Yes, thank you. Thats one of the pics i was talking about.
Good pics of the new Sportage are quite hard to come by, and so are the informative articles.
The following are two fairly decent articles that I have come across recently.
Kia lifts lid on new Sportage SUVJust-Auto.com, Friday, June 4, 2004Link:
korea.be/index.php?id=23&catuid=7&artuid=359Kia’s new Sportage, due to be unveiled later this year, has lost its trademark rear-mounted spare tyre.
For the first time, the small SUV will have a clean rear end with lift-up tailgate and separately opening glass pane.
The Sportage will be shown at the Paris Motor Show in September and goes on sale in Europe next year. It will be available with two- or four-wheel drive powered by two-litre four-cylinder and 2.7-litre V6 petrol engines or a two-litre diesel.
Pitched against such rivals as the Toyota RAV-4 and Honda CRV, the new Sportage has a much improved, more youthful look.
Showing off the new model, codename KM, to global distributors in Seoul, WJ Cho, director of Kia’s overseas product marketing group, said the Sportage, built on the same platform as parent Hyundai’s new Tucson, has increased passenger and luggage space and easier loading through the rear door.
Safety features include a side curtain airbag and the car is expected to gain a four-star European NCAP rating. The new Sportage has larger headlamps, flared side panels and will ride on 215x16-inch tyres with the option of 235x16-inch for a slightly more sporty appearance.
Production start-up is scheduled for August this year and the name is definitely here to stay Cho said.
“Sportage has been one of our most successful ever names – it evokes both a sporty image and portage, the ability to carry people and luggage. The new model retains its SUV exterior styling with a sedan-like ride along with wagon utility.”<br>
At Paris, Kia will also be showing off its JB concept, a preview of the Rio replacement due in late 2005 or early 2006.
Source link: www.just-auto.com/news_detail.asp?art=44629
New Kia SUV to be unveiled in ParisThe Star, Wednesday, June 2, 2004Link:
biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2004/6/2/business/8117318&sec=businessBy ELIZABETH CHONG in Seoul KIA Motors Corp (KMC) is all geared up to launch its next generation sports utility vehicle (SUV) at the Paris Motor Show, scheduled for Sept 25 to Oct 10. <br>
Simply referred to as KM, the new-concept SUV would roll off the assembly line in October, said K.W. Kim, general manager of overseas product marketing group, Hyundai-Kia corporate marketing division. <br>
Describing KM as a “total reborn”
Sportage with advanced design and enhanced performance, Kim said the new model was aimed at the North America and West Europe markets where it was expected to pose strong competition to other SUVs such as the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V and Ford Escape. <br>
“KM will give a sedan-like ride and handling with a wagon's utility,” he said at the Kia Motors Global Distributors' Convention in Seoul, South Korea, last Tuesday. <br>
He said the
Sportage - coined from combining the words sports and portage to describe the transportation means wrapped in a sporty exterior - was the “most successful naming of a Kia package” and there was “extremely high” awareness of the model. <br>
The KM comes in diesel (2.0-litre) and gasoline (2.7-litre and 2.0-litre) versions and has enhanced safety features such as side and curtain airbags. The model will be available in 10 colours ranging from clear white to smart blue. <br>
KMC overseas marketing group director B.H. Lee said the advertising blitz for the KM would kick off in October with test-drives to be offered in Europe the same month. <br>
Speaking on Kia's 2004 global marketing plan, Lee said advertising efforts would focus on corporate image advertising and product advertising. “Our long-term corporate goal is to raise Kia's global position, and be known as a reliable and mainstream brand. The short-term goal is to raise brand awareness and familiarity, conduct successful product launches and develop strong local business support,” he said. <br>
The Hyundai-Kia group, now ranked seven among the world's automobile makers, aspires to move up into the global top five (GT-5) by 2010 when seven new models would have joined its ever-expanding range of vehicles. <br>
Introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show last September, the 1.1-litre entry-level Kia
Picanto has been warmly received in nearly all markets where it has been unveiled. <br>
“We are expecting higher sales of
Picanto for all markets, especially in Italy,” said Lee.
Im not going to lie...so far im liking the sportage more than the tucson but the tucson is the one for me. My elantra was a wonderful car and my sephia was crap on wheels so dont look for me at the kia store for a few more years.
