From the official Press Release:

Kia cee’d (pronounced ‘seed’), is based on the forthcoming all-new C-segment model which Kia will begin building at its first-ever European assembly plant in Slovakia from December 2006.

With its tough appearance, combining strongly solid forms with sensitively flowing lines, jewel-like detailing and a broad stance, cee’d points towards the future elements of Kia’s evolving design language.

"Our design brief was to create a ‘teaser’ for the all-new Kia which has been designed entirely in Europe and will make its world premiere at the Paris Show in September," explained Gregory Guillaume, Chief Designer Kia, European Design Centre.

"We wanted to make cee’d as beautiful, as exquisitely detailed and precisely executed as possible. We wanted to introduce this concept as the starting point for the new design DNA for Kia, to highlight that this car is designed in Europe and made in Europe, to fulfil 100% of European customer needs."

The cee’d has several of the core design elements of two earlier Kia cars – the Sorento SUV and A-segment Picanto. With this concept car, Kia is making these design elements even more understandable to the public. cee’d is a new stage in Kia design, the beginning of communicating its new design language.

Kia Cee’d features flowing lines carried through strong forms. The major flow-line runs from low on the nose spoiler, around the grille, over the bonnet, up the A-pillar, along the roof rail to the tailgate spoiler, down the C-pillar and around the rear bumper – enveloping the whole car.

At the Geneva Show, cee’d is finished in ‘English Pewter’ bespoke exterior paint, blended to give the external surfaces a unique lustre that is echoed by the interior. The concept car will be displayed on a low, rotating glass turntable so that visitors can fully appreciate the interior styling, as well as the exterior form.

The extended, flared wheel arches envelop bespoke 19-inch diameter polished aluminium wheels sporting 265/30 R19 low-profile tyres.

(Source: Kia)