Kia Motors' West Point, Ga., manufacturing plant is planning to pay tribute to the Atlanta Falcons' success.
In advance of the Feb. 5 game, 51 Kia Optima sedans are being scheduled to run consecutively through Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia's assembly shop on Friday Feb. 3 in the following color sequence: red, black, silver, red, black, white…
Also on Friday Feb. 3, KMMG employees are being invited to wear Falcons (and Patriots) jerseys or polo shirts instead of their regular team wear (uniforms). And, the Kia Café will be offering tailgate menu options to go with the spirit of the upcoming game.
"We are doing this to support our beloved Atlanta team and our hometown heroes. We know team members will enjoy supporting the Falcons on this day; and we think we can build even better quality cars, too, if we 'Rise Up' to the challenge to support the Falcons while showing that our plant has the number one team in the auto industry," the company said.
The company will be taking photos of the Falcons-color cars and employees in their jerseys throughout the day.
IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 30, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On the verge of making its eighth straight appearance in the big game, Kia Motors today announced plans to debut the brand's Super Bowl commercial on the NiroBot for Messenger on Wednesday, Feb. 1. Starring actress Melissa McCarthy, the ad is the centerpiece of a multi-faceted marketing campaign for the all-new 2017 Niro which blends crossover style and utility with exceptional fuel economy of up to 50 mpg combined for the FE trim.
"With its advanced technology and tremendous efficiency, the Niro sets a new standard in the market, and being the first bot for Messenger to debut a Super Bowl ad reinforces the idea that our newest crossover is like nothing consumers have ever seen before," said Michael Sprague, chief operating officer and EVP, Kia Motors America (KMA)
Kia was one of the first automotive manufacturers to utilize the bot platform and has achieved more than half a million engagements since the NiroBot was launched in November 2016. Developed and implemented by Ansible, KMA's agency partner, the interactive NiroBot chat experience includes guided vehicle discovery, expansive technical knowledge, step-by-step tutorials and test drive scheduling.
Created by David&Goliath, KMA's advertising agency of record, the ad traces a heroic and harrowing journey stretching from the polar ice caps to an arid desert, and continues to prove why the Niro is "a smarter kind of crossover."
A key component to Kia Motors' Green Car Roadmap, the Niro is a no-compromise choice that combines driving enjoyment with eye-catching design, functional utility and hybrid efficiency, thereby striking the perfect balance for today's consumers and staking claim to a unique position between the hybrid-electric vehicle and CUV segments. As part of Kia Motors EcoDynamics philosophy, the Niro represents an important next step on the path to nearly tripling the brand's global green car line-up by 2020. A plug-in hybrid powertrain is due to be added to the car's line-up later in its life-cycle.
The Super Bowl is drawing near and with it comes a cavalcade of over-the-top and outrageously expensive mid-game ads. The cult of the commercial has grown so large that 60-second ads are getting 15-second teasers. For Kia's eighth year at the Super Bowl, the Korean automaker will be promoting its new hybrid, the Niro. The company released a new trailer hyping its third-quarter ad slot.
The teaser doesn't actually feature the Niro. Instead flag-waving actor Melissa McCarthy is shown screaming and fleeing across a field from some unknown assailant, presumably the Niro's rival, a Toyota Prius, done up like the War Rig from Mad Max Fury Road. Kia promises the game day commercial will trace "a heroic and harrowing journey stretching from the polar ice caps to an arid desert" all while showing why the Niro is a new type of crossover. We really just want to know what's written on the flag.
THE cradled hands resting in front of us on the boardroom table are among the most revered in the motoring industry. Belonging to Peter Schreyer, the designer who cut his teeth at Audi nearly four decades ago, he's the man who has almost single handedly changed the global landscape for Kia.
Debonair yet inconspicuous, his look is trademark. Black suit combined with a black shirt and cravat, along with thick black-rimmed glasses. Despite the dark attire there was an aura of color.
Schreyer was unusually relaxed at the North American auto show in Detroit this month. Smiling and talkative, he rated the release of his latest model among his proudest moments with Kia.
"It's really a special car," he said after the rear-wheel drive four-door Stinger was unveiled.
The 2018 Kia Stinger GT is unveiled to the world ahead of the Detroit motor show.Grant Edwards
The large fastback sedan has attracted attention the world over since its reveal. Departing from the usual SUV, sedan or hatch - a range he has overhauled from an eclectic rabble into a cohesive family since his appointment in 2006.
In fact, his work at Kia was so good that sister company Hyundai appointed him to also head its design work in 2013.
German born, he was first foreign president of the South Korean brand which lured him from the Volkswagen Group.
But despite all those accolades, there was a sense of accomplishment surrounding Schreyer in Detroit.
He is, ultimately, a designer at heart. Not an executive.
Kia designer, Peter Schreyer.
Remarkably close to the concept vehicle first unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Stinger possesses the hallmarks of a true gran turismo - long bonnet, short front overhang, powerful haunches and a long wheelbase.
Schreyer said "this is another strong statement" from the brand which he sees as a youthful challenger in the market. "It comes from a company you would not expect," he said. "We are a volume brand, but if you look at the products, they are quality in design and performance…with a premium feeling.
"It's a new way of taking attention to performance and develop it together. We have done it with (performance engineer) Albert Beirman because as he said he wants it to drive how it looks.
"We are a volume brand, but if you look at the products, they are quality in design and performance…with a premium feeling."
While the large car market is shrinking, he believes there is life in the genre.
Kia Stinger.
"There a lot of very positive examples, especially from the German brands like the BMW 4 and 6 and the Audi A5 and A7 and Mercedes," Schreyer said.
And as for the chances of a coupe or convertible derivatives of the Stinger?
"From a design point of view it would be a piece of cake to take out two doors and cut the roof off, it would look great. At the moment there is no plan for that, even if it would be great," he said.
"It's a big step for Kia. We'll have to see how this car comes to the market.
"There was never a discussion whether to do one or the other."
Nothing, its seems, is impossible for this man of enduring talent.
A turbo engine and sports suspension will later this year cap the more subdued Kia Rio light hatchback range that launches this week, featuring in a new, more performance-focused variant.
The addition of a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol model - with optional six-speed automatic - is Kia's worst kept secret but one management has consistently downplayed.
However, at the launch of the Rio range in Melbourne this week, Kia Australia general manager of product, Roland Rivero, stressed that the new SLi model was the "current" flagship, indicating a higher-grade variant was on its way.
The Rio 1.0-litre T-GDI (for turbo-gasoline direct injection) is the most likely candidate and will become the flagship of the other 1.4-litre naturally aspirated variants that go on sale this week, becoming the go-to choice if buyers want a six-speed automatic. The 1.4 model is available with a four-speed auto or six-speed manual.
Available in some parts of the world, the T-GDI delivers 88kW of power and 172Nm of torque from 1500rpm. A 73kW/172Nm version is available in Europe but is unlikely to be added alongside the similar 73kW/133Nm 1.4-litre unit.
The engine is a derivative of the 50kW/95Nm 1.0-litre triple naturally aspirated unit used in Kia's light-car class Picanto in some markets.
Rumours exist about the hot-hatch Rio being shoehorned with the Cerato Koup's 1.6-litre turbo petrol four that pumps 150kW/265Nm - rumours that were answered by Kia executives today with a flat denial and suggestions that the suggestion should be filed under "urban myth."
Suspension work has already been completed on the Rio range, including hot-hatch specific components such as firmer springs, new dampers, bigger anti-roll bars and 17-inch alloy wheels that are not available for 1.4-litre versions.
Kia explains that the T-GDI wasn't launched at the same time as its more pedestrian sibling due to the huge demand for the engine from the Korean factory and the ability to get consistent supply of the six-speed automatic transmission - the most favored transmission for Australia.
CarsGuide understands the T-GDI Rio - in right-hand drive - has already been driven in Korea by Kia Australia staff with the six-speed manual gearbox, although this specification is aimed at the UK market.
The Rio T-GDI is expected to cost about $26,000 plus on-road costs and would compete in the small-car segment with the Renault Clio TCe with an 88kW/190Nm engine and $26,500 plus on-road cost price tag.
It would also bump gloves with the Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo (81kW/175Nm) at $23,490 before on-road costs, and the Volkswagen Polo which uses the same engine as the Fabia priced at $18,690.
It’s no secret that crossover SUVs are gaining popularity at the expense of traditional 4-door sedans, but if the 2017 Kia Cadenza that was recently added to the Kelley Blue Book long-term fleet is any indication, there’s still plenty of life left in the concept of a family-sized sedan. Our Snow White Pearl Cadenza already has proved itself to be good looking, easy to drive and quite accommodating to as many as five.
This front-drive sedan has been completely revamped for 2017 with sharply defined character lines, a classy concave take on Kia’s “tiger nose” grille treatment and a sleek profile that fits neatly between a traditional 3-box sedan and the current fad of so called 4-door coupes. The 2017 Kia Cadenza comes equipped with a 290-horsepower/3.3-liter V6 engine mated to a conventional 8-speed automatic transmission. With its upscale appearance, the Cadenza’s appeal goes beyond your typical family sedans like the Chevrolet Impala, Ford Taurus and Toyota Avalon to rival slightly more upscale Buick LaCrosse and Acura RLX.
Generous dimensions
Riding on a 112.4-inch wheelbase, the Cadenza measures 195.7 inches overall. The generous wheelbase results in a spacious cabin, particularly in the rear, where passengers will be hard pressed to find their knees anywhere near the backs of the front buckets. Coming in at 73.6 inches wide, both front and rear passengers have plenty of elbow room. The front-drive layout is also responsible for the Cadenza’s open and airy cabin. Up front, the dash is positioned far enough forward to deliver the back seat’s sense of space, a feel further reinforced by the Limited’s standard panoramic sunroof. The dash and controls are state of the art, with a center touchscreen augmented by easy-to-use redundant switches and knobs on the center console and steering wheel. There is a place for everything and everything is in its place.
While the Cadenza has plenty of room, it drives more like the midsize Optima than a full-size sedan. The engine has plenty of power and the 8-speed automatic transmission delivers smooth and positive gear changes. The Cadenza is equipped with multiple drive modes including Economy, Sport, Comfort and Smart. While the first three are self-explanatory, the last mode senses vehicle speed and other parameters to deliver the right blend of comfort or sportiness to match the driver’s steering and throttle inputs. The Cadenza isn’t an ultimate driving machine, but it is well-mannered and delivers a comfortable ride that is nicely matched to its mechanicals.
Fully loaded
We know its trim level is called Limited, but when it comes to standard features, the Cadenza is anything but. For $44,390 (plus $900 destination), our test car comes with dual-zone automatic climate control, navigation with an 8-inch screen and Kia’s easy to use UVO connectivity, Android Auto and Apple Car Play compatibility, quilted Nappa leather seat trim, heated/cooled seating, heated steering wheel, power tilt/telescope steering column and a suite of driver assists including blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, lane-departure warning and adaptive cruise control.
With a 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty and a 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, the 2017 Kia Cadenza Limited has all the bases covered. Already it has been pressed into duty carrying around 5 adults, which it did so with nary a complaint from the rear seat, demonstrating that it can function equally as well as some 2-row crossover SUVs. And it does so in a smart looking package while delivering nearly 23 mpg on average. So far, the Cadenza has demonstrated the kind of capability that will certainly make it a popular member of the KBB long-term fleet.
