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Kia K900 looks, sounds snarly with forced induction in SEMA preview

Kia is getting all set for this year's SEMA Show in Las Vegas, and among its vehicles is something that seems pretty mean.
The Korean company is keeping details quiet about what's under the hood of what it calls the High-Performance K900, but from listening to this video it certainly sounds fantastic with quite a meaty growl. There might be some form of forced induction going on, though we can't say for sure. Elsewhere on the car, Kia isn't being so tight-lipped. The High Performance wears a custom shade of gray paint with a one-off body kit, featuring carbon fiber inserts. It also sports 21-inch gloss black wheels and black chrome trim.
Honestly, we were left scratching our head a little when LeBron James signed on to be the "luxury brand ambassador" for the K900. However, if he were driving this around Cleveland, the endorsement might make a little more sense. Check out the video above to glimpse the concept for SEMA, and read the little that Kia is saying about it in the release below.

Kia reveals Niro concept in Frankfurt, by Frankfurt and for Frankfurt

Although the Frankfurt Motor Show may be home turf to a half dozen German automakers, Kia won't have far to go when it wheels its new concept over to the Messe for the exposition in a couple of weeks. That's because the show car you see here was designed less than a kilometer away from the convention center at Kia's European design center.
It's called the Niro, and it's designed to gauge public interest - particularly the European public's - for a potential new B-segment model. Kia's not saying much else about the project, only that it was directed by its chief European designer Gregory Guillaume and that it "combines a mischievous character in a clearly robust and substantial yet stylish bodyshape" and that it incorporates stainless steel and other materials into its shape.
What we can see from the images (which you can view in the gallery above) distributed with the press release (below) is a compact crossover coupe with Kia's trademark grille (part of the neon green accents), a contrasting greenhouse, and butterfly doors to access a molded cockpit with widescreen infotainment display. For more than that, though, we'll have to wait until the concept is revealed in Frankfurt on September 10.

2020 Kia Niro Hybrid gets tweaked design, more tech features

Kia's gasoline-electric Niro will enter the 2020 model year with minor design updates inside and out. The re-styled crossover made its debut next to the new Kia Seltos at the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show. Stylists started the redesign by giving the Niro's front end a nip and tuck. The 2020 model stands out from the outgoing 2019 variant with new-look headlights, chevron-shaped fog lights Citroen likely wishes it had thought of first, and grille with diamond-shaped inserts. The changes made to the rear end are largely limited to the bottom part of the bumper, which looks more rugged thanks in part to gray trim designed to mimic a skid plate. And 2020-specific 16- and 18-inch alloys round out the changes. Experiencing deja vu? It's likely because the European-spec Niro made its debut during the 2019 Geneva Motor Show with the same look.  Peek inside and you'll spot a redesigned, 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel, and an 8.0-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system. Customers can upgrade to a 10.25-inch infotainment screen programmed with navigation at an extra cost. The list of options includes shift paddles that let the driver dial in the desired amount of regenerative braking, an electronic parking brake, and, for a more festive vibe, ambient lightning that glows in six colors. There are no mechanical changes, meaning the Niro carries on with a hybrid powertrain made up of a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine bolted to a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, and an electric motor that draws power from a 1.56-kilowatt-hour battery pack. The two power sources join forces to deliver 139 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, and they give the crossover nearly 600 miles of driving range. Fuel economy checks in up to 50 mpg in a combined cycle. Kia expanded its suite of available electronic driving aids with lane following and lane-keeping assist, which help keep the Niro in its lane. The crossover is also offered with high-beam assist. The 2020 Kia Niro will arrive in showrooms in early 2020. Pricing will be released in the weeks leading up to its on-sale date. The company confirmed the Plug-In Hybrid model will receive the same updates as its plug-less sibling, and it will go on sale at about the same time. It's reasonable to assume the Niro EV will go under the knife, too, but Kia excluded it from its announcement.