With its 2003 KCV III concept, the Kia marque looked to inject a sense of excitement into its product range. The KCV III was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show as a quirky-looking coupe-cabriolet model, aimed at a much younger target audience than the brand’s traditional market. This follows directly from a market analysis exercise by the company, which suggested that the new “generation Y” was becoming a more lucrative prospect than the previously esteemed “generation X”.
By Kia’s reckoning, “generation Y” consisted typically of 20-30 year-olds, of which there will be an estimated 63 million by the year 2010 in the United States alone. They are apparently characterised by their sensitivity to both style and pricing in equal measure, and demonstrate less loyalty to national, domestic marques, looking instead for vehicles which are flattering, enjoyable to drive, and impressive to their peers.
It is these characteristics which define the KCV III – a model designed in Korea and produced by Heuliez, a French coach-making company. The result is an attractive, well-executed product which wouldn’t look out of place on the Peugeot stand at a motor show. The fact that Heuliez are also responsible for producing Peugeot’s 206CC may go some way to explaining the similarity between the KCV III and its French counterpart’s models.
The KCV III is fitted with a retractable glass roof, which folds neatly into the boot – and the fact that the model is so well designed means that it looks equally attractive with the hood up or down. It is compact in size, yet manages to maintain a sporting, dynamic look, helped partly by the styling of the doors, which point dramatically forwards and downwards.
The concept is a 2-seater roadster and, although never making it to production, the envisaged engine was a 2.0-litre DOHC four-cylinder unit, producing 145 bhp. In comparison to other concept rivals at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the KCV III was never a serious contender for full production status and remained nothing more than fantasy. The design and styling features, however, may be carried through to future models in the Kia range.
Paul Carter, UK spokesman for the Kia brand, had this to say about the relevance and importance of the KCV III concept: “This car shows how we are taking styling to the next level. It's more European and will appeal to a younger buyer, and it's not out of the question that the car could be built on an existing platform, perhaps even on an upcoming front-drive Hyundai platform”.
© 2006 Martin Hemmings and Gary Tsang for www.sport-cars.org
This article has been viewed 3331 time(s).
