New Kia Soul Edition Irmscher 001

Another day, another special edition version of the Kia Soul. This one comes from Germany and it's the result of the cooperation between the South Korean automaker and the tuning house Irmscher.

Called the "Edition Irmscher 001", the package adds a variety of features including two-tone leather seats with red or graphite-colored diamond quilting pattern on the cushions and backrests, and black carbon-fiber-style leather on the outside areas. The same black-carbon-style leather is also found on the car's steering wheel and gearbox.

Buyers can also opt for a special exterior package that adds a black finish to the Soul's roof, bumper inserts and mirror caps, as well as stainless steel scuff plates, 18-inch alloy wheels shod in 225/45 R18 tires, and special graphics.

The Kia Soul "Irmscher 001 Edition" is available with all powerplants including a 126HP 1.6-liter petrol and a 128HP 1.6-liter diesel with a manual or automatic transmission, and trim levels.

Kia Launches Limited Edition Ghost Soul

The fourth and last of the special edition 2010 Souls that Kia launched in the U.S., this year, the new Ghost Soul, is available for order now. This latest iteration complements three other special edition versions, including Ignition Soul, Denim Soul and Shadow Dragon Soul.

As with the previous special edition Souls, the Ghost is based on the Soul+ trim level.

The Ghost package adds metallic and chrome accents, front fender vents with side marker repeater lights, a body kit, moonroof, fog lights, black 18-inch alloy wheels with machined accents, a roof spoiler as well as the leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob.

The Audio Upgrade Package (center speaker, subwoofer and external amplifier) with speaker lights that pulse to the beat of the music and black leather-trimmed seats with seat warmers complete the upgrades over the standard model.

The 2010 Ghost Soul starts from $20,185 (including destination and handling charges) with a five-speed manual gearbox model.

New Limited Edition Kia Soul Ignition Hits US Showrooms

The second special edition Kia Soul to be offered in the States this year after the "Denim" is the "Ignition". Based on the Soul+ model, the limited run version features a unique ignition orange exterior finish with contrasting black rally stripes, a rear spoiler, an alloy fuel door and black 18-inch alloy wheels with machined accents.

Like the previously launched Denim, on top of the Soul+ standard equipment, Kia has loaded the Ignition with more features including a higher-grade audio system with iPod connection, center speaker, subwoofer, external amplifier and speaker lights that pulse to the beat of the music (...), carpeted floor mats, moon roof, fender vents with side marker repeaters and fog lights.

The new Kia Soul Iginition is available for order with prices starting from $17,500 for the model with a five-speed manual gearbox.

Euro NCAP: Q5, Jazz, i20, Soul and 3008 Achieve 5-Star Rating, Suzuki Alto gets only 3-Stars

European car safety testing body Euro-NCAP has announced its latest batch of results for six new cars. Five of these models, the Audi Q5, Honda Jazz, Hyundai i20, Kia Soul and Peugeot 3008 received Euro NCAP's maximum five star award while Suzuki's made-in-India Alto scored only three stars, its rating limited by its performance in adult occupant protection, child protection and safety assistance technologies. Euro NCAP made a special note on the Honda Jazz and the Hyundai i20 as both cars managed to achieve a high score in pedestrian safety.

"We would like to commend the Honda Jazz and the Hyundai i20 for their impressive pedestrian scores that not only meet current requirements, but also meet Euro NCAP's future requirements," Euro NCAP said in a statement.

All six vehicles were tested with Euro NCAP's new overall rating scheme that was introduced in 2009 and covers Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection, Pedestrian Protection and a new area of assessment, Safety Assist. Under the new testing regime, vehicles are awarded a single overall score from one to five stars with the overall rating being based on the car's performance in each of the four main areas and the scores are weighted with respect to each other.

UK-Bound Kia Soul Tweaked by Lotus

Using another brand name to make your products appear more alluring and special is nothing new in the auto industry. But if there's one brand that has no problem whatsoever associating its name with other carmakers, that has to be Lotus. In its latest venture, the British firm has lent a helping hand to Kia to fine-tune the UK market Soul crossover. Lotus has been working on the Soul since late 2008, customizing the overall suspension settings and bump stops for UK road conditions ahead of the crossover's market launch in March.

This is the first time that Kia has developed a model specifically for UK roads and drivers in mind. "The result of our partnership with Lotus is a more composed ride which we think is much more suitable to what our roads can throw at Soul, and additionally, it is also a more exciting car to drive," said Paul Philpott, Managing Director, Kia UK.

Detroit Show: Kia's Fun Soulster Pickup Concept

One of the most interesting and realistic concept studies at this year's Detroit Show is the Kia Soulster, or as the Korean automaker calls it, the Soul'ster. Derived from the just introduced Soul crossover, the two-door concept blends elements of a mini-pickup and a roadster, in a rather convincing and funky way.

The front-wheel drive four seater features a shortened windshield for a more low-slung appearance as well as a two-piece top that enables passengers to expose the front and back seating areas independently.

The tops slide on a black roll bar that extends to the back of the vehicle providing extra protection. Other unique features include the restyled fascia, new LED headlamps and 19-inch, five-spoke aluminum alloys.

Inside, Kia's designers went for a more distinct and rugged look leaving the bare essentials - even the windows are rolled down manually. The non-floor-mounted cantilevered seats can be folded flat if needed while Kia also added storage compartments below each of the rear seats. Furthermore, in addition to the cargo area, dual storage compartments also can be found in the rear and underneath the cargo hold area.

If it were to produced -and we can't find a reason why it shouldn't- the Soulster would be available the same powertrain options as its conventional 5-door sibling: a 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine is mated to a five-speed manual transmission, which produces approximately 120 HP and a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine available with either the five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission, producing approximately 140 HP.