2011 Kia Sorento Ex on 2040-cars

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Kia hopping on the 48-volt ultra-mild hybrid bandwagon

Kia has announced that it will join an expanding line of automakers, including Audi, Ram, Volvo and others, adding ultra-mild 48-volt hybrid systems to their engines. The system works like other systems in that it has a combination starter and generator connected to the engine crank via a belt. It allows the engine to be shut off earlier than simply at a stop, and provides a bit of electrical assistance to reduce how much the engine has to work on takeoff. The system will first be implemented in Europe with the Kia Sportage and with its diesel engine in 2018. In 2019, the Kia Ceed small car will also be offered with the system. Kia says the system will also appear on gasoline engines in the near future. However, a representative from Kia's U.S. branch wouldn't comment either way on whether the technology will come to America. We think it's a pretty safe bet that we'll see the technology offered in the U.S. soon. Kia makes it clear that this system is designed to be easy to implement. It says there are hardly any packaging issues, usually putting the battery under the trunk floor, and the starter/generator motor doesn't typically require reworking the engine bay much. It also should work with rear-, front-, or all-wheel-drive layouts and with manual and automatic transmissions. If it were only going to be on diesel engines, we could see how Kia might not bring it, but since it will also be featured on gas engines, we're sure it will show up on our shores soon. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Kia previews drop-top Optima for SEMA

You don't see a lot of four-door convertibles these days, but that's just what Kia has in store for the SEMA show this year. It's called the A1A, and it's based on the Optima sedan you can pick up at your local showroom. Just don't expect this one to go into production anytime soon. The Kia Optima A1A concept is just one in a series of regional specials that the Korean automaker is preparing for the tuner expo in Las Vegas. It's already given us glimpses at a Sorento inspired by the Northwest Coast, and a Forte Koup that pays tribute to the South. The Optima A1A joins in on the action to represent Florida, adopting not only an open-air body-style but also suicide rear doors and 20-inch chrome wheels fitted on a dropped coilover suspension. It's all done up in bright teal with an off-white leather interior. The turbo four produces the same 245 hp as stock, but is fitted with a high-performance exhaust. It's one of six concepts - four of them never seen before - that Kia will be presenting at SEMA this year, and we're looking forward to seeing what the next one will look like before there'll all presented in full on Tuesday. Related Video: KIA'S 2015 SEMA PRESS CONFERENCE INFORMATION America's wanderlust is found from coast to coast and everywhere in between. The A1A Optima takes inspiration from the iconic Florida A1A highway by letting the sunshine in and taking the all-new 2016 Optima in a new direction with its sliced top, shortened windshield and room for four. Reinforced steel tubes have been discretely hidden within the body so that the vehicle retains a rigid structure. The back doors of the A1A Optima swing open on rear-mounted hinges, adding a touch of whimsy and fun while complementing the roadster style. A gleaming set of 20-in. wheels are bolted to a Ksport coilover suspension, which dramatically lowers ride height. Soft butter-cream leather bucket seats up front and custom double buckets in back are separated by extended armrests and a custom center console. The powerful 245-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine is combined with a high-performance exhaust. Kia Motors America will unveil four all-new custom vehicles at its press conference Tuesday, November 3 at 9:00 AM, booth #10809

Next-gen Kia Sportage teased in sketches

Kia is providing an early peek at the fourth-gen Sportage ahead of the crossover's debut at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show on September 15. The latest design comes from Kia's European design center, which is also located in Frankfurt. While sketches like this can often embellish the details, everything here appears largely in line with previous spy shots. Up front, the latest Sportage wears a low-slung grille with the complicated shape of its brand sibling, but the new swept-back LED headlights along the hood are the major change. At least in these sketches, they give the CUV a very stylish shape. The roof arches back to give a coupe-like silhouette, and glass appears to hide the B-pillar for an airy look. At the rear, LED taillights stretch all the way across the hatch. The automaker promises the "most refined high-quality cabin yet" in the release of these sketches, and it looks like an uncluttered place to be. We look forward to seeing how Kia's designers translate these details from ink to metal in Germany. Related Video: DYNAMIC ENERGY: THE NEXT-GENERATION KIA SPORTAGE Frankfurt unveil of all-new Sportage Dynamic new styling Most refined high-quality cabin yet Kia Motors will reveal its all-new Kia Sportage for the first time globally on 15 September, at the 2015 Frankfurt International Motor Show. Entering its fourth-generation, the all-new Sportage features a bold, progressive design, which exudes power and agility from every angle. The dynamic compact SUV styling creates visual harmony out of the tension between bold, precise feature lines and dramatically-sculptured bodywork. Inside, the all-new Sportage marries simple, modern style with rich material quality for Kia's most refined, highest-quality cabin to date. With the design of the new model led by the brand's European design centre – located in Frankfurt – the all-new Sportage represents the future face of Kia.