When the KIA Soul�ster Concept premiered at the 2009 North American International Auto Show, it turned heads. Even though the 2dr open-top SUV design was well-received by the media and public, rumours surfaced of a production model, planned for the near future. Apparently, Kia has now cancelled its plans to build the Soul'ster for production.
In order for Kia approve the Soul�ster, Orth Hedrick, director of product planning, said �You have to have broader appeal� to justify the development time and money it would take to bring the model to market. He added that a production Soul'ster would be an �almost all-new vehicle,� due to structural and weight differences from the regular Soul.
�The business case is really what we have to keep studying all the time,� said Hedrick, noting developing and selling Soul variants would be a challenge, �especially in this environment.�
Hedrick also confirmed that the Soul will undergo revised front and rear fascias, as well as receive more upmarket features for the mid-cycle change in 2012.
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