So-called "Eco driving" lamps are nothing new in many cars, but somehow they have never been included in any Korean cars until now. Kia has just launched an updated version of the Optima sedan and it features a lamp that changes colors within the speedometer. In a post on the Kia Buzz blog, Hyun Jin Cho of the company's Sustainability Management Team discusses the techniques that drivers can use to save fuel. Most of these are pretty obvious but bear repeating such as go with the flow of traffic, avoid hard acceleration and check your tire pressures regularly. To help drivers achieve maximum fuel efficiency, Kia is adding the ECO lamp that glows red when you're driving too aggressively, white when driving in a typical fashion and green when ... well, you know what that means.

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South Korea is working hard to crack down on corruption in its business sector, but the example-setting won't begin with Hyundai boss Chung Mong-koo. A Korean court gave Chung a three-year suspended sentence as punishment for embezzling monstrous sums of cash from the world's sixth largest automaker. Chung admitted to embezzling company money to pay off politicians, but that didn't stop the courts from going easy on the billionaire. The judge cited the fact that Chung used most of the embezzled money to run the business, but that answer isn't sitting well with many South Koreans looking for justice. Chung is a member of the chaebol, which is a group of families that control most of the wealth in South Korea. For all his wrong-doing, Chung spent a grand total of two months behind bars, and he's been ordered to donate $828 million. It's good to be rich apparently, at least in Korea.

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Although we couldn't find news of this on either Kia's US or UK media sites, we wanted all of you to see it for yourselves. The Car Blogger is sourcing Kia for the sketch you see above, allegedly showing the company's Spectra replacement, rumored to be called the Forte when it's unveiled in August. Showing off what's rumored to be "Kia's new family look," it apes the styling cues shown on some of Kia's recent concepts, including the Koup and Kee.

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Since Hyundai/Kia has dropped the idea of a pickup truck, Kia's new assembly plant in West Point, Georgia will instead turn out small cars. The first vehicle that will roll off the assembly lines in 2009 is Kia's Sorento, with body on frame construction well suited to a pickup. What doesn't seem primed for a pickup, however, is a softening market, so Kia has decided to redouble its efforts on small cars.

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Considering the number of designers, engineers, manufacturing workers, marketers, and everyone else needed to bring a new car to market, it's not surprising to hear the process described as a symphony. But pulling together a truly standout design is a more jazzy process, a lot like "a live, improve solo," suggests Tom Kearns, head of U.S. styling operations for the Korean carmaker, Kia.

Kearns and his team have laid down some interesting riffs in the form of the 2009 Kia Koup Concept vehicle, a striking show car that could add some real flair to a brand not normally known for standout styling.

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Kia Motors has announced a unique development of its Peter Schreyer-designed sports coupe concept – the KEE_wii. First seen at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2007, the KEE was a clear indication of the design direction of Kia product.

However, the latest upgrade to KEE will make sure it is one step ahead of the competition with a new, dynamic and more involving drive system that removes the need for a steering wheel and pedals.

Franz Josef-Hicks, head of the Advanced Propulsion Research Institute and Laboratory at Kia Motors New Zealand, explained; ‘We have taken inspiration from current computer gaming technology to create a completely new steering and pedal system called Dynamic On-Road Kinetics. The traditional driving controls are replaced by a small ‘controller’ which fits comfortably into two hands. Making steering motions with the small controller will turn the car in whichever direction the driver likes whilst accelerator and brakes are button operated. It is a very simple and intuitive system.’ added Mr Josef-Hicks.

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Considering the number of designers, engineers, manufacturing workers, marketers, and everyone else needed to bring a new car to market, it's not surprising to hear the process described as a symphony. But pulling together a truly standout design is a more jazzy process, a lot like "a live, improve solo," suggests Tom Kearns, head of U.S. styling operations for the Korean carmaker, Kia.

Kearns and his team have laid down some interesting riffs in the form of the 2009 Kia Koup Concept vehicle, a striking show car that could add some real flair to a brand not normally known for standout styling.

The coupe, said Kearns, during its New York Auto Show debut, "puts a premium on simplicity and precision," but it also shows a sleek athleticism that could soon make the move from concept to production.

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Kia debuted its Koup concept this morning, advertising a design that is likely to make its way into future products.

The Koup has got the wild wheels and glass roof that one might expect from a concept of this ilk, with an aggressive stance and a front end that’s vaguely reminiscent of Honda’s latest European Civic. There are also no shortage of carbon fiber bits, the material can be found on the side mirrors, rear diffuser, even as part of the Kia badge. Less impressive is the car’s hood, which seems a little ill-fitting and broad, with raised character lines that give it a bit of a peaked appearance.

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Kia is showing its fun side at Geneva with three SOUL concepts designed to make life entertaining. Created by Kia’s European design team under the guidance of Kia’s Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer, the trio of concept cars is closely related to a new production car which will make its World Premiere at the Paris Show in September.

And to show how serious Kia is about reducing the impact of the car on the environment it will also debut two ‘eco-cee’d’ concepts that reduce emissions and increase fuel economy whilst losing none of the spirited driving characteristics that have marked the cee’d family out as a mainstream choice.

The concept cars – SOUL Diva, SOUL Burner and SOUL Searcher – are each designed to appeal to different consumers and clearly display the potential for personalisation that the new production car will offer buyers.

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Although we still haven’t seen the finalized production car, Kia continues to tease us with concept versions of its upcoming Soul crossover. Taking the approach oft used for the SEMA show, Kia brought three tricked-out versions of the Soul - the Burner, Searcher and Diva - to this year’s Geneva Motor Show.

The “hot” hatch of the three, the Soul Burner takes a tuner-type attitude to the five-door, donning a matte-black exterior with flaming red accents. The Burner sports 19″ wheels with similar accents, aggressive LED lighting, and a red-on-black interior, complete with flashing lights mounted within each door’s speaker grilles.

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Defying traditional automotive classification, three new SOUL concept cars to be unveiled by Kia at the Geneva Show on 4 March, will reveal a whole new individual and fun direction for the Korean brand.

The trio of concepts are closely related to an upcoming production model that doesn’t fit into the usual motor industry brackets and will encourage a whole new breed of Kia customers to build an emotional bond with their new car and with the brand.

The SOUL concepts will introduce ‘a world of possibilities’ for customising and personalisation to future Kia customers that will be delivered by the new model with its special appeal to the young-at-heart – whatever their age!

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The new Kia Cee’d made an impressive auction debut in a special sale staged at BCA Measham on 1st February. The special invitation Live Online sale attracted 30 buyers with a further 15 bidding online and offered the first opportunity to buy the Cee’d at auction.

A total of ten 56-registered Kia Cee’d hatchbacks were featured in a sale that saw 57 vehicles offered and sold from the manufacturer. The 100% sell out success generated a turnover of nearly £500,000, equivalent to 100.25% of CAP Clean.

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The styling of Kia’s new Soul crossover will polarise opinion, according to the company’s head of vehicle development.

Thomas Geerlich told Autocar that “not everyone is going to like the styling of this car,” which will be shown towards the end of this year.

Closely modelled on the concept seen at the 2006 Detroit show, the Soul will compete with the likes of the Nissan Qashqai but will be “more stylish,” said Gerlich.

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The Pro_cee'd is the sporty-looking brother of the successful Cee'd hatch and station wagon. It is longer and lower than the Cee'd – the bonnet and front wings are the only body panels they have in common – and is loyal to the looks and spirit of the 2006 Paris motor show concept, with its raked roofline and shallow glasshouse.

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Kia has launched its new 7-seater SUV to the Korean market. Kia is hoping to sell 48,000 units of the Mohave, or Borrego as it will be called in the U.S., worldwide with 18,000 allocated to the South Korean market and 30,000 for overseas...

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