Kia Ex_Cee'd Cabrio Concept (2007): first official pictures

By Tim Pollard

First Official Pictures

23 February 2007 09:40

Kia Ex_Cee'd Cabrio Concept: the lowdown

The Koreans' ambitious growth plans show no signs of slowing down; last week, Kia unveiled the Cee'd estate production car - today, it slides the covers off a soft-top version of the same model. Dubbed, somewhat cornily, the Ex_Cee'd Cabrio, the convertible will be shown officially at the Geneva Motor Show in early March. And don't laugh at the back - it was designed by Peter Schreyer, formerly head of Audi design and now boss of the Koreans' studio.

Schreyer deliberately avoided the current trend for folding metal roofs, claiming that the soft-top would soon enjoy a renaissance. Fabric roofs certainly limit the designers' imagination less, as well as saving on weight and packaging bulk. Style fascinations include 19-inch alloy wheels, a 'meringue white' paint job and contrasting chocolate roof fabric. Will they build a Cee'd rag-top? Word is that such a model is pencilled into the production timetable, so expect something like this in Kia showrooms within the next couple of years.

By Tim Pollard