - and I hope they succeed. What the market does not need more of are lardy, dynamically flawed, money-spinning marketeers wet dreams. Lets hope Kia can produce something a bit different.

[Dodge76]

I like that a lot!

[HoonyPoony]

[quote=Alfa159TiKind of looks like a Suzuki Swift on steroids. It also reminds me of the old Peugeot 205 'Dimmas'
[/quote]

I love the dimmas! 205's clio's the lot. The best widearch kit imo.

Still looks too new and safe and heavy. But it does look mean and beefy. And with 250bhp it'll be a good laugh suprising people off the lights.

[RyanOakley]

Looks the same as that crazy Golf concept they built a couple of years back with the Lambo engine in

[mattbvw]

Seeing a bit of Clio V6 in the rear 3/4 shot. Love it.

[zb]

That's absolutely horrid. Looks like a poundstretcher model of a MINIvoque. No thanks.