Kia Track'ster concept races into Chicago show

\The Kia Soul is targeted at the young, hip and those who are perhaps a bit quirky. The Track'ster concept takes that a step further--and sportier.

Capped with an inferno-orange roof and curvy white panels, the track-themed concept debuted on Wednesday at the Chicago auto show. It's based on the Soul, though it eschews the four-door setup for a coupe configuration. The tall hatch in back remains.

Power comes from a 250-hp turbo inline four-cylinder engine channeled via all-wheel drive. The 2.0-liter engine is paired with a six-speed manual transmission.

Design cues include LED lights, a large lower air intake below Kia's tiger grille and an orange carbon-fiber lower valance. It rolls on 19-inch performance tires, and Brembos provide stopping power.

The Track'ster measures 101.2 inches in wheelbase length, which is about an inch longer than the Soul. It's also more than five inches wider, at 75.5 inches, than its production counterpart.

The cabin has orange racing seats, and the steering wheel and door panels are set off in suede. The back seat is replaced with an equipment tray and space for helmets.

The Track'ster was styled at Kia's California design center, and there are no production plans for it.

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Shelby GT500 convertible, Kia Track'ster among Chicago highlights: Autoweek TV

Also in this episode: Debuts of the GMC Acadia, the Hyundai Elantra coupe and the Acura ILX and RDX.

TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to the 2012 Chicago auto show. I'm Greg and this is Autoweek TV for Wednesday. We've got a big show lined up for you today--all of the reveals, all of the new sheetmetal, lots of new engines, lots of new technology.

This is one of the largest consumer auto shows in the nation, so buckle up and we're going to have a walk around the floor.

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Let's start off with the car that is probably the best in show. Autoweek doesn't actually give that award here in Chicago, but if we did, this is probably it. It's the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 convertible. Power comes on to the tune of a whopping 650 hp with a top speed of more than 200 mph. It gets Brembo brakes, and it's 3.5 seconds faster around Sebring.

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And on the other end of the spectrum is the GMC Acadia. This is a three-row crossover with a lot of space and plenty of room for your Labrador. So what's new? GMC updated the appearance for the first time since 2007. Power still comes from the V6 that makes 288 hp.

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Now Hyundai is growing the Elantra lineup with a coupe and a GT. Both come with four-cylinder engines making 148 hp, and they're going to get about 40 mpg. Now, the coupe is the sportier version and it's going to be a Honda Civic and Nissan Altima fighter. The GT, that's the hatchback.

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While Hyundai went with substance, Kia rolled out style. The Track'ster concept is based on the Kia Soul, and it makes 250 hp and runs with all-wheel drive. Now this is probably just a concept, but it would be a nice addition for enthusiasts to the Soul lineup.

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And Acura finally showed us the production version of the ILX and the RDX. These are two really important vehicles for the brand because they are expected to be strong sellers.

Now the ILX is a Civic-based car, and it's going to be an entry-level luxury product. It also gets Acura's--get this--first hybrid.

Now the RDX gets a V6 instead of the turbo four, and it's a bit lighter than last year's model.

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That's it for Autoweek TV on Wednesday, and that's it from the Chicago auto show. Stay connected 24 hours a day at autoweek.com for all of the latest car and racing news and the latest here from Chicago. For Autoweek magazine, I'm Greg Migliore.

Get more car news, reviews and opinion every day: Sign up to have the Autoweek Daily Drive delivered right to your inbox.

 

Kia Track'ster coupe concept headed for Chicago auto show

Kia is exploring what might happen if you turbocharged the dancing Hamstars with the Track'ster concept car for next week's Chicago auto show.

The Track'ster is based on the Soul. Changes include bigger wheels and a narrower, sporty window opening along the side.

Kia says it could see a 247-hp engine under the hood. That compares with 164 hp from the production Soul's 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine.

Kia also let drop that it is still considering putting the Soul'ster convertible into production.