Kia Soul Convertible, Hot Hatch in the Works
Recently we caught spy photos of Kia‘s new 2014 Soul, but that’s not all the Korean automaker has in the works. Kia is currently planning on a sporty hatchback model to rival the likes of the Volkswagen Golf GTI, along with a Soul convertible variant.
In a recent interview, Kia’s overseas marketing director went on the record saying, “We are preparing turbocharged engines,” and then added, “We are tuning suspension and we are preparing a Golf GTI rival.” Exciting news indeed, especially since Kia’s most recent models have been a great improvement over their predecessors.
The hot hatch in development will be based on the next-generation Kia Cee’d, which should make an appearance sometime next fall. It’s a very good chance that we’ll see the same 2.0-liter turbocharged powerplant that’s found in the Optima residing under the hood of the sporty hatch. The turbocharged Theta II engine outputs 274-hp and 269 lb-ft of torque in the sedan, and while it would be a ton of fun to have that in a lighter hatchback, chances are the automaker will detune it some.
Soon-Nam also touched on the emphasis of convertibles and how popular they are in the European market. “We have a plan to introduce a Soul-based convertible; this is intended for 2014,” he said.
[Source: Autocar]
Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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We are tuning suspension and we are preparing a Golf GTI rival. Exciting news indeed, especially since Kias most recent models have been a great improvement over their predecessors.