Kia shows sporty Track'ster 07 | 03 | 2012
KIA SEEMS TO have the knack for continually coming up with the most stunning concepts. This is the Korean manufacturer's latest, the two-seat, Soul-based, Kia Track’ster (see more official photos of the Kia Track'ster).
Shown in Europe for the first time at Geneva, the Track’ster shows how a sporting three-door version of the Soul crossover could look.
The work of Kia’s Californian design studio, what's encouraging is the manufacturer has hinted the Track’ster could become reality, being built alongside the five-door and a convertible.
Powered by a 247bhp, 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol unit, the concept boasts a 66% increase in power compared with the production Soul. A short-throw six-speed manual gearbox transfers drive to all four wheels.
So, what else has changed? Well the Track’ster has a lower ride height, as well as large vented and cross-drilled Brembo disc brakes.
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In addition, Kia has slightly stretched the Soul’s wheelbase from 2550mm to 2570.7mm and widened the body by 133mm to 1918mm.
And as you can see, it's a bit of a headturner. There's a sloping roofline, a Whiteout and Inferno Orange paint job and 19in alloys encased in Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 rubber are tucked into the flared arches
The front-end gets an aggressive look, with a large lower intake grille, which is flanked by round LED lights. The front and rear bumpers' lower valance and side skirts are trimmed in carbonfibre, as is Kia's signature grille. There's also snazzy twin exhausts at the rear.
Inside the totally revamped cabin, the Soul’s rear seat bench has been completely removed to make way for an integrated equipment tray and spare-tyre well.
And just to maintain the sporty nature of the Track'ster, special storage compartments have also been added for racing gear.
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The concept's racing seats are finished in Inferno Orange suede and the car’s steering wheel and door panels have been wrapped in Granite Grey leather.
Though, certainly at the moment, the Track'ster remains a concept, standard equipment includes a touch-screen panel – to control navigation, entertainment and ventilation – as well as an engine start/stop button.
“The idea was to make the Track’ster tough looking, like a bulldog,” Tom Kearns, Chief Designer for KMA explained. “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.”
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Jim McGill