.::sports and home: Kia Provo Concept First Look::.

Kia Provo Concept First Look SHOW FLOOR UPDATE: Upon hearing the name of Kia's latest concept, "Provo." My first thought was Utah and then all the glorious cursing in the hit Broadway play, Book of Mormon. Kia Provo Concept Side Then I saw the vehicle roll out on stage and was immediately taken back to the 2012 Chicago Auto Show and the Kia Track'ster debut. Like the Track'ster, the Provo is a two-door hatchback, with low roof, Mini-esque proportions and similar white body/red roof paint scheme. The are some differences, including some radical triangular LED headlights that can pulse in animated patterns. The inside is even more stunning; awash quilted leather with a steam-punkish push button ignition/gear selector knob that looks straight out Guy Ritchey's Sherlock Holmes movie seeries. Developed in Kia's European design center, the Provo is supposed to provoke, not only with its racing inspired elements, but with its possible hardware, including a hybrid AWD system and 7-speed dual clutch.

Kia Provo Concept First Look

Kia Provo Concept First Look

Kia Provo Concept First Look

So, is Provo thought provoking or curse invoking? - Edward Loh Rising from its former position as maker of cheap, disposable cars, Kia has infiltrated nearly every automotive segment over the past decade. Now that it has shown it can build competent everyday cars, and even entry-luxury models, Kia appears to be getting ready to enter the stylish compact hatchback segment that largely belongs to Mini. Introduced at the Geneva Motor Show, the Kia Provo concept demonstrates how the Koreans could take on the German-owned English brand. Kia Provo Concept Front End The Kia Provo’s exterior is highlighted by a steep rear window and abbreviated roofline that produce the appearance of a coupe. Its contrasting roof, frameless windows, and swept-back wraparound windshield instantly recall the look of the Mini Coupe -- which is probably no accident. The stubby nose bears a version of Kia's tiger-nose grille hidden behind a glass panel; triangular housings hold headlights composed of 850 individual LEDs that can be configured to act as running lights, low- and high-beam headlights, and even animated displays. Below is a black mesh grille with orange-accented carbon-fiber surrounds. Where the angled rear windshield creates an acute angle with sheetmetal, full-width taillights reprise the same rectangle-and-triangles shape as the headlights and front grille. Two large round exhaust tips peek out from the lower fascia, while and adjustable diffuser panel hides below.
Measuring 152.8 inches long and 69.7 inches wide, the Kia Provo is within spitting distance of a Mini Coupe, which is 147.0 inches long and 66.3 inches wide. More important, the concept car's stated purpose makes it clear that Kia wants a slice of the automotive pie that Mini so enjoys. Designed in Frankfurt, Germany, for the European market, Kia Europe chief designer Gregory Guillaume says the Provo is "aimed at delivering pure fun and performance for today's city-based enthusiast driver." Powering the Provo is the 1.6-liter turbo-four seen in the Hyundai Veloster, packing 201 hp. It drives the front wheels (19-inch alloys shod in low-profile tires) through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. In addition, a mild hybrid system that operates on the rear wheels can provide up to 44 hp of extra push under acceleration. Alternatively, pushing a button can allow the Provo to drive solely on electrical power for short distances. Kia Provo Concept Headight After opening the doors by way of pop-up handles, drivers enjoy a cabin composed of carbon fiber and aluminum. The former material is used for the inner door panels and dashboard, with real aluminum is used for the car's toggle switches and door handles. Red LEDs in the doors, air vents, and roof provide ambient lighting. The instrument cluster is a configurable LCD screen that by default shows a speedometer, tachometer, and navigation directions. Switching to cruise mode means the display shows only a large navigation map and speedometer, while the track option results in a giant tachometer, a lap timer, and a track map. An aluminum bracket atop the center console is home to a red engine start-stop button, a swiveling transmission selector, and a joystick to control the infotainment system. The Provo's quilted-leather seats are, unusually, fixed in place, and instead the steering wheel and pedals adjust electrically. The seatbacks swivel out of the way, rather than folding, to permit access to the rear seats -- although Kia admits they are cramped and for "occasional-use" only. Kia says that the Provo concept is only meant as a show car for now, but it's clear the company wants to explore the performance, premium, B-segment market. Hinting that it is "committed" to delivering cars just like the Provo concept, Kia will probably try to launch a vehicle that looks something like this Provo concept within the next few years.