Friday 14th September 2007

Thoughts From Frankfurt: What Else Caught Our Eye

Other stuff we liked and didn’t like

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Kia Kee Coupe

Korean firm Kia impressed us with their new Kee coupe and the three-door version of the cee’d hatchback.

Designed under ex-Audi design director Peter Schreyer the Kee was a finely proportioned little coupe although there was no word on what mechanicals might lurk beneath the concept body. Kia needs this car to move forward and the signs look encouraging – production was said to be ‘more than a possibility’.

Take a close look too at the three-door hatch below and imagine it with a suitable body kit and mechanicals.

Renault Laguna Concept

Although for now the strongest engine will be a two-litre turbo diesel, with the right motor and those sharp good looks this is a car that could win the brand many new fans, especially if a hot hatch version keeps the firm’s remarkable seven year warranty.

Although the new Renault Laguna didn’t exactly blow us away, the Laguna Coupe Concept is something altogether different. Forget the scissor doors and you’re looking at the production car of late next year – complete with four wheel steering and available with the firm’s new 3.0 V6 diesel engine producing 406lb ft of torque.

Subaru Impreza WRC

The Honda Accord concept previewed the next model in 2008 and was a definite improvement, while the R36 VW Passat looked like being an excellent cheap fast used buy in years to come. And what of the new Evo? Not bad, but something was missing for us, and the bluff front end grated a bit.

However, the office was united in the booby prize award: it has to be the new Subaru Impreza. We’ve tried to be positive in the past, but even the new rally car couldn’t hide the misery of the regular model. Rumour has it that a restyle is being rushed through as you read this. No wonder…

Evo X	Honda Accord Concept
Passat R36	Kia Pro_cee'd
Subaru Impreza

 

[Dino D]

And there I was thinking this article would be about the show girls....

[Fury1630]

Is it just me, or does that Kia Kee, look like a body kitted TR7?

[Martin_Bpool]

Passat R32?

And there was me thinking it was a 3.6 litre engine they were putting in it.

[AbarthChris]

Fury1630 said:

Is it just me, or does that Kia Kee, look like a body kitted TR7?

it looks the the offspring of an Audi R8 and a Smart Roadster!

[waynepixel]

I am really impressed with the Kia Pro_cee'd, and Kia Kee Coupe. If they can bring this to production, they are on to a winner.

[Hendry]

Fury1630 said:

Is it just me, or does that Kia Kee, look like a body kitted TR7?

Ha! You read my mind.

[Road_Terrorist]

No mention of the Suzuki Kizashi? I think it looks pretty cool.

[dublet]

That Kia Pro_cee'd looks quite nice. If the mechanicals are as nice as the looks, I'd certainly have one.

(Especially say, if it had a 2.0 turbo and 4WD, but that may be too much to ask from Kia.)

[GTRene]

Martin_Bpool said:

Passat R32?

And there was me thinking it was a 3.6 litre engine they were putting in it.

It is R36 you can click on the picture then you see R36 they only wrote it down in old style, moderators change that please
GTRene
Not": this 300hp engine they also gonna use use in the new Artega GT lovely car for a affordable price

Edited by GTRene on Friday 14th September 14:16

[ScoobieWRX]

Shame on Subaru!! That new WRC Scoob doesn't look anywhere near as good as the current one. I don't know about a rushed re-style...i think it should be a rushed re-think in every way possible!!

Plonka's!!

[RTH]

A lot of high nosed quite ugly looking cars

[Midgster]

Oh my god, what is the world coming too, I also LIKE the Kia Pro-Ceed. That looks really nice!

[999gsi]

gotta say the new impreza looks like a facelifted daewoo lanos-on the plus side my mother has one(a lanos) and it is 100% reliable,a complete pile of sxxt but reliable..

[ScoobieWRX]

I think the nicest looker of all these photos is the EVO....so glad to see they got it right first time!!! If i were an EVO lover i would be wetting myself waiting in long queue's to sign up for one of these....that looks the biz!!

[Stu R]

Passat looks nice, but is sure to be a letdown.
The rest of them I don't like at all. The Evo in particular is a big letdown for me, hate the styling of it but I'm sure there's pleanty in favour. Time will tell as to whether I'll warm to it I suppose.
The scoob I can only echo the other threads bashing it's awful, cheap looking styling.

[zaktoo]

And they did mention what was under the bonnet of the Kia Kee - 2.7 litre V6 with 200 PS.

[FestivAli]

I couldn't be fussed with the Passat its just another reasonably brisk sedan that whilst good, won't be as quick or as fun as a cheaper similarly equipped Australian performance saloon like a Commodore SS or Falcon XR6 Turbo. It will only be bought here by people who will only buy a European car.

The new Impreza, as cack as it can look won't look as silly as a current STi when its driven to an office in the city. In the same sense, it'll look like a fat, slightly contrived hatchback when its being hustled, albeit quickly and skillfully, down a country road. Both cars look/will look shit when they aren't in their element. That said it looks much better in white, and Australia gets a different, less awful front grille.

The Evo looks okay I suppose. I like the sharkish headlamps and bluff front end, even if PH doesn't.

That Suzuki, thanks for the pic, looks a bit interesting. It has a sort of Transformers torso armoured kevlar front nose. The rest of it is swooping and almost elegant, and it looks just futuristic enough to me to look like it won't date over its model life cycle. Can't wait to see if they've pulled it off dynamically.

I really love the Kee. It looks futuristic, but entirely doable and as impractical as the three quarter rear vision will be I hope it stays as it looks fantastic.

My two cents.

[peter450]

I guess one of the mitsubishi employees must have infiltrated subaru HQ, and replaced the chief designer with an evil clone robot, how else can you explain millions of pounds on developing a new car no one will buy

[ScoobieWRX]

I disagree....IMHO i think the EVO will sell by the bucket load. It's better looking than the old one, up to date in it's engineering, the interior is streets ahead of the old car, and it will cost about the same as the old car. They'll never make another EVO VI Tommy Maikinen but it's not meant to be. In any case i think it's a winner.

If i wasn't a Scooby owner and lover i would probably get one of these!! No brainer!!!

[dipwing]

I'm sorry to say this as I've always loved the Impreza but the new one looks shite, rushed or not.
However the Honda Accord Concept looks a bit special.