Kelley Blue Book Posts Most Researched Autos

The information gathered from more than 60 million visitors of Kelley Blue Books’ kbb.com, the most visited third-party auto web site in the net, comprised of the raw data of the latest most researched vehicles for the first six months of 2006. Included in the Top 20 list of America’s most trusted source of new and used automotive information are the following.

Honda Civic
Honda Accord
Toyota Camry
Toyota Corolla
Toyota Rav4
Honda Odyssey
Honda Pilot
Toyota Highlander
Chevrolet Tahoe
Honda CR-V
Ford Mustang
Nissan Altima
BMW 325
Acura TL
Toyota Sienna
Toyota 4runner
Ford Escape
Infiniti G35
Toyota Avalon
Mazda 3

On top of the list are Asian models, Honda and Toyota. Seven slots are occupied by Toyota and five by Honda, which are all included in the Top Ten. In place of the Chrysler 300 and Jeep Grand Cherokee, which has fallen off from the current list, are Toyota RAV4 and Chevrolet Tahoe. Together with the Tahoe is the Ford Mustang, the sole domestic models that made it to the most researched line-up.

Two utilitarian minivans came in at the 6th and 7th spots, the Honda Odyssey and the Toyota Sienna respectively. Three entry level luxury vehicles also made it in the list - the BMW 325, Acura TL and Infiniti G35 (pictured above) – which according to Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and market analyst of Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com have definitely become the brands and vehicles that the public aspires to drive and own.

HMX - new shoes, rolled it out

Oh, I’m so close to driving this thing I can taste it. Earlier this week, I finished up the restoration of the AMC TurboCast II wheels. I detailed the process of cleaning and refinishing these 14-inch aluminum wheels in a tech story that will appear in the September issue of Hemmings Muscle Machines, but we shipped that issue before the tires arrived, so you loyal blog readers get first peek not only at the BFGoodrich Radial T/As that I ordered, but also at the tires mounted to the fresh wheels.

I was kinda apprehensive about ordering a set of BFGs. After all, they’re on every other muscle car out there and the customer survey results over at Tire Rack actually placed the BFGs lower in overall rating than Firestone’s Firehawk Indy 500s. But after flipping through my dealer brochure for the 1979 AMX, I discovered these cars originally came with ER60-14 Goodyear GT Radials, and I don’t think Goodyear even makes a 14-inch tire anymore. To the best of my knowledge, ER60-14 translates in metric size to 225/60-14, and the only manufacturer I see that still makes tires in that size is BFGoodrich.

I can at least console myself with the fact that AMC hooked up with BFGoodrich for the two Nürburgring AMXs. On the other hand, I called up the current owner of the No. 1 Nürburgring AMX and discovered they used 245/60-14 tires. I contemplated stepping up to that size, but in the end went with the safe bet of the 225s. I do have another set of TurboCast II wheels, however…

In the tech story, I didn’t have enough room to mention the finish on the backs of the wheels. The cap on the can of Rust-Oleum claimed it was stainless steel, but it came out looking more like magnesium. Much better look than the 30-year film of brake dust.

I also wasn’t able to show a side-by-side before-and-after shot.

I also wasn’t able to roll the car out into the driveway and show a wheel-on-car shot, so I went ahead and did that. After years of looking at the car in the context of its fixed space in the garage, it was kinda odd to see it out under natural light.

The wheels and engine look good. The rest looks sufficiently hillbilly. Which makes the wheels and engine look that much better. There is a method to my madness.

into every cruise-in schedule, a little rain must fall

So last week’s cruise-in, while not outstanding in terms of quantity due to the rain that soaked the area all day, still produced some cars of outstanding quality, enough so that we forged ahead and handed out awards despite the low numbers. For example, Charlotte Bader’s North York, Ontario-based 1964 Pontiac Parisienne convertible had us scratching our heads all night as to what parts came from the Pontiac bin and what parts came from the Chevrolet bin.

Julie and Bob King of Glen, New Hampshire, brought over their 1949 Ford business coupe with less than 5,000 total miles on the dial. Even with so few miles, they treated it to a restoration in 2004. Keep an eye on the pages of Hemmings Classic Car - we may very well feature this beauty in the next several months.

Maybe it’s not feature material like the business coupe, but I still geeked out over the 1981 Jeep J10 that Martin Ward, of Pownal, Vermont, owns.

And I really geeked out over the 343/four-speed 1969 AMC Javelin SST that John and Maggie Bilotta of Hinsdale, Massachusetts, brought.

Pair o’ purple Chevy pickups.

And, whaddayaknow, the clouds actually started to clear toward the end of the night, setting up this neat shot.

Our next cruise-in’s June 10, so keep your fingers crossed for sun.

Lost and Found overflow - multilegged Toronado and caged Fiero

It’s been far too long since we reached into our grab bag o’ fun Lost and Found overflow pile, but we came up with a good one today. Marty Pelker of All Starts Auto Glass and Accessories in Lincoln Park, Michigan, found two oddballs while out in his neighborhood. First, the Centipede, an Oldsmobile Toronado-based airport limo.

That is, we think it was meant to be an airport limo. Like the ones Ben Merkel photographed in Hawaii. But adding that flashy Centipede graphic along the bottom seems like overkill for such a utilitarian purpose.

Like us, Marty had no clue as to who performed the conversion. However, he described it as a combination of “a Toronado drive and a stretched Vista Cruiser body.” Possibly.

Amazing that the Michigan winters haven’t chewed up the Centipede.

Next, Marty shared with us something so sinister and unbelievable it needed to be caged in cyclone fence just like Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver.

Marty confirms what we all surmise, that it was once a Pontiac Fiero. “I was told it was done in Canada,” he wrote. Well, then that’s reason enough to invade those maple syrup-swilling, flannel-wearing Canucks.

I do not know the company that converted this Fiero, nor do I know what exactly they were attempting with it. I’m not sure I want to know.

But just as with the Centipede, I’m amazed it’s in such decent shape.

So anybody care to fill us in on the coachbuilders (I use that term loosely) responsible for these two creations?

the son of Corvette: Uncle Eddie’s Crosley

So after posting the photos and info on my post-Crosley engine haul, Myron Vernis starts telling me about this Almquist-Crosley he knows about. As it turns out, it’s his, so I tell him I need photos, stat, and he comes through, along with some history.

As you know, Ed Almquist founded Almquist Engineering which was a pioneer in catalog sales of speed parts. Around 1955, he bought Clearfield Plastics, an early manufacturer of fiberglass kit cars. In the ensuing years, he produced a series of Almquist kits (and a few ready-built cars) to fit various size chassis. His first kits were made to fit Crosley and Fiat Topolino automobiles.

This car was built right around 1955 in the same area of Pennsylvaia where Almquist was based. I bought it from there several years ago. It was professionally built (the shop’s build tag is still on the firewall) and rumored to be one of Almquist’s pre-made units, but this has not been confirmed. Either way, the car is great looking and it belies its small size.

It has a stock Crosley CIBA engine in it. I always thought it would be a great candidate for a hotrod Crosley engine. Cosmetically, the patina is real (unlike many of today’s “ratrods”) so I think it should be left alone.

The windshield’s not quite as slick as it could be, but I’m digging it anyway. Myron said his goal is to get it running this summer, possibly find a Bearcat engine like mine and hot rod it just a little bit.

more ramblings through south-central Vermont

Mike Eldred, whose wanderings we’ve featured here before, knows where all the cool old cars are hidden away in and around Wilmington, Vermont, and can take a good picture too, a few of which he recently sent us. First, a Dodge truck he shot last fall from White’s Road in Wilmington.

Next, a CJ-5 on Route 100 in Wilmington that features a plywood tub behind the firewall. Make do with what you got, I suppose.

Finally, a south-central Vermont landmark of sorts, the gorilla-slash-vee-dub statue outside Pioneer Auto Sales in Brandon, Vermont. Unfortunately, RoadsideAmerica.com hasn’t yet documented this hairy beast, so we’re left wondering what - if anything - he once held in his right hand.

Agent Provocateur Mini

Yes we all know Agent Provocateur is really a lingerie label but they really designed a Mini CAR for charity and I have to say that even though it’s butt-ugly (get the pun?) I respect Agent Provocateur for actually doing something like this!

Audi presents two R8s as DTM safety car and an R8 racing taxi

Audi announced today that it handed over two 420-hp mid-engine R8s two the German Motorsport Association for the ‘Norisring Speed Weekend.’ The two Audi R8s were prepared specifically for use as the official DTM safety car for the first time by quattro GmbH.

”There were not many modifications required, though, because the R8 possesses the genes of a perfect sports car,” says Werner Frowein, managing director of quattro GmbH.

Audi also offered another R8 for use as a racing taxi.

BMW Motorsport to revive M1 Procar Series for one last run

If you haven’t noticed already, we’re not to big here on reporting F1 news. But when that F1 news is this big, we have to set aside some time and give you an inside on what’s going on the world of motorsports. BMW announced today that it will be reviving the M1 Procar series for one last run at Hockenheim during the F1 German Gran Prix.

30 years ago the M1 was unveiled as the first independently built car by the BMW Motorsport GmbH. It was then created into a production model, the BMW M1 which allowed customers and enthusiasts to take the ‘M’ power to the road. At the time, it was the hottest thing since sliced bread in the automotive industry.

“Just a mention of it today still triggers an enthusiastic reaction. This revival serves as a ‘thank you’ to the fans,” said BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen.

Press Release:

BMW M1 Procar revival at Hockenheim.

Past masters roll back the years.
Munich, 30th June 2008. The F1 German Grand Prix programme this year will see the revival of the most spectacular single-make competition in motor racing history. The BMW M1 Procar series will be back at Hockenheim on 19th and 20th July as a field of ten cars.

BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen, for one, is looking forward to the event: “The M1 was unveiled 30 years ago as the first car created independently by the then BMW Motorsport GmbH. It was a racing car which BMW customers could also drive on the road, a unique project which had to overcome some tricky administrative hurdles before getting off the ground.” In order to gain Group 4 homologation, 400 units of the super sports car had to be built within a period of 24 months. As Theissen continues: “The idea of organising a single-make series was born out of necessity – i.e. the requirements of homologation. Nobody expected the BMW M1 Procar series to go down quite so well. Just a mention of it today still triggers an enthusiastic reaction. This revival serves as a ‘thank you’ to the fans.”

“There hasn’t been a series as attractive as this before or since,” says Marc Surer. Now working as a Formula One expert on TV, Surer is well placed to judge. As a young Formula 2 driver, he conducted testing and set-up work for the prototypes at the time. “With its mid-engined layout, the M1 was a bit of an animal to drive and had an outrageous soundtrack. The series fed off the appeal of the cars and the opportunity for young drivers to measure themselves against the leading Formula One stars at the time.”

The five fastest drivers from Friday practice for the Formula One Grand Prix earned themselves a drive in the M1 race. The 15 remaining 500 hp machines were piloted by hungry young hopefuls. “You were really somebody if you got to drive in one of those races,” recalls Surer. “It was a unique opportunity to pit your skills against the F1 drivers – and they were certainly pretty quick in the M1. The handling of the mid-engined car suited them down to the ground. Plus, in 1979 – the first of the two years the series was held – they always started from the front and were given works cars. That made it pretty tough for us junior drivers in the independent teams. We had to look after our car, but at the same time did everything we could to make our mark.”

The idea of developing the BMW M1, however, was the brainchild of Jochen Neerpasch, the head of BMW Motorsport GmbH at the time, and it was he who initiated the single-make series with Bernie Ecclestone and Max Mosley within the relatively relaxed structure of F1 three decades ago.

A handful of past masters are set to line up once again for the two show races at Hockenheim. Surer will be joined by Jacques Laffite, Dieter Quester, Christian Danner, Harald Grohs and Prince Leopold of Bavaria. Jochen Neerpasch will also be there, at the wheel of the BMW M1 turned into an Art Car by Andy Warhol. His co-driver will be none other than Frank Stella, who also created an Art Car – a BMW 3.0 CSL which raced at Le Mans in 1976. The 72-year-old remains a keen motor racing fan.

Canada: Hyundai prices Genesis from $37 995

Hyundai Auto Canada has announced that its all-new premium sedan, the 2009 Genesis, will start at $37,995 with a V6 engine and $43,995 for a V8.

“This is a luxury car without a luxury price,” said John Vernile, vice-president, sales and marketing. “With the 2009 Genesis, we wanted to demonstrate that Hyundai can offer all the quality consumers demand from a vehicle today, all the equipment they deserve, and all the power they could want. We are proud to offer a vehicle with the amenities, driving character and performance people would expect from Japanese or European luxury vehicles at a more motivating price. With this pricing, the Genesis will make a premium driving experience accessible to a wide range of deserving customers.”

The Azera, which serves as the automaker's flagship sedan until the Genesis' arrival, tops out at $39 195 for the Limited. In other words, the Genesis is priced fairly competitively as it packs more features than that car. The Genesis is slated to go on sale this July.

USA: Kia Soul to appear "disguised" during Vans Warped Tour

Kia announced that it will display a disguised pre-production Soul at the 2008 Vans Warped Tour this summer. As part of an exclusive vehicle sponsorship between the automaker and the group, the specially-designed Soul will make appearances at the "Soul Lounge" in every 46 tour stops.

The Soul will be be adorned with camouflage masks at the front and rear, portraying the signature Vans' checkerboard pattern. Special red-spoked wheels and red mirrors highlight the various embellishments added onto the car. Darkened windows will ensure the interior will be kept unseen from prying eyes until the Soul makes its official unveiling at the Paris Motor Show this September.

Kia stated in its press release that the Soul will go on sale in spring 2009. The Soul's primary rival will be the Scion xB and the upcoming Nissan Cube.

2009 Mitsubishi Lancer

The 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer debuted at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit with a bold new design that was first revealed at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show in the exciting Mitsubishi Concept-X. Alongside the 2008 Lancer in Detroit was the Prototype X, described as being 98 percent of what the next-generation Evolution will be when it debuts next fall at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Mitsubishi has confirmed the look of the Evolution X with the release of the first official photos, but no other details have been announced.
The Prototype X differs from the standard Lancer in its deeper, gray-colored grille, oversized rear spoiler, underside air diffuser, lightweight wheels, low-profile tires, and Brembo brakes along with a new all-wheel-drive system. The Prototype X is powered by an all-new aluminum 2.0-liter DOHC MIVE turbocharged intercooled engine that in the Evolution X is expected to produce more than 300 horsepower which will be the highest output of any Evolution to date. Both the Concept-X and the Prototype X feature a new auto-manual 6-speed transmission that allows the driver to shift manually using paddle shifters without operating the clutch and a similar transmission is expected for the Evolution X. The Concept-X also features the latest version of Mitsubishi’s 4WD-based Super All-Wheel-Control (S-AWC) vehicle dynamics control system which may be included as well.

Land Rover in Argentina

There are a lot of ways to play
tourist. By plane, car, even tour bus. But, you really haven't seen a
country until you tour the land - the Land Rover way. Getting up close
and personal with a country's eco-system and really understanding the
terrain. Well recently we did just that in Argentina, where Land Rover
showed off their legendary off-road prowess in true South American
fashion.

Actually,
more like gasping for air, as we tackled Argentina's Road to the Clouds
for three days of high-altitude off-roading in the 2008 Land Rover LR3.

One thousand miles and what seems
like a few centuries removed from Buenos Aires, our journey began in
the small town of Cafayete, in the heart of the wine growing region of
northwestern Argentina. From there, we drove roughly north towards
Chile and the Andes mountains, following portions of the national Ruta
40 as well as some challenging sections of purely off-road trails.

Argentina's
Ruta 40 runs for 5,200 kilometers along the whole length of the country
and is one of the most remote and least traveled roads in the world.
Much like our own Route 66, it is Argentina's Mother Road, linking an
endless chain of forgotten villages and Pre-Inca ruins.

Ruta
40 passes through an amazing variety of terrain, from fertile grazing
land to desert, and through rocky gorges to the highest drivable
mountain pass in the Americas, the cold and very windy Paso Abra el
Acay, at an altitude of just over 5,000 meters - that's 16,000 feet to
you and me.

Our fleet of LR3s were
powered by 2.7 liter common rail high-pressure turbo-diesel V6s. This
is Land Rover's best-selling engine in many world markets, but
emissions regulations have so far kept it out of the U.S. Except at the
very highest altitudes, the diesel's 190 horsepower and 325 foot-pounds
of torque was more than enough to meet our needs and provided smooth,
quiet running in all situations.

To
tackle the rough stuff, Land Rover equips the LR3 with permanent
four-wheel drive with low range and a host of innovative technologies,
and thankfully equipped us with expert guides to talk us through the
tricky parts. In addition to the by-now-familiar Hill Descent Control,
the LR3 also sports a Terrain Response system with presets for ride
height, diff lock, throttle sensitivity, traction and stability
controls for five driver-selectable road conditions.

We
eventually made use of all five, but so good are the LR3's inherent
capabilities that we ventured miles into a sandy, muddy river bed
before knowing we should have switched out of the default "General"
mode at the start.

Cushy seats
alone won't give you a comfortable ride when the road ends, but after
three days of rough trails, we can say that nobody makes off-roading
more civilized than Land Rover. A long-travel suspension and
ultra-stiff body structure are the real secrets to LR's legendary
off-road comfort. They turned what would have been a dusty,
bone-rattling journey into a pleasant, but still dusty, country drive.

Despite
covering hundreds of off-road miles at a sometimes hair-raising pace,
we also found time to meet some of the locals and to appreciate the
region's unique culture: exchanging gifts at a local school, sipping
coffee in a town square, or stopping to barter with the "Llama Lady"
halfway to nowhere on a high mountain path.

Away
from the cities, life here is simple - poor only by our pampered
standards - but certainly lacking the hustle and bustle and many of the
trappings of so-called "modern" culture.

Needless
to say, our time in Argentina was all too brief, but long enough to
renew our admiration for this remarkable go-anywhere vehicle, and make
us wish we didn't have to leave that beautiful country behind. So
whether your next adventure takes you across the Andes or just across
town, the Land Rover LR3 is ready when you are.

Korea: Ford releases S-MAX 7-seater

Ford
Korea began sales of the sport multi-purpose vehicle S-MAX on the 22nd
of June. The automaker recently released another European-catered model
- Mondeo - in the Korean market. Featuring the famed Kinetic Design,
the S-MAX packs items that were previously unheard of in MPVs such as
Adaptive Cruise Control and Human Machine Interface.

The S-MAX
is powered by a 130 horsepower 2.0L Duratorq TDCi diesel engine. It
comes with Ford's Durashift 6-speed automatic transmission. The S-MAX
packs a plethora of premium goodies including bi-xenon front lighting
system, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Hill-Launch Assist, seven
airbags, and panorama glass roof. It also comes with Ford's Fold Flat
System, which enables both the second and third-row seats to fold flat
for optimum load capabilities. Also a Ford first is the Human Machine
Interface (HMI), which allows the driver to manoeuvre audio controls at
the flick of a thumb on the steering wheel.

The S-MAX has no direct rivals in the market yet. It is priced at 42.5 million Won ($41 279USD).

Spied: 2010 Kia Forte caught testing in US

Leftlane
has posted several spyshots of the Kia Forte/Spectra undergoing testing
in the U.S. for the first time. This indicates that it is entering the
final stages of its testing. Designed by Peter Schreyer - the genius
who also penned the Audi TT MKI and the Volkswagen New Beetle - the
Forte will replace the Spectra later this year.

Speculations
point to the Forte being nearly identical to the Hyundai Elantra in
features. The Forte is also expected to be propelled by the same 138
horsepower 2.0L Beta 4-cylinder engine. However, we might see a higher
horsepower rating in the Forte as Kia pursues to differentiate itself
from Hyundai. Unlike the current generation Spectra, the Forte will
only be available in a four-door guise initially. The KOUP Concept acts
as the precursor to a possible two-door variant in the near future.

The
Korean-market Forte will be officially unveiled on August 21st,
according to Kia. The USDM Forte is slated to debut later in the year,
with sales following early 2009. Head to Leftlane by clicking the
source to view the images in full glory.

I know, they're motor cycle

It's tire change over time again and our appointment book is beginning to fill up.


Those of you with the foresight and the mullah to have a spare set of
wheels with tires already mounted, will be in and out
in no time, at minimum cost and with a minimum amount of agro.


Those of you without spare wheels will have to pay for removing the
winter tire, cleaning and grinding rust off the rims,

putting in a new valve, mounting the summer tire, moving from the
mounting machine to the balancing machine,

applying balance weights as the computer dictates (lead is no longer a
cheap commodity!) often on both the outside
and the inside and reinstall on the vehicle.


And then Uncle Phil (yours truly) has to take the car out for a test
drive, to make sure all is well.
And we do this with EVERY car, no exceptions.


If you are blessed with mag wheels or, more importantly, tire pressure
sensors, extra charges will apply because more
caution and therefore more time, is needed to complete this operation.


Prices will vary from place to place for this type of work and on
paper, we're at the top end of the scale. However, we won't go

looking for extra work, unlike many tire stores and particularly the
"big red triangle" . If we DO find something that concerns us,
we will stop work until you've had a chance to see it for yourself.


Many times, low prices for tire mounting are set on the assumption that
more work, either imaginary or legitimate, can be found.


In the words of the famous nursery rhyme, "Come in to the parlour said
the spider to the fly".


One thing you should note is that the law does not require oil and tire
changers to have any automotive qualifications of any kind.

They do not have to have a union, or parity committee, card. So the big
discount stores that offer rudimentary auto service are

usually staffed by teenagers right off the street being paid minimum
wage. Slinging hamburgers at Macidee is considered to
more challenging.


When the pressure comes on, as it will in a couple of weeks, don't
expect to get your rims ground and cleaned before the tires

are installed, you MAY get a new valve, your wheel nuts MAY be
tightened to manufacturers spec, or maybe not. Not when an

impact wrench adjusted to full speed is used and by the same token,
you'll be lucky if you don't get any broken studs,
or distorted rotors.


If you're also lucky, the air won't be introduced into the tire until
it has settled on the rim properly and therefore isn't egg shaped.


The worst case of "express" tire mounting that I ever knew of
personally, involved a lady who backed out of a well known discount

emporium, only to have all four wheels fall off. Not a wheel nut in
sight, anywhere. $2000 later the store settled out of court.


One thing you can say for the huge discount stores is that, since
they're not in the car repair business, they won't lie to you about
what your car needs in the way of repairs.


I have to boast that my technicians, well paid as they are, take the
time to get it right the first time and no-one is going to persuade

them to cut corners, Their attitude is as different to the average tire
changer as chalk is to cheese.

Accent CNG launched

Hyundai
Motor India Limited (HMIL) has launched a dual-fuel version of the
Accent which will run on CNG as well as petrol. It will be Rs 56,500
dearer than the existing model and will be available first in the NCR
region.

The 1.5-litre petrol engine
is capable of running on CNG without any modification. The CNG kit is
supplied by CEV, a Korean company. The CNG kit meets Euro 3 emission
norms, the onboard cylinder has a capacity of approximately 12kg and
the running costs are estimated to be about Rs 1.15/km. HMIL is
planning to launch LPG variants of all its models, beginning with the
Santro in August.

USA: Kia plans to add more small cars

Bloomberg
has reported that Kia Motors is planning to add more compact cars into
its U.S. lineup, as gas prices have been steadily escalating in the
recent months.

"We'll have more small cars. We have an advantage
in small cars," Chung Eui-Sun, president of Kia Motors, stated at the
grand opening ceremony of the automaker's new U.S. headquarters in
Irvine, California. This move came as demand for sport-utility vehicles
and trucks has seen plunges as of late.

The 15 Millionth Volvo

The
15 millionth Volvo unit has rolled off the plant just this February and
it now belongs to Paul and Aimee Kay. The couple is proud of their
acquisition and the company behind the vehicle is proud that they have
been able to manufacture that much vehicles already. According to the
company, the very first unit came out in April of 1927 and it was
called the OV4. This OV4 is actually a convertible.

Now
80 years and 10 months later, Volvo sends out its 15 millionth vehicle,
the C70, and yes, it is another convertible. Despite the years between
the production of the two vehicles, the car maker has been able to
create vehicles which would not only give you your needs and wants in a
vehicle – it would also give you safety. And safety is something that
Volvo has been very consistent with in their vehicles.

So this is Kudos to Volvo and to more vehicles from you!

Spied: 2010 Kia Forte caught testing in US

Leftlane
has posted several spyshots of the Kia Forte/Spectra undergoing testing
in the U.S. for the first time. This indicates that it is entering the
final stages of its testing. Designed by Peter Schreyer - the genius
who also penned the Audi TT MKI and the Volkswagen New Beetle - the
Forte will replace the Spectra later this year.

Speculations
point to the Forte being nearly identical to the Hyundai Elantra in
features. The Forte is also expected to be propelled by the same 138
horsepower 2.0L Beta 4-cylinder engine. However, we might see a higher
horsepower rating in the Forte as Kia pursues to differentiate itself
from Hyundai. Unlike the current generation Spectra, the Forte will
only be available in a four-door guise initially. The KOUP Concept acts
as the precursor to a possible two-door variant in the near future.

The
Korean-market Forte will be officially unveiled on August 21st,
according to Kia. The USDM Forte is slated to debut later in the year,
with sales following early 2009. Head to Leftlane by clicking the
source to view the images in full glory.