![Gran Turismo 5 demo coming to PSN on Dec 17, GT Academy returns [w/VIDEO]](http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/12/370z-gt-academy_143x85.jpg)
Frankfurt Preview: Kia unveiling production Pro_cee'd
by John Neff on Jul 25th 2007 at 7:00PM 
click above image for high-res version
Last September, Kia took the wraps off of the Pro_cee'd concept at the Paris Motor Show. The Pro_cee'd concept was yet another variant of the brand's popular cee'd model, this time as a three-door hatch. Come this September at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Kia will unveil the production version of the Pro_cee'd that's scheduled to go on sale in Europe in early 2008.
The Pro_cee'd is a low and wide three-door hatch with very agreeable proportions. In fact, the car is longer, lower and wider than the standard five-door cee'd, which must mean it shares few body panels despite its similar appearance. We could do with out the character lines and deep indent that mucks up the side panel, but overall it looks sportier than what we've come to expect from Kia. In Europe, we would expect the standard cee'd engines including a 1.4L and 1.6L gas motor, as well as a 1.6L diesel, to be offered in the Pro_cee'd.
Frankly, we're more than a little bewildered why Kia hasn't yet considered selling the cee'd in the U.S. market, and this three-door model only compounds our confusion. We're guessing the base car itself wasn't developed to meet U.S. safety standards and to reengineer it would tank the business case for its transatlantic voyage. There's always hope for the next-gen model, though.
[Source: Kia]
PRESS RELEASE:
KIA cee'd THREE-DOOR REVEALED
Kia Motors Corporation has released the first preview image of its exciting new Kia three-door hatchback model which will make its World Premiere at this year's Frankfurt International Motor Show on 11 September. The new model will be named Pro-cee'd.
Based closely on the earlier 'pro_cee'd' concept shown at the Paris Motor Show in 2006, the new production model has been developed by Kia's design team in Europe under the direction of Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer.
"Longer, lower and lighter than its five-door sister car, the new Kia Pro-cee'd is going to be a great drive," enthused Mr Jean-Charles Lievens, Senior Vice President Kia Motors Europe. "Combining real style and genuine practicality, our new three-door cee'd is sure to delight existing Kia customers and attract a new group of European consumers who have not yet considered our brand."
Manufactured in Slovakia, Pro-cee'd will be the third member of the Kia cee'd family, joining the popular cee'd five-door and the soon to be released cee'd SW models to make Kia an especially strong challenger for C-segment sales in Europe.
Production of the Pro-cee'd model range is scheduled to begin in November with first customer sales during the early months of 2008.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
DJ_Swammi 7:17PM (7/25/2007)
How the heck does a Kia look better than a WRX?
Reply
Ligor 9:48PM (7/25/2007)
Not only the WRX but it looks even better than the VW GTI/Jetta/Rabbit
AlexP 7:29PM (7/25/2007)
Subaru fails when it comes to design?
Seems to be sharing some cues with the Spectra, hope it doesn't have its interior, that probably its biggest turnoff, IMO.
Reply
Bob Not 7:51PM (7/25/2007)
I really want to make a joke about how it looks "Mazda-three'd," but it's not really that close I guess.
Reply
Ligor 9:53PM (7/25/2007)
Mazda only wishes it had a good looking car (their new 7 is an ok looking SUV/CUV)
even the Mazda 3 is nothing more but a 6/10s copy of a Nissan Murano
Bob Not 10:01PM (7/25/2007)
They both debuted in 2003.
psarhjinian 8:26PM (7/25/2007)
Between the Optima/Magentis, Sedona, Rondo and now this, Kia is very much coming up in the world. They've definitely got a broader, more appealing model mix than, say, Honda or Nissan (and certainly more than GM or Ford). And the reliability is going up, too.
I'd be very concerned, if I were an automaker. If Kia and Hyundai can better differentiate themselves (Kia would be a better target for Mazda or possibly Honda; Hyundai for Toyota, GM or Ford) they'd be a serious thorn.
If you get a chance, try out a Magentis or Rondo--especially the Rondo--as they're quite impressive.
Reply
I_Hate_China 8:35PM (7/25/2007)
Ceed is produced in East Europe exclusively and transporting it to the US is expensive due to logistics from its deep inland factory. Otherwise, the car should have little trouble meeting US regulations. In fact, its sister car Hyundai i30 is US bound, because it is produced at Hyundai's beachside factory in Korea.
Logistics is a problem faced by aspiring Chinese auto makers hoping to crack the world market. Whereas all Japanese and Korean auto plants are located by the sea or near the sea to enable cheap logistics, Chinese auto companies like Chery are located at deep inland of China, with no possibilities of beachside factories since Chery is a job program of the Wuhu city government(No, it is not a profit oriented business venture. Chery makes no profit but creates desperately needed jobs for Wuhu residents) and Wuhu city government has no plans to create jobs in other provinces of China.
Reply
OC Rider 9:40PM (7/25/2007)
Wow. A Subie turns into a Kia, a Hyundai resembles a Lexus, and a Kia sports the looks of a Euro Ford hatch.
Reply
Marvelous 9:21PM (7/25/2007)
Wow , I'm impressed, it reminds me of the Audi shooting brake concept. I'll be looking forward to seeing one.
Reply
Hello 9:34PM (7/25/2007)
Those headlights look very Mondeo to me. That's a great thing. Put a hot engine in it and I might bite.
Reply
BCM 9:34PM (7/25/2007)
"We could do with out the character lines and deep indent that mucks up the side panel"
I don't think it's so bad, although it's not as elegantly done as the Ford Cougar and Ka were. You guys do realize that such stampings are a way of increasing the stiffness of the body panels without making them thicker and therefore heavier?
Reply
vdk 9:39PM (7/25/2007)
Kudos to Hyundai... it really looks nice! Congrats!
Reply
wTf? 9:51PM (7/25/2007)
Doesn't look like a mazda3? I'll have to disagree with it not looking like one. Instead, I have to say there's only a little more they could to make it exact. The only obvious differences that I notice is it's 2dr, the sweep along the lower part of the door and toned down the front grilles slightly.
check the following photo:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/2007-Mazda3-s-hatchback.jpg/800px-2007-Mazda3-s-hatchback.jpg
Reply
AlexP 10:41PM (7/25/2007)
Just because it's a phat (not that it's a bad thing) sporty-looking hatch doesn't mean it's a freaking Mazda 3 replica.
Get over it, seriously, there are more obvious ripoffs to worry about... Namely from Chinese companies.
dave 9:55PM (7/25/2007)
Looks really really nice. Nice blend of Euro meets Korean design. Excellent design on this one.
Reply
FamilyGuy 10:31PM (7/25/2007)
Very nice. Now a VVT 150-170HP motor with a 6speed would be great. Oh yeah and Hyundai put some of those WRC elantra suspension bits on this thing.
Reply
J.Crew 10:34PM (7/25/2007)
I would say that it is not that hard to make a 3-door hatch as the shape is basic. The design cues are well done on the Kia. It has some VW/Audi as well as some Mazda3 in it as that is hard to avoid with the basic 2 box shape. This is a great step forward for Kia if they can keep the price down and feature content up as they have in the past. This car would do very well in Canada as the Mazda3 was one of the top selling cars here last year until the new Civic came out. It is always a battle between Civic, Carolla, Mazda3, and even the Cobalt. This would jump right in the middle of that battle and shake the market up.
Reply
AlexP 10:43PM (7/25/2007)
Re: Cavalier and Sunfire were the best selling cars in Canada for almost a decade... But then the Cobalt and G5 came out and... Yeah, you know the drill.
Mazda has always been more popular in Quebec than any other place in Canada or in North America for that matter, for whatever reason.
Lithous 5:05AM (7/26/2007)
The Cavalier was given away in Canada for dirt-cheap prices.