Kia's all-new Picanto 04 | 01 | 2011

THIS IS the first glimpse of Kia's all-new, next generation Picanto city car. The newcomer, which will be officially unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show In march before entering Scottish showrooms probably later in the year, boasts a bolder, more mature and more self confident look.

In keeping with the current approach to car development, the new Picanto has a longer wheelbase and overall length, and has been completely redesigned and re-engineered.

“In profile, new Picanto features significant sculpting and a very prominent rising character line," Kia’s Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer, said. "The result is a layering of light and shadow and this breaks up the height, giving the car a more sure-footed stance.”

Ok, '"light and shadow" designer-speak apart, the new Picanto will be offered as a five-door globally, while a sportier three-door body style will also be made available in the UK and European markets. The current car is available only as a dated five-door hatchback.

The replacement will also be available with a choice of four all-new 1.0- and 1.2-litre engines, all boasting class-leading CO2 emissions levels. In addition to the standard petrol engines, LPG, bi-fuel and flex-fuel variations will be available depending on local market requirements.

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