Kia puts the Soul in Motown

We've driven the new Kia Soul already, but it won't hit UK showrooms until March 2009, so Kia will keep the Soul fires burning with a new take on the car for January's Detroit motor show.

This tantalising teaser picture is the only information Kia is willing to venture about the new version, apart from to say it “will demonstrate the flexibility of the original Soul design first shown at the 2006 North American International Auto Show.” What part the neon blue lights play in that is anyone's guess, but they do look very cool, don't they?

Kia's announcement is the latest in the steady trickle of unveils beginning to emerge prior to the Detroit show, which officially kicks off on January 11th. Indeed, Subaru and BMW have both just confirmed their roster of new metal for the show. As we reported yesterday, Subaru will unveil the brand new Legacy in Motown, but it has now confirmed appearance of a host of Impreza special editions (including, ironically, a WRC replica car), as well as a 'Concept Feature Reveal Concept Vehicle'. Intriguing.

BMW has, as expected, confirmed it will debut the all-new Z4 roadster at Detroit too, taking both the sDrive35i (a 3.0-litre, six-cylinder twin-turbocharged version with 300bhp) and the sDrive30i, which develops 255bhp.

Mark Nichol