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Here it is folks. Apparently the speculation's now over and we've no more need for silly teaser shots — here's the official press shots of the new replacement for the Kia Spectra/Cerato, the 2009 Kia Forte sedan. Our snap judgement? It's not too shabby looking. In fact, in comparison to the Spectra, it's downright hot. Want one? You'll have to wait, the sedan model will supposedly enter the U.S. market by mid-2009 — for now, it goes on sale on August 22nd in Korea. We'll have more info as we get it. For the moment, soak up the silver images we've got below.
Kia plans to introduce the brand's first ever coupe next summer, a couple of months after the new Spectra sedan goes on sale by mid-2009. The new coupe will reportedly be based on the Koup concept, first shown at the New York Auto Show just a few short months ago. But fans of the Spectra name may be disappointed. According to Lee Hyun-soon, president of Hyundai-Kia Motors' R&D division, the Spectra family may not retain the name. Our assumption is the Korean company plans to globalize their naming of products, dubbing the new coupe and sedan the Forte. We just hope is it doesn't end up being called the "Koup" if only to ensure we don't have to put up with months of Koup-a Commander jokes. But, whither the five-door? Well, that's taking a flying leap off a short pier and back to Korea as it reportedly will no longer be a part of the Korean automaker's product plan for the United States. But back to the Coupe — let's talk design language.
We'd been told the Koup, created by the brand's U.S.-based design team, was emblematic of the design language we should expect to see coming from the entire Korean brand in the future. That means an expected ditching of the friendly, rounded edges of the old Kia Spectra. In place of that friendly design, the Koup hinted to a crisp and more angular look that seemingly borrowed heavily from Acura, with a little bit of Subaru Impreza mixed in for good measure.
Why a 2-door? Kia is introducing a coupe in the hopes of "attracting young buyers." While we've never seen anyone over the age of twenty three behind the wheel of a non-rental Kia product, apparently the brand is concerned about its ongoing appeal among staid, middle-manager accounting types.
By Dong Il KimSports Marketing Assistant ManagerKia Motors CorporationWith the start of the UEFA EURO 2008â„¢ championship, Kia Motors, a major sponsor of the event, has started a great party! The giant Kia Fan Fest was designed to gather crowds of football fans and boost their enthusiasm towards their teams. Kia Motors is actively promoting [...]
By Chil-Young KwonProduction Management TeamKia Motors CorporationHow can we arrange the 18 balls in the box below to get four blue balls while satisfying the designated rules?This may seem like a random mathematical puzzle; however, such logical thinking is an essential attribute for line managers. In an earlier piece, we mentioned that the genetic makeup [...]
At the beginning of June we brought you the first official sketch of the 2009 Kia Forte. Today is time for a new one! The Forte will make its official debut on 21st August.
New Kia Forte will take many of its styling cues from the KOUP concept - that debuted at New York International Auto Show- and signals the new design direction for Kia brand.
The 2009 Forte will come to replace the current Spectra.
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