Kia Introduce 'Afrobilly' To Family

You've already met Patrick, Daryll, Susan, Debbie, Gina and Siobhan - not to mention Guiseppe and his dog Massimo. Now there's a new member of the family...Afrobilly.

The Hillbilly with an Afro haircut is the star of Kia's latest advertisement for the new Rio on TV screens from January 2006.

The cartoon family, created by Pete Fowler, is a radical departure from normal car advertising. Kia puts its cars into different situations using animated characters to tell the story. The cars challenge you to take another look and to realise that value for money does not mean compromise.

Pete Fowler, who has worked on numerous commercial and advertising projects such as Levi's, Nintendo and Selfridges, said he has had great fun developing the Kia family.

"They are just characters that come to me and it's great to see how they develop on screen and with the different advertisements. I'm looking forward to Afrobilly coming on the scene.

"He has been on the substitute bench for a while and what is interesting about his appearance is that we will be using 'stop motion' for the first time rather than cartoons.

"This is the method where you use physical models - usually in plasticine - and film them frame-by-frame making the tiniest adjustments to give them movements.

"In the case of Afrobilly he has a metal skeleton with a silicon body. It's the first time i've worked with stop motion since playing about with it as a student and i have to say the results are fantastic."

The 30-second commercial, made by Passion Pictures, was three months in the making, said director Mike Mort. He added, "The star of the show - the Rio - had to be computer generated and placed into the stop motion model enviroment."

Mike has a long background working with stop motion and has worked on many television commercials and BBC programmes. "It's an interesting medium, very painstaking - but fun" added Mike.

Afrobilly and the other Kia characters will be on your screens from January.

Girl Power?

The Mazda MX5 is a girl's car isn't it? That's what one local journalist believed, before he took a spin in the new model. Here speaks a convert.

Up until now I have to confess that the Mazda MX5 is a car that has managed to completely evade my radar. I was vaguely aware that it had a legion of fans, was reputedly great fun to drive, was reliable and held its resale value very well. Whenever i've been offered the chance to drive one for the magazine found a million and one reasons not to. The fact is I see too many red ones driven by women with matching lipstick and nail-varnish. With it's friendly face and cuddly curves I considered it something of a "girl car".

All that changed the minute I saw the press pack for the all-new model in showrooms from November. The MX5 has had a number of tweaks to the styling in recent years but nothing that got me terribly excited and nothing that would make me choose it over, say, an MG TF. The new model, however, has been madeover so successfully that i can see it going straight to the top of the two-seater roadster chart and staying there for some time.

The most striking cosmetic changes are to the wheel arches. They now curve high over the handsome 17 inch alloys my top of the range 2.0i was sporting. They flare sharply from the steamlined body and this, combined with the loss of the "coke bottle" waste give the car a much more purposeful and muscular look. The streamlined look remains but the lines are simpler and , roof up or down, it is a great looking car.

Delivering a lightweight roadster had highest priority during development of the new Mazda MX5. As a result, the third-generation version of the cult roadster is only 10 kg heavier than its predecessor (depending on version). This modest weight gain is achieved despite having larger wheels, more powerful engines, an extended standard equipment package and a strengthened body shell.

Thanks to the gram strategy diet, the latest two-seater retains the true aura of Mazda's original nimble, responsive handling roadster, a sports car whose rear-wheel drive transmission and powerful, frugal four-cylinder engines are still sufficient to deliver truely exhilarating performance. The soft top is still manual like before - so Mazda could avoid the heavier solution here of an electro-hyudraulic retractable top.

Having spent a couple of hours behind the wheel i can confirm categorically that the car has lost none of the "fun factor" it's famous for. Zoom, zooom, and indeed, zoom.

Mark Anderson writes for North East exclusive magazine. Story donated courtesy of SG Petch.

Birdseye Post Pea Car Site

Well they say miracles happen at Xmas! Birdseye have finally launched a page on their site about the pea car

The page features the video, words to the script as well as some pea car facts.

So pea car fans, go check it out.

Oh and a merry xmas and happy new year to all our readers, especially those of you who contribute to the Auto Community.

New Mazda Models For 2006

Mazda will launch a special edition Mazda RX8 PZ in the UK early spring 2006.

Apparently the sports coupe will be available in Black or Silver, limited to 800 builds and will be upgraded with a 'Sports Pack'.

Mazda are also pressing ahead with a hard top version of their all conquering softop. Called the Mazda MX5 Roadster Coupe and available in the third quarter of 2006, it will be sold as a separate model from the rest of the roadster range. Prices will be around £2000 more than the softop version and will incorporate state-of-the-art technology on the folding roof.

The 'Performance Series' treatment will also be given to the 3 later in 2006 and sold into the UK market alongside its bigger brother the 6 MPS

Designed to tackle head on the recent surge in high performance hatchbacks like Vauxhalls 'VX' range, it is thought the 3 MPS's engine will be a slightly smaller block but will still produce over 200bhp.

Cant wait!

Kia Sorento Completes Round The World Trip

Kia Press Release
Source: Kia

Christer Gerlach, the record-breaking Swedish driver and adventurer, successfully completed the ´Sorento Around the World Expedition´ - a 27,000 kilometre global adventure - on Friday (16 December), when he drove his completely standard Kia Sorento SUV up to the gates of Stockholm´s Royal Palace almost exactly four months to the day since his mid-August departure from this Swedish landmark.

"My earlier confidence in the performance, quality and reliability of the Kia Sorento proved to be well founded," enthused the 61-year old Swede. "The Sorento´s large diameter wheels and tyres were essential to successfully finding an off-road route across much of Asia, as for day after day there simply were no roads or tracks to follow for much of the journey. I am of course delighted to be home in time for Christmas, but I am surprisingly fatigue-free as the Kia also proved to be a remarkably comfortable vehicle, even for this rather extraordinary journey."

Gerlach´s round-the-globe adventure took him to 11 countries, including the remotest regions of Kazakhstan and Mongolia, and a 3,500 kilometre wilderness trek across the largely unmapped waste-lands of Siberia en route to the famous Russian port of Vladivostok and the ferry to South Korea, the half-way point in his epic journey.

Gerlach´s pre-departure confidence was indeed well founded. The only unscheduled attention the Sorento required en route to Korea was to fix two punctures, one light bulb and one loose headlamp. During the second half of the world tour, Gerlach had to fix another light bulb, but otherwise the Kia ran entirely ´trouble-free´.

That second half featured a trans-continental multi-state crossing of the USA and Mexico via Route 66 (visiting California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Texas, Arkansas and South Carolina); a trans-Atlantic voyage aboard the world´s largest car transporter vessel (the 7,000 car capacity Boheme) to Bremerhaven in Germany; and the final leg, via the eight-kilometre Oresund bridge from Denmark, to his Swedish home town.

"We are extremely proud to have partnered Christer during his epic adventure," comments Yong-Hwan Kim, Senior Executive Vice-President and COO of Kia Motors Corporation, who travelled to Stockholm in June to personally hand over the keys for the new Sorento to Mr Gerlach. "His exciting global challenge has allowed us to demonstrate the reliability, quality and excellence of our products all around the world and to bring to life our brand slogan ´The Power to Surprise´."

The Gerlach family is used to Christer ´taking trips´ when he is not working as a journalist. His global adventurers have already earned him two entries in the Guinness Book of Records. Now, thanks to the Sorento´s performance and reliability, he is safely reunited with his wife Lotta and children Hampus (16) and twins Fanny and Hugo (13), at the family´s Stenhamra home in time for the Christmas celebrations.

Mazda 6 MPS Arrives At UK Dealerships

Never one to miss an opportunity, we spotted the new Mazda 6 MPS being off loaded from a truck onto a Mazda dealers forecourt.

Apologies for the pictures due to limited cameraphone pixels and the fact it still had its wrappers on, but you have to use what resources are available at the time.

Apparently these models are registered and will therefor be used for demonstration cars in preparation for the official launch in early January 2006. Having plenty of demo's rather than putting them in the showroom, tells you that Mazda want you to get in the car and drive it so to appreciate its full potential.

It's a sound strategy because first impressions don't exactly take your breath away. The interior looked little different from a standard Mazda 6 and there was no chrome, carbon or fairy dice to make you think you were sitting in a £25,000 sports car. The only noticable sporty features where the 6-speed gearbox and aluminium pedals. However the cabin appeared very well put together and the quality of materials used look and feel second to none.

So it's clear the Mazda MPS won't get Impreza/Evo drivers revving their engines at traffic lights wanting to race you either, which is a probably a good thing really and deliberate by Mazda. Quite the opposite will happen as you quietly go about your business occasionally raising the odd eyebrow as you pull into a carpark or restaurant.

But looking a little closer at the set-up and engine makes you quickly realise this is a wolf in sheeps clothing. Powered by the all new 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo Engine which is comparable to a 3.5 to 4.0-litre V6 power plant, tells you this car means business.

Add to that the Active Torque Split All-Wheel Drive System coupled with handling expertise of Mazda engineers, you just know this car is going to do well for the Japanese car maker. It's also nice to see Mazda back making these cars again after spending the last few years in the wilderness.

Audi, Lexus and possibly BMW drivers are going to love this car as well as the loyal Mazda buyer who wants the best of both worlds. Looking around the showroom while we were there, you can't help but notice the Mazda RX8, all new Mazda MX5 and Mazda 3 Sport. A clear indication that with this range topping monster sitting alongside the rest of the pack, Mazda look set up nicely for the future and ready to take on all comers.

So it's just a case of check the diary and a return visit to the dealer in January for a closer look and take Mazda up on the offer of a testdrive.

Hyundai Delivers First FCEV Tucson

Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV) took another step closer to reality as Hyundai delivered the first of 10 Tucson & Sportage SUV's to the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) today.

The project will take five years to fully evaluate the viability of fuel cell & hydrogen technologies in vehicles.

Dr. Won Suk Cho, president, Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc. said: "Hyundai’s partnership with AC Transit represents the first time that a third-party has been involved in our fuel cell vehicle research, and it marks another milestone in our effort to bring this technology to commercialization.”

The Hyundai America Technical Center in California was awarded a grant in 2004 by the U.S. Department of Energy, to look into hydrogen-powered fuel cell technology for automobiles. Hyundai alongside Chevron and UTC Power, began work in Feb 2005 and aim to give AC Transit two more Tucson's in 2006. The remaining Kia Sportage SUV's will be in operation by the end of 2007.

More Pea Car Updates

Well were back on the subject of our little Green Pea Car again.

A car that everybody is talking about, even our resident motoring journalist Quentin Wilson thinks its got potential when he says: "Well it's great. It's cute, it's cuddly. It's got a little face, it's got a little personality."

"And I think, if we had a car park of ten thousand of those things we'd sell every single one but next Tuesday. I mean it's caught the imagination all over the Internet and it's this week's hot car, believe it or not."

It sure is Quentin and don't forget the Auto Community is where it all began.

On a slightly more sombre note, I emailed Birdseye again asking for an update but there appears to be nothing doing. Although Birdseye Advisor Kevin Hudson, did say that the brand team maybe working on something for 2006.

Maybe we should get a petition going now and pressure them into doing something. Comments always welcome.

Technorati Tags: peacar

The Chinese Are Coming To Detroit

It will be interesting how the Chinese auto industry is shaping up when Geely Automobile Co. becomes the first Chinese automaker to have a display at the 2006 North American International Auto Show.

So what can we expect to see? Well looking at their current product line up it's difficult to see Geely making our jaws drop. We imagine this visit is just to let us know that they are out there and watching what we are doing. And like the Koreans and the Japanese before them, the Chinese will take note and catch on quickly.

Geely (pronounced JEE-lee) plans a limited appearance, said John Harmer, vice president of Geely-USA Inc. It will show only one car - a five-passenger sedan called the 7151 CK - in the lobby of Cobo Center, where the North American International Auto Show is held. Geely's display will be up Jan. 8-11, during the show's media preview, but will be gone when the show opens to the public Jan. 14.

"Our presence in Detroit at this show is not to market the automobile. We are coming only to introduce ourselves to the American media," Harmer said.

90's design looking products like the delightfully named Merrie 5dr hatchback (pictured) which looks like a cross between an old Mercedes (from the front) and a Hyundai Pony, is hardly going to get GM & Ford running back to their drawing boards. But if you take the Hyundai Pony for example and remember that this car was discountinued less than 10 years ago, then that should send a warning to the rest because just look at Hyundai now.

If ever there was an example of how a car maker can turn things around and fast, then Hyundai and its Kia stablemate are proof that it can be done. And these two leviathans have GM & Ford very worried indeed.

The last word from Harmer was ""We're not trying to barnstorm the American market. We're going to protect the product and the credibility of our name." Maybe for now!

High Quality And Vehicle Design Win Awards For Kia

This month´s victory by the Kia Rio in the ´Autobest 2006´ awards, is just one of many award tri-umphs achieved by Kia Motors during 2005. Kia products and services have won 16 major awards in 20 countries around the world this year.

These awards highlight that Kia now markets class-leading vehicles - Picanto ´most economical car´, (Spectra in USA) ´39% improved quality - beating Honda and Toyota rivals, the Sportage ´best compact SUV´, Carnival ´best family car´ and Sorento ´best off-roader below €30,000´. And that Kia is both ´one of the world´s most rapidly improving brands´ (JD Power & Associates), as well as the manufacturer of products which ´delight´ their users and owners.

"The host of awards which Kia has won this year endorses the effectiveness of the many measures taken by the Kia Motors Corporation in recent years to produce vehicles which attract new customers, delight new buyers and impress owners with their quality, durability and reliability over the long-term. In addition to impressing the award presenters, we have been welcoming more and more new consumers into our dealer showrooms as they switch to the Kia brand," commented Jean-Charles Lievens, Senior Vice President Kia Motors Europe.

A look at some of the Kia awards in 2005

1) 10th January - Most Delightful Vehicle - Strategic Vision (USA)

The Kia Amanti (Opirus in Europe) won this award in the mid-size category in the USA after a survey of 75,000 new car owners discovered that owners were not just ´completely satisfied´ and the product was better than ´excellent´ - the Kia ´delighted´ its users and created an emotional bond.

2) 22nd February - Best Marketing Award - Automotive Management (UK)

Presented for the ground-breaking animated TV advertising campaign for the Kia Picanto in the UK. The ´Think about it´ theme enabled Kia to talk to its target audience in a highly entertaining and thoroughly memorable manner.

3) 21st March - Five-Star Rating for Carnival - NHTSA (USA)

The new Kia Carnival MPV (Sedona in some markets) earned the highest possible rating - 5-Stars - for all seating positions in the latest frontal and side impact tests carried out by the USA´s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

4) 18th April - Sorento tops JD Power Survey - What Car? Magazine (UK)

Making its first appearance in this annual UK survey by the influential JD Power & Associates, the Kia Sorento scored a clear class victory with a triple achievement - best 4x4, only 4x4 with a ´5-Star´ rating and 7th overall in a field of 124 competitors, after scoring a Customer Satisfaction Index rating of 84% to beat many established 4x4 stars.

5) 4th May - Consumer Durables 2004 - SAN Accent (Netherlands)

A famous annual event in the world of advertising, the ´SAN Accent´ awards are presented in 10 categories. In the ´consumer durables´ section, Kia won an ward for its innovative ´Lekker Fel´ (Very Fierce) campaign of TV commercials, billboards and press advertising for the Picanto.

6) 19th May - Improved Quality Ranking - JD Power & Associates (USA)

The 2005 Initial Quality Study (IQS) of vehicles during the first three months of ownership, con-firmed that Kia is one of the world´s most rapidly improving auto brands. The C-Segment Spectra (Cerato in Europe) improved its quality by 39% (and cut faults to just one-per-car) to claim runner-up-in-class beating the bench-mark Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, and finshing second only to Prius.

7) 26th May - Top-10 Cars for Graduates - Edmunds.com (USA)

The new Kia Sportage was praised by Editor in Chief, Karl Brauer, as being "a stellar little car-based SUV offering everything people love about other small SUVs for a couple of grand less - youthful yet sophisticated and allowing grads to make a smooth transition from college life to the ´real´ world."

8) 27th May - Best Car - Motor Presse Bohemia (Czech Republic)

The publishers of the prestigious Auto Motor and Sport magazine invited Czech readers to vote for their favourite vehicles in several different classes and prices ranges. The Kia Sorento was a clear winner as ´Best Off-road´ car priced below €30,000.

9) 10th June - Best 12 Cars - Nepszabadsag (Hungary)

A three-way annual award presented by the car magazine, Auto2, the local Info Radio and the daily newspaper Nepszabadsag, the ´Best 12 Cars´ is a selection of the top dozen models tested during the previous 12 months. This year the Kia Picanto was included in the award winners.

10) 20th July - Most Economical Car - ADAC (Germany)

A regular survey of motoring costs by the Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil Club revealed the Kia Picanto to be the most economical four-seater in the A-segment. Total ownership costs calculated over a four-year period, covering 15,000 kilometers each year, came to €4,537 or just 03.2 cents per kilometer.

11) 23rd September - APEAL Study - JD Power & Associates (USA)

New vehicle owners in the USA awarded the Kia Amanti (Opirus in Europe) and Kia Sportage the highest scores in their class in the 2005 survey of Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL). This study measures new-vehicle buyers´ delight with their car´s design, con-tent, layout and performance.

12) 12th October - Total Value - Index Strategic Vision (USA)

A survey of drivers who had owned their new car for at least 90 days announced that the Kia Amanti (Opirus in Europe) earned top honours in the large car category of the 2005 Total Value Index from the highly regarded San Diego-based research company, Strategic Vision.

13) 8th November - Best in Class (Sportage) - Northwest APA (USA)

The Kia Sportage was named ´Best in Class Compact SUV´ (under $25,000) at the annual Nor-thwest Automotive Press Association´s Mudfest competition in Portland, Oregon. A panel of 25 automotive journalists tested vehciles both on-road and off-road and assessed their packaging, versatility and value for money.

14) 16th November - Fastest Growing Brand - Autocar Magazine (Greece)

The well established motoring publication, Autocar, recognised Kia´s increasingly dynamic presence in the Greek market by presenting the company with the 2005 Fastest Growing Auto-motive Comany award. Kia beat all other brands by recording a 73% sales growth compared with sales in 2004.

15) 23rd November - Motor de Ouro - Revista Eles & Elas (Portugal)

The Kia Carnival was voted ´Best Family Car´ and presented with a ´Gold Motor´ award by the country´s leading ´high-society´ publication. The Kia was praised for its ´space, versatility, equipment, powerful engine, family-oriented comfort and safety´ - beating the Nissan Pathfinder and Citroen C6 into runner-up places.

16) 15th December - Best Car - Autobest 2006

The new Kia Rio was selected by the Autobest jury of motoring writers from 12 Eastern Europe-an countries as ´the new car best suited to the needs of most people in the emerging markets of their region´. The Rio scored more than 700 points to beat both the Clio and Focus by a comfor-table margin to claim the crown.

Kia Crossover Utility Concept To Debut At 2006 NAIAS

Kia Motors Corporation today released a preview sketch of the all-new "Soul" concept car, which will make its world premiere at the upcoming North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. The Kia Soul concept is a crossover utility vehicle with a sporty, bold look that builds on design cues from the Kia Mesa concept vehicle introduced at the 2005 NAIAS.

A wrap-around windshield, muscular wheel flares, stylish front headlamps and a sloped roofline convey an athletic attitude for the Soul, which is geared toward an active lifestyle. Though small on the outside, it is big inside with practical interior room and a reconfigurable cargo space. The rear lift gate includes a unique "drawer" for wet or muddy items such as a wetsuit or hiking shoes.

More details will be announced at Kia’s NAIAS press conference on 9 January at Cobo Hall at 3:45 p.m. EDT.

Kia Rio Wins 'Autobest' Award

A panel of 12 influential motoring journalists from Eastern Europe, voted the all new Kia Rio the '2006 Autobest' Award.

The award is presented to the car most suitable for the needs of the population of the region, thoroughly modern with new technology and affordable to buy. To be honest we have never heard of this award, but it shows how far Kia have come when 12 motoring writers recognise the Rio's undoubted potential.

Each judge from the 12-strong Autobest jury has up to 240 points they can allocate across 13 ‘criteria zones’ under which the candidate cars are assessed .The cars are rated for Interior, Exterior, Handling, Dynamics, Comfort, Technology, Versatility, Safety, Fuel Economy, Environment, Spare Parts, Distributors and Price.

With a score of 706 points, it was nice to see the Rio come out in front of the Renault Clio (599 points) which recently won the European Car Of The Year 2006 Award. The Clio is in our opinion, 'overrated', but is popular amongst the buying public and so the Rio still has a long way to go before the badge-conscious buyer puts it on thier shopping list.

But like we have said before that given time, the Rio will stand out as a fine example of a car where quality & value will eventually win over the UK car buying public.

Amongst the list of contenders were the following (in points order):

• Ford Focus - 659 pts
• Renault Clio - 599 pts
• Chevrolet Spark (Matiz) - 467
• Suzuki Swift - 449
  

Previous winners were the Dacia Logan (2004), Fiat Panda (2003) and Citroen C3 (2002).

Mazda Kabaru Concept And Mazda CX-7 To Be Exhibited At The North American International Auto Show

Mazda will unveil two world premieres at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January; the Mazda KABURA compact sports coupe concept vehicle and the all-new Mazda CX-7, a crossover sport utility vehicle (SUV). Joining them will be the Mazda 5 Hydrogen RE Hybrid concept vehicle, powered by a RENESIS hydrogen rotary dual-fuel engine that can use hydrogen or petrol.

Mazda will hold a press conference at the Mazda stand from 17:05 to 17:30 local time on Sunday, 8 January 2006.

All-New Mazda CX-7

Mazda Press Release

Arriving in the North American market in the spring of 2006, the five-seat Mazda CX-7 embodies an astute blend of sports car vitality and SUV practicality, resulting in a fun-to-drive Mazda SUV with the soul of a sports car. It is a vehicle that brings together performance and design like never before.

Prominent front bumpers, A-pillars rooted at the body’s leading edge and Mazda’s signature five-pointed grille make this model instantly recognisable as a Mazda. Large 18-inch aluminium wheels and a sporty interior fulfil every car enthusiast’s innate desire to jump in and drive, while high quality is achieved through detailed craftsmanship.

The Mazda CX-7 is powered by the MZR 2.3-litre DISI (Direct Injection Spark Ignition) TURBO, an intercooled 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbocharged direct-injection petrol engine, that produces a hearty 244 bhp at 5,000 rpm.

Mazda CX-7: SUV with the Soul of a Sports Car

Mazda’s new five-seat CX-7 is a refreshing departure from the fleet of traditional SUVs currently on American roads. Produced on entirely Mazda-derived platform architecture, Mazda CX-7 embodies an astute blend of sports car vitality and SUV practicality, resulting in a fun-to-drive Mazda SUV with the soul of a sports car. It is a vehicle that brings together performance and design like never before.

“The North American market continues to play a pivotal role in Mazda Motor Corporation’s global future,” said Jim O’Sullivan, President and CEO, Mazda North American Operations. “Vehicles such as CX-7 and others in the pipeline, designed and engineered specifically for the North American market, will make Mazda an important and influential force in the industry. This vehicle represents everything a Mazda SUV should be: powerful, great styling, detailed craftsmanship and fun to drive. Mazda at its finest.”

The 60-40 split rear seat accommodates three people in comfort and quickly converts to an extension of the 29.9 cu. ft. boot, bringing capacity up to 58.6 cu. ft. In fact, the 39‑inch‑long rear compartment (seats up) offers more stowage space than some larger SUVs.

Matching the sporty appearance is Mazda CX-7’s powerful and dynamic performance. While key powertrain features are shared with the Mazda 6 MPS (set for launch in January in the UK), the Mazda CX-7 is exclusively tuned to deliver 258 lb-ft of torque at just 2,500 rpm for healthy throttle response.

Combined with Mazda’s six-speed Sport automatic transmission, at least 99 per cent of maximum torque is available all the way to 5,000 rpm where peak horsepower is delivered. Furthermore, the Mazda CX-7 is estimated to deliver over 23 mpg in combined driving.

A sturdy body structure, fully independent suspension, four-wheel ventilated disc brakes with standard four-wheel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) and Traction Control System (TCS) support Mazda CX-7’s athletic road manners.

Mazda CX-7 drivers can select the driving system to suit their needs: front-wheel drive or Mazda’s Active Torque Split All-Wheel Drive system. With Active Torque Split All‑Wheel Drive, a computer controlled coupling feeds up to 50 per cent of the engine’s torque to the rear wheels for exceptional handling, whether the driving conditions are dry and fast or slippery and paced.

Mazda CX-7 arrives in the spring of 2006 as a 2007 model for the North American market. The specifications of the European version will be revealed in late 2006.

Mazda Kabura At N.A.I.A.S

Mazda are to introduce a compact sports coupe concept at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January. The Kabaru was designed at Mazda’s design centre in Irvine, California.

KABURA (meaning big or strong) is the third design concept vehicle from Mazda in the last five months following Mazda SASSOU (designed at Mazda’s European Design Centre in Oberursel, Germany) and Mazda SENKU (designed at Mazda’s Yokohama Design Centre near Tokyo), each reflecting the global influences that Mazda chief designers can draw from.

The Mazda KABURA sports coupe is a vehicle with a compact body that combines the pleasures of sports car driving with functionality. With a rear-wheel drive powertrain, dynamic styling and a wide range of utilities on board, it was designed for first-time new car buyers who love to drive.

Sidewinder Hits L.A.

U.S. based Kia Designer, Marc Mainville, enters his radical sketch for the Kia Sidewinder concept into the Los Angeles Automotive Show design contest.

The Kia Sidewinder is a two-seater racer powered from a compressed natural gas turbine, which feeds electricity to a series of in-wheel, high torque, electric motors.

Kia chose drift racing as its theme for the "LA Adventure", because Los Angeles was the scene of the first officially-sanctioned American drifting event.

This environmentally-responsible lean, mean, thrilling machine has been designed to grab the crowd’s attention while carving lines sideways through the race course.

Kia has no plans to produce a concept vehicle of the Kia Sidewinder.

November Sales Break Through 24,500 Units Level

During November, Kia sales reached a total of 24,571 units, 19% higher than the brand achieved that month in 2004. Kia´s top selling models for the month were Picanto (7,572 units delivered), heading the Sorento (3,425 sales), Sportage (3,352) and the New Rio, powering up to fourth place with 3,201 sales now the remarkable 1.5 diesel engine is available to boost this model´s appeal even further.

Kia´s biggest seller continues to be the Picanto small car, now runner-up in the A-segment sales charts for the whole of Europe, with 78,942 sold so far this year - an increase of 68% over 2004. In Kia´s sales league, the Picanto is followed by the award-winning Sorento SUV (38,258 sales) and the compact 4x4 Sportage (36,510).

"Kia´s monthly sales performance in Europe - above 24,500 units in November for the first time - once again demonstrates how our products now meet the needs of European consumers. It is hugely encouraging for everyone in our expanding dealer network to see more and more new customers are switching to the Kia brand," commented Jean-Charles Lievens, Senior Vice President Kia Motors Europe.

"As 2005 has unfolded Kia has broadened its product range and introduced diesel engines in most model line-ups. Our spread of vehicles, from the popular A-segment Picanto to the award-winning Sorento SUV and spacious Carnival MPV gives our brand immense appeal which will be further boosted by 6 new model launches during 2006," concludes Lievens.

Kia Motor´s export sales climb by 23.9% this year

Kia Motors Corporation has announced that during the first 11 months of 2005, its export retail sales rose by 23.9% to a total of 749,225 units. Sales in Europe accounted for 38.9% of these exports, with 37.9% going to the USA and 23.3% to all other export markets outside Korea.

"The tremendous growth in overseas sales we have experienced so far this year is a testament to the rapidly rising stature of the Kia brand across all global markets," commented Mr Yong-Hwan Kim, Senior Executive Vice-President and COO of Kia Motors Corporation. "With a total of 13 all-new models and facelifts to be introduced between 2005 and 2010, we expect our recent successes to continue well into the future."

Kia´s robust sales performance overseas can be attributed to strong demand for the C-segment Kia Cerato (Spectra in some markets) - the Kia brand´s biggest seller this year globally, with 108,200 sales so far - ahead of the Sorento SUV (108,000 units), Picanto (107,000) and Sportage compact SUV (82,000).

Kia Appoint New Commercial Director

Kia Motors is restructuring its sales, supply and planning operations following the departure of Howard Slade, Sales Director after four and a half years with the brand.

As the UK arm of the Korean manufacturer heads towards another record sales year – it passed the 2004 record of 33,000 units in September – the brand is setting in place new processes to help it achieve its 2010 volume target of 100,000 units.

At the same time the company announces that Alex Smith has been appointed Commercial Director to take on responsibility for the new structure at a strategic level.

Slade, 44, joined Kia in July 2001, a year before the UK operation came under direct factory control. Originally Franchising Manager he set in place a programme to rapidly expand and develop Kia’s UK network that numbered just 90 at the time – currently Kia’s dealer network stands at 165.

He became head of Dealer Operations in 2002 and after helping the brand achieve successive sales records as the company’s volume grew from fewer than 12,000 units he was appointed Sales Director in January of this year.

Alex Smith, 31, joined Kia in December 2003 as General Manager of Sales Channel Strategy responsible for developing the company’s business strategy, commercial programmes, production planning and analysis and administration across the business.

In his new role he will bring under one roof the responsibility for sales programmes, logistics, the coordination of production and distribution, the implementation of systems and facilities such as the new import centre at Killingholme, the development of fleet programmes and used car programmes in the network as well as managing the field force of Regional Business Managers and Area Managers.

Paul Williams, Managing Director of Kia Motors (UK) Limited said: "Howard has played a significant role in helping Kia Motors UK Ltd to develop its presence in the market and has helped to build a dealer network that is capable of allowing us to take on the big names of the automotive business. I thank Howard sincerely for all his efforts and wish him every success in the future.

"At the same time, Howard’s decision has allowed us to look closely at bringing together strategic control of the production, supply and sales channels. This will allow us to implement robust processes and structures designed to integrate the various activities that must be closely controlled in order to allow us to deal with the most important issues facing our dealer network and respond more effectively as we seek to reach our mid-term goal of 100,000 sales a year by 2010.

"I know that Alex Smith will face a major task in developing that over-arching strategy and I am confident that he will help us move the Kia brand successfully and profitably forward over the coming period," he added.

New Amica At Bologna Motor Show

More pictures emerged today of the new Hyundai Amica at the Bolgna Motor Show in Italy.

Badged as the ATOS Prime, a name used in the UK which eventually became the Amica, although it was spelt ATOZ meaning A To Z.

The rear of the vehicle looks similar to the those shots of the Santro Xing which is the name given to it in India and on which we reported was shipping to the UK last week.

The front end shots which are not shown here, pretty much confirm that this is Hyundai's new supermini.

The new Hyundai Amica will be launched in the UK early in 2006 and be priced at around £5495 and will go head to head with the similar sized Kia Picanto.