Kia Track’ster Concept unveiled, hints at aggressive looking 250-hp Soul
After teasing us during the month of February, Kia has finally taken the wraps off of the new Track’ster Concept at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show.
“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.”
“Mission accomplished,” Kia says – and mission accomplished indeed.
Besides its bold and aggressive looks with an eye-catching White and Inferno Orange exterior, Kia Track’ster features a grille with air intake slit trimmed in lightweight carbon fiber. It also gets LED driving lights with aluminum surrounds, 14-inch Brembo brakes, a ‘backpack’ panel that accentuates the Track’ster’s 75.5-inch width, which is more than 5-inches wider than a production Soul.
Check out more news on the Kia Soul.
Power for the Kia Track’ster comes from a 2.0 liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that produces 250-hp – 66 percent more than the production model. The engine is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission which helps transfer power to all four wheels.
Kia says that it has no current plans to produce the Track’ster. “Concept cars are icing on the cake,” said Kearns. “They allow KMA’s design team to dream about what could be. Whether that dream becomes a reality or not is a separate question.”
However, if you make a lot of noise Kia will hear you.
– By: Omar Rana
