Soul Concept Cars Retain The Spirit And Name

                                                                                         

All-new production model will retain the spirit and name of the SOUL concept cars shown earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show, and the first SOUL concept debuted at the 2006 North American International Auto Show. As well as confirming the name, Kia has released the first official photograph of the production car, which will be called the ‘Kia Soul’. Confirmed by Kia Motors Corporation.

“Reaction from the media and public to the three SOUL concept cars first unveiled at the Geneva Show in March and shown subsequently at other international events, has been overwhelmingly positive,” enthused Mr. Hyoung-Keun Lee, Senior Executive Vice President and COO, International Business Division, Kia Motors Corporation. “This reaction, plus the fact that both physically and emotionally the SOUL concept cars are so closely related to the new Kia Soul production car, made it a natural choice to retain this evocative name.”

“The SOUL concept cars reveal a whole new ‘fun’ side to Kia. They signal that our new Kia Soul production model is poised to defy convention and offer buyers a ‘world of possibilities’ for expressing their personality. This new model will reach out to a new group of consumers, appealing especially to the young and young-at-heart,” added Mr. Lee.

The three concept cars – SOUL Burner, SOUL Diva and SOUL Searcher – were created by Kia’s European design team led by Gregory Guillaume, under the guidance of Kia’s Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer. They were developed from the original SOUL concept car designed jointly by Kia’s California and Korea design studios and unveiled in 2006 at Detroit. The auto body parts therefore used in these concept cars went through a lot of designing processes to ensure that they are of high quality.

Speaking about the choice of name for the original 2006 Detroit concept car, Tom Kearns, chief designer of Kia Motors America commented, "We wanted to inject some life into this car's design and give it a soul. And of course 'Soul' also is a homophone for the home city of Kia Motors headquarters, in Korea so it’s a fun play on words."

Kia’s Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer, strongly endorsed that name choice at the Geneva Show earlier this year, commenting, "The name SOUL accurately reflects how people will be able to 'express their spirit—their psyche' with this new product. Through a variety of options, accessories and colors, they will be able to personalize their Kia Soul and create a sense of individuality, making the car a true reflection of their personality."

Looking ahead to the 2008 Paris Motor Show, Gregory Guillaume observed, “Because the new Kia Soul is not a replacement for an existing vehicle and is destined to play a unique role within the Kia global lineup, it can be a bit of a rebel! The trios of Geneva concepts were 'appetizers' for the new model introduction at Paris, and you can be certain that the new Kia Soul model will retain the core DNA of the three exciting concepts.”

The all-new Kia Soul defies classification but its auto body parts design will encourage customers to build an emotional bond with this rebellious new car. To be made in Korea from September 2008, Kia Soul provides a creative platform for buyers to individualize and match their car to their own personalities.

The new Kia Soul production car will make its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show October 2008.

About the author:
Anthony Fontanelle is a 35-year-old automotive buff who grew up in the Windy City. He does freelance work for an automotive magazine when he is not busy customizing cars in his shop.



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