Kia Ex_Cee’d Cabrio Concept: the lowdown
The Koreans’ ambitious growth plans show no signs of slowing down; last week, Kia unveiled the Cee’d estate production car – today, it slides the covers off a soft-top version of the same model. Dubbed, somewhat cornily, the Ex_Cee’d Cabrio, the convertible will be shown officially at the Geneva Motor Show in early March. And don’t laugh at the back – it was designed by Peter Schreyer, formerly head of Audi design and now boss of the Koreans’ studio.
No folding hard-top here – why stick with a fabric roof?
Schreyer deliberately avoided the current trend for folding metal roofs, claiming that the soft-top would soon enjoy a renaissance. Fabric roofs certainly limit the designers’ imagination less, as well as saving on weight and packaging bulk. Style fascinations include 19-inch alloy wheels, a ‘meringue white’ paint job and contrasting chocolate roof fabric. Will they build a Cee’d rag-top? Word is that such a model is pencilled into the production timetable, so expect something like this in Kia showrooms within the next couple of years.