- Launch of exciting new Kia pro_cee’d three-door at Johannesburg International Motor Show
- Kia cee’d model range most decorated vehicles ever manufactured by Kia Motor Corporation
- Highest standards in design, quality, safety and driving experience
- New Kia pro_cee’d set to change the way consumers perceive Kia
(Johannesburg) 31 October, 2008 — Kia Motors South Africa has launched the long awaited and highly anticipated new Kia pro_cee’d three-door model which originally made its world premiere at the Frankfurt International Motor Show on 11 September 2007.
Based closely on the earlier pro_cee’d concept car shown at the Paris Motor Show in 2006, the new production model was developed by Kia Motors’ design team in Europe under the guidance of Gregory Guillaume, Kia Motors European Chief Designer.
Styling for the pro_cee’d comes from a dedicated multinational Kia design team in Germany (assisted by a design team in Korea), after which it was introduced to the market under direction of Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer.
The name “cee’d” is an acronym: “ce” denotes “Community of Europe,” while “ed” represents “European Design.” The word “pro” emphasizes the forward looking concept and expert handling. Manufactured in Zilina – a €1-billion operation in Slovakia – the pro_cee’d is the third member of the Kia cee’d family, joining the popular cee’d five-door and the Sporty Wagon five-door (neither of these models is available in South Africa).
They are the first-ever Kia cars designed and manufactured in Europe and are already introducing a qualitative revolution for the brand. Not forgetting the unbelievable value for money Kia Motors offers, it is no wonder that Kia and its sister company are now the fifth biggest manufacturer of vehicles in the world.
The Kia pro_cee’d will appeal to consumers who would not have considered buying a five-door hatchback, and who would not have considered buying a Kia until the availability of this new model. The Kia Motors’ design teams have created the pro_cee’d to ‘satisfy all senses’. Adapting the cee’d core theme of sensuality, the designers are convinced that the pro_cee’d is indeed especially attractive to look at and even greater fun to drive.
“The Kia brand has undergone a major transformation to compete in the international arena. This brand of car, previously perceived to be mediocre, has now transformed to exCEED all expectations from a Korean brand.
There is no doubt in my mind that the esthetics of this car will set it apart from the previous designs from Kia Motor Corporation. The pro_cee’d will change the way potential customers perceive the Kia brand in future,” says Ray Levin, CEO of Kia Motors South Africa.
The Kia Motors slogan “The Power to SurpriseTM” represents the company’s global commitment to surpassing customer expectations through international accomplishments, design, safety, quality and industry leading warranties.
Winning eight international ‘Car of the Year’ style awards, receiving numerous other international magazine awards and ranking first in more than 30 international comparative road tests to date, the Kia cee’d model range is the most decorated Korean-brand car ever in European automotive history, according to Kia Motors Corporation.
Longer, lower and lighter than its sister car, the five-door cee’d, the three-door pro_cee’d (sports coupè version of the five-door cee’d) brings sensationally stylish looks and much more sportiness to the C-segment marketplace. “Like its family siblings, pro_cee’d has a similar ‘tough but not rough’ appearance, combining strongly solid forms with sensitive, flowing lines, jewel-like detailing and a broad stance” says Gregory Guillaume, Kia Motors Europe Chief Designer.
Embodying the self-confident, adventurous and young-at-heart spirit of today’s Kia, the pro_cee’d is all that the vibrant South African seeks in a car.
The sporty three-door version of the popular cee’d hatchback is sure to embed the dynamic and exciting image of Kia in the minds of today’s most active South African generation.
With its aggressive and sleek silhouette, the car is not only attractive but also fun to drive. “With the pro_cee’d production car we have communicated sportiness mostly through the car’s exterior design,” concludes Guillaume.
A sporty rear spoiler, stylish fog lamps, and a bold, circular muffler give the pro_cee’d an undeniably energetic and youthful aura. “I think pro_cee’d with its dynamic new looks will attract an audience of potential buyers that, in the past, never would have considered a Kia” says Ray Levin, CEO of Kia Motors South Africa.
The clean, modern, sporty and elegant design theme that characterises the exterior of the pro_cee’d is replicated throughout the interior.
The interior of the pro_cee’d has been designed and developed to the highest standards to fully demonstrate the brand’s growing ‘power to surpriseTM‘ and to produce cars which are perfectly in tune with consumers’ tastes and needs.
Consumers will ravish the top of the range, 2.0-litre DOHC CVVT (Continuously Variable Valve Timing) petrol, manual transmission model with its 17-inch wheels (standard on the pro_cee’d Sport). This combination perfectly matches the sporty character of the pro_cee’d.
The pro_cee’d is available in two options: a pro_cee’d 2.0-litre CVVT and a pro_cee’d 2.0-litre CVVT Sport. The difference between the two models lies in the specification levels offered to the customer.
While developing the three-door pro_cee’d, Kia Motors’ engineers worked hard to ensure that the new pro_cee’d model is one of the safest cars in the C-segment.
It has the highest levels of active and passive safety, to fully satisfy the ever-increasing consumer expectations of modern car design. The pro_cee’d has also been awarded a 5-star safety rating in the latest Euro NCAP crash test results.
Kia Motors is demonstrating its commitment to maximum customer satisfaction by offering this vehicle standard with a 5-year/100 000km warranty, as well as a 3-year/60 000km maintenance plan.
Kia views this warranty as an important long-term customer relations measure, and it will be transferable to subsequent owners. There is also a 3-year unlimited kilometre Roadside Assistance Programme in case of an emergency breakdown situation.
“Combining real style and genuine practicality, our new sporty three-door pro_cee’d will ensure that our customers will be as excited as I was when I first test-drove this vehicle. Once you have experienced the ride and drive of the pro_cee’d, you will recognise the dynamic change that has taken place at Kia. It is definitely worth a test drive, even if it is only for the exhilarating experience,” concluded Ray Levin, CEO of Kia Motors South Africa.
The new Kia pro_cee’d is on sale now at all Kia dealerships countrywide at the following prices:
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2.0-liter DOHC CVVT R214 995.00
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2.0-liter DOHC CVVT Sport R249 995.00
