Kia’s latest in it’s cee’d series of cars will be revealed at th 2007 Geneva International Motor Show – this time a cabriolet soft top version. The Kia ex_cee’d was based on the Kia pro_cee’d 3-door hatch, and shares the same platform, but the most obvious change is the absence of a roof, instead replaced by a automatic fabric roof.
But why soft top instead of an automatic hard top like all the other car manufacturers are doing? “I’m convinced that the fabric roof will have a renaissance. We’ve all lived with the romantic idea of open-air driving for a long time and for me, the fabric roof is the quintessential element of a truly rewarding cabrio,” says Peter Schreyer, Kia’s new Chief Design Officer.
One more photo after the jump.
After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history. An avid electronic gadget aficionado as well as big-time coffee lover, he's also the executive producer of the Driven motoring TV programme.
It looks like Merc. The head lamps look very much like Merc's. I like it. I wonder if it will come to Malaysia.
What a load of rot "'“I’m convinced that the fabric roof will have a renaissance. We’ve all lived with the romantic idea of open-air driving for a long time and for me, the fabric roof is the quintessential element of a truly rewarding cabrio,†says Peter Schreyer, Kia’s new Chief Design Officer.'"
Admit it's to save costs/ increase profit margins, Peter Schreyer! No one can experience open-air driving in a cabriolet unless the roof is open and once it's down, it makes no difference whether it's fabric or metal. The advantages of a solid metal retractable roof far outweights that of fabric, no matter the technology behind the fabric. A solid metal retractable roof is more costly than a fabric roof – from the cost of the additional metal, the mechanism to retract the heavier weight to the licencing cost of using the technology for the retractable metal roof (the inventor has to get paid!). Honestly, the crap these car manufacturers can come up with – do they think all consumers are stupid?
no more fabric roof plz
design wise this car looks absolutely stunning! Dunno how it look when the softtop is up though..
wow… hope naza rebadge dis ASAP! dis is nice! not sure bout its body strenght tho.. satria neo/gen2 cabrio wil b nice too, but not sure wil sell.
OMG.. the rims is so ugly its hurting my eyes ~~!!
Don't think it will come to Malaysia, or if it did, no one wants a cabriolet. Its too hot unpractical here. Also soft tops have problem where it becomes worse as time goes by. I am not sure how long this car can last.