KIA cee´d CONCEPT CAR POINTS TO FUTURE DESIGN TRENDS

• Solid forms and flowing lines for Kia´s evolving design language

Kia Motors Europe Headquarters, Eschborn, Germany - 16 February 2006

Kia Motors will unveil an exciting new concept car at the 76th Salon de l´Automobiles , in Geneva, Switzerland at the end of this month. The stunningly attractive, precisely styled show car, named 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 fulfill 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.

cee´d features flowing lines carried through strong forms. The major flow-line runs from low on the nose spoiler, around the grill, 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.
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At the Geneva Show, cee´d is finished in ´English Pewter´ bespoke exterior paint, blended to give the external surfaces a unique luster 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 aluminum wheels sporting 265/30 R19 low-profile tires.

Full details of the cee´d concept car, the all-new Kia Carnival MPV and the 2006 upgraded Sorento SUV will be available at the Kia press conference to be held on February 28, in Hall 5 at 12.30 hrs (local time).

- Ends -

Editors Notes

cee´d Concept Car
The Geneva Show concept car is named cee´d for two reasons. ´CEE´ to symbolize that both the concept and the forthcoming production model are ´made in Europe´ with European consumers in mind. And to represent the ´seed´ for future growth in Kia sales, which the new model will undoubtedly ensure.

Kia Motors Europe
Kia Motors Europe is the European sales, marketing, and service arm of Kia Motors Corporation. With its headquarters in Eschborn, Germany, it covers 29 markets in Europe.

About Kia Motors Corporation
Kia Motors Corporation (www.kiamotors.com) - one of the fastest growing automakers in the world - was founded in 1944 and is Korea´s oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles. As part of the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, Kia aims to become one of the world´s premier automotive brands.

Kia´s 16 manufacturing and assembly operations in 12 countries produce more than 1.1 million vehicles a year that are sold and serviced through a network of distributors and dealers covering 155 countries. Kia today has 32,000 employees and annual revenues of US$14 billion.

Kia is the major sponsor of the Australian Tennis Open and an official worldwide sponsor of the Davis Cup. Kia Motors Corporation´s brand slogan - ´The Power to Surprise´ - represents the company´s global commitment to surpassing customer expectations through continuous automotive innovation.

Press Contact

Dr. Iris von Kirschbaum
Tel 0049 6196 5092 132 Email i.kirschbaum@kia-europe.com

Kia Motors Europe GmbH
Hauptstrasse 185, 65760 Eschborn, Germany.
Tel 0049 6196 5092 132 / Fax 0049 6196 5092 100