Kia reveals Proceed Concept ahead of Frankfurt Motor Show

Kia Motors has revealed new images of the Proceed Concept. Kia’s new concept car makes its world debut at the 2017 Frankfurt International Motor Show on September 12 (Hall 9 of the Frankfurt Messe exhibition centre).

Designed at Kia’s European design centre in Frankfurt, the Proceed Concept indicates what the next-generation cee’d could look like.

The concept presents a new body type for the Korean carmaker. The extended hot hatch retains the athleticism of the current pro_cee’d model, while combining its striking visual presence with a dash of real-world versatility.

Gregory Guillaume, Chief Designer Europe for Kia Motors, says: “With many European drivers now seeking performance alternatives to the three-door hot hatch, we began thinking about a different halo model for the cee’d family. The Proceed Concept represents a bold new vision of how the vibrant soul of the pro_cee’d could be reincarnated and revitalised for a new generation of performance-oriented drivers.”

Low, lean and lithe, the Proceed Concept has a rakish roofline, muscular proportions and compact footprint. The silhouette of the car is complemented by a series of distinctive design cues. A dynamic window frame follows the roofline to the rear tailgate, while the striking ‘Sharkblade’ in the bodywork, complete with GT logo, reinforces its lack of B-pillars. Lateral strakes exaggerate the Proceed Concept’s slim waistline and lend an air of muscularity to the rear of the car. It runs on six-spoke aluminium alloy wheels, 20 inches in diameter.

Where daytime running lights have become a key element in a car’s identity, the Proceed Concept uses light in other ways. The concept features a ‘Luminline’ – an illuminated outline of the car’s glasshouse that greets drivers as they approach the car. This serves as a powerful nocturnal visual identifier for the Proceed Concept, highlighting its fastback shape.

The concept’s dramatic roofline flows into a tailgate characterised by its stacked air vents, and the rippled surface of a rear light strip inspired by molten ferromagnetic metal.

While the car's stance and proportions may be new, the Proceed Concept features many of Kia’s now familiar design motifs. The iconic ‘tiger nose’ grille, the sculpted ‘island’ bonnet inspired by the Stinger, the castellated windscreen, the full-length roof glazing, and Kia’s inimitable mix of curvaceous sheetmetal and taut creases. Each element singles out the Proceed Concept as a truly modern Kia.

The concept is finished in bespoke ‘Lava Red’ paintwork. This has been created by combining multiple hand-applied layers of black, chrome-effect silver, and red-tinted lacquer for a glossy, lustrous paint finish.