Kia presents
the bulldog-like 4WD Track'ster concept
The Chicago Auto Show got underway on Wednesday, and Kia had one of the noteworthy debuts of day one. The company's Track'ster concept is essentially a race-inspired hot hatch version of its popular Soul. The car gets a potent powertrain and aggressive look. Kia is clearly empowered by its recent success. Once essentially the baby brother of Hyundai, a brand that itself has a historical reputation as a cheap, entry-level automaker, Kia is really starting to come into its own. According to the company's numbers, it launched more new models in the US between 2009 and 2010 than any other automaker and was one of the world's fastest growing auto brands.
That rapid success has given Kia the confidence to experiment with new, higher-end models. At last year's Frankfurt Motor Show, it introduced the 390-hp GT sports car concept, and has now followed suit with the Track'ster. Kia says that it has no plans to commercially launch the Track'ster, but the model hints at possible future directions for the Soul.
"The idea was to make the Track'ster tough looking, like a bulldog," said Tom Kearns, Kia Motor America's chief designer. "But the car had to be approachable as well. We wanted to base the car in reality so people instantly knew it was a Soul, but with a lot of attitude. It had to be a bold interpretation that would change people's conceptions of what a sporty Kia could be."
the bulldog-like 4WD Track'ster concept
The Chicago Auto Show got underway on Wednesday, and Kia had one of the noteworthy debuts of day one. The company's Track'ster concept is essentially a race-inspired hot hatch version of its popular Soul. The car gets a potent powertrain and aggressive look. Kia is clearly empowered by its recent success. Once essentially the baby brother of Hyundai, a brand that itself has a historical reputation as a cheap, entry-level automaker, Kia is really starting to come into its own. According to the company's numbers, it launched more new models in the US between 2009 and 2010 than any other automaker and was one of the world's fastest growing auto brands.
That rapid success has given Kia the confidence to experiment with new, higher-end models. At last year's Frankfurt Motor Show, it introduced the 390-hp GT sports car concept, and has now followed suit with the Track'ster. Kia says that it has no plans to commercially launch the Track'ster, but the model hints at possible future directions for the Soul.
"The idea was to make the Track'ster tough looking, like a bulldog," said Tom Kearns, Kia Motor America's chief designer. "But the car had to be approachable as well. We wanted to base the car in reality so people instantly knew it was a Soul, but with a lot of attitude. It had to be a bold interpretation that would change people's conceptions of what a sporty Kia could be."
