Photo: Kia
At the 2012 Chicago Auto Show, Kia has revealed the Track’ster Concept, which is supposed to be a really track-focused version of the Soul. We still don’t know if this vehicle is ever going to see the light of production, but Kia’s California Design Studio did a great job with enhancing the look of the car.
This two-door hatchback still has some of the lines the Soul gave it, but not many. The front is dominated by a huge air intake that also offers a new sort of mesh. This is flanked on either side by LED daytime running lights that are as big as the Nissan Juke’s.
“The idea was to make the Track’ster tough looking, like a bulldog,” said Tom Kearns, Chief Designer for KMA. “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.”
Kia says the concept is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged in-line-four engine puts 250 horsepower to the road, a 66 per cent increase over that of the production Soul. Power is routed to all four wheels via an electronically controlled four-wheel-drive system.
Inside, it’s a bit of a monster. You’ve got a combination of white, gray and red that really pops. There are only two seats, as the rear bench has been replaced by a tire and what look to be... toolboxes?! But should it be put into production, the bench is surely coming back.
“The idea was to make the Track’ster tough looking, like a bulldog,” said Tom Kearns, Chief Designer for KMA. “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.”
Kia says the concept is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged in-line-four engine puts 250 horsepower to the road, a 66 per cent increase over that of the production Soul. Power is routed to all four wheels via an electronically controlled four-wheel-drive system.
Inside, it’s a bit of a monster. You’ve got a combination of white, gray and red that really pops. There are only two seats, as the rear bench has been replaced by a tire and what look to be... toolboxes?! But should it be put into production, the bench is surely coming back.
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