Kia Pro_cee’d GT convertible concept answers a question no one was asking

By Stephen Edelstein June 3, 2013

With summer unofficially here, it’s the perfect time to put the top down and enjoy a convertible. From the Mazda Miata to the BMW 3 Series, there are many fine choices, but what about a Kia?

This surprisingly alluring sketch of a Kia Pro_cee’d GT convertible appeared on fan site KiaWorld.net (yes, Kia has a fan site, for the Internet is vast) and while its provenance is unclear, it does pose an interesting question.

Kia has been trying hard to move beyond its stereotypical image, because its stereotypical image involves a lot of shame and the relative merits of bus passes. Part of that movement is expansion into new market segments.

So while Kia is known for building economical mainstream cars, it’s also selling the Quoris luxury sedan, and has even hinted at a Subari BRZ/Scion FR-S-fighting sports car.

Those cars are a stretch for Kia, but this little convertible is a stretch in general.

The name may look like someone had a seizure while typing, but the Pro_cee’d GT is actually a performance version of the Cee’d hatchback, known the world over as Top Gear’s Reasonably Priced Car.

That means the car we see here is a front-wheel drive hatchback that’s been, err, converted into a convertible, and has some sporting pretensions. We know just one other car like that: the Volkswagen Golf R Cabriolet.

Not sold in the United States, the Golf R Cabriolet actually has more power than its tin-top sibling (261 hp versus 256), but it doesn’t have the latter’s 4Motion all-wheel drive grip or structural rigidity. That makes it a bit of an oddball.

The Pro_cee’d GT convertible would have the same problems as the Golf. Hot hatchbacks frankly lose much of their allure when the utility of a hardtop is taken away and replaced with less rigidity and less practicality.

Also, if Kia put the Pro_cee’d GT into production, it would be at even more of a disadvantage. The Golf is the king of front-wheel drive compacts, with decades of credibility to draw on. Kia has none of that.

If the front-wheel drive sporty convertible niche doesn’t work for Volkswagen, it’s unlikely that it will work for Kia. How about a rear-wheel drive sports car instead?

Would you buy a sporty convertible with a Kia badge? Tell us in the comments.

Stephen Edelstein

Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

Cars

Tesla’s fix for faulty Cybertruck pedal is simpler than you might think

Tesla Cybertruck

Less than five months after handing over the first Cybertrucks to customers, Tesla has had to recall the electric pickup to fix an issue with the accelerator.

In a notice issued on Friday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said that the recall impacts Cybertruck vehicles manufactured from November 13, 2023, to April 4, 2024. This suggests that all -- or almost all -- of the 3,878 Cybertrucks being recalled are those that have been manufactured to date.

Cars

Ford Mustang Mach-E 2024 vs. Mach-E 2023: What’s new in Ford’s electric Mustang?

Blue Ford Mustang Mach-E on a rooftop

The Ford Mustang Mach-E is easily one of the best EVs for the price, offering a solid range, sleek design, and pretty good tech on the inside. In recent years, it has gotten even cheaper -- thanks in large part to a price war between it and the Tesla Model 3. And, the company just took the wraps off of the latest and greatest version of the Mach-E, labeled as the 2024 model.

The 2024 Mustang Mach-E is notably different from the 2023 iteration in some meaningful ways. So much so that we decided to take a look at the two head-to-head -- to see if it was better to pay for the 2024 model or save some cash on any remaining 2023 stock.
Design
The Mustang Mach-E looks relatively unique -- in a good way. And thankfully, Ford has largely kept the overall design the same for the 2024 model, at least when it comes to the more consumer-focused models. The car retains the slatted taillights and crossover size. It also offers a large selection of colors, including the very blue Grabber Blue Metallic, as well as Rapid Red Metallic. It's a good selection of colors, and there should be an option for most buyers.

Cars

Tesla to begin production on new, more affordable models

Tesla Model 3

With competition increasing from Chinese and other automakers, Tesla boss Elon Musk revealed on Tuesday that his company is planning to begin production of new, more affordable models in “early 2025, if not late this year.” Notably, that's earlier than the previously stated date of late 2025, though whether Musk actually succeeds in meeting the earlier production time frame is another question entirely.

The news came as Tesla released its latest quarterly figures. Revenue for the electric vehicle maker came in at $21.3 billion, down from the $23.3 billion it reported for the same three-month period a year earlier and also down from the $25.2 billion reported in the previous quarter. Profit reached $1.1 billion, marking a 55% fall compared to the same period a year ago.