Kia Track’ster Unveiled at Chicago Auto Show

Amid the driving rhythm of heavy-metal music, smoke and blinding lights, Kia Motors America (KMA) took the wraps off a three-door Soul coupe concept that hints at what could possibly be the future of Kia’s Soul.

“The idea was to make the Track’ster tough looking, like a bulldog,” said Tom Kearns, chief designer for KMA. “But the car had to be approachable as well. We wanted to base the car in reality so people instantly knew it was a Soul, but with a lot of attitude. It had to be a bold interpretation that would change people’s conceptions of what a sporty Kia could be.”

The bold attitude Kearns refers to starts with the Whiteout and Inferno Orange paint scheme. While the white portrays complex layers and shades that contribute to dramatic depth, the orange is perfectly suited for racing, believes the company.

Kia’s signature grille features an air intake slit and is trimmed in lightweight carbon fiber. Smoothly integrated head lights sweep back suggestively over the sculpted front-wheel arches. The deeply recessed lenses echo the trapezoid themes found throughout the Track’ster and are accented with compelling LEDs.

While there are no current plans to produce the Track’ster, Kia’s California design center team enthusiastically took on the project. “Concept cars are icing on the cake,” said Kearns. “They allow KMA’s design team to dream about what could be. Whether that dream becomes a reality or not is a separate question.”