More Reader Spy Shots: Kia's Small MPV Snapped in the Czech Republic

Carscoop readers Vladimir Pekulas and Jan Mlejnek bagged these shots of Kia's forthcoming mini-MPV on the highway near Mlada Boleslav in the Czech Republic. If you take a closer look at the pics after the jump, you'll see that the man sitting in the passenger's seat of the Kia test car retaliated against our readers by taking or pretending to take, photos of them also... But anyways, let's refresh our memory on Kia's new model which has yet to be named.

The five-seater MPV is in effect the production version of Kia's No3 Concept study that was shown for the first time in Geneva earlier this year. The Korean automaker's retort to the likes of the Honda Jazz, Opel Meriva and Citroen C3 Picasso uses the same architecture as the Kia Soul and Hyundai i20.

It is anticipated that the small MPV's engine range will comprise of 1.6-liter petrol and diesel units, both producing an output of 126HP, while certain markets may also receive a 115HP 1.6-liter diesel along with a range-topping 2.0-liter gasoline engine making 142HP.

Kia will most probably swoop the covers off the mini-MPV at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September with European sales set to start before the end of the year. Like the European market Cee'd, the MPV will be produced at the Hyundai Group's new plant in the Czech Republic.

"Děkuji" Vladimir Pekulas & Jan Mlejnek for the pics!

READ MORE - More Reader Spy Shots: Kia's Small MPV Snapped in the Czech Republic

2011 Opel Corsa Facelift Pictures Found and Confirmed on Official Site

A couple of weeks, we told you about a series of photos showing the 2011/2012 Opel Corsa facelift. To recap, according to numerous tipsters including Carscoop reader Javier, the pictures were found momentarily on Opel's German site, but were removed shortly after some users started uploading the images on the firm's Facebook page. Unfortunately, we weren't able to verify the claim then.

But Javier kept on looking and this time, he was able to tip us off in a timely manner about the Corsa facelift making its appearance on Opel's Belgian website. And yes, we can confirm their authenticity. The pictures of the standard 3-door and 5-door Corsa as well as of the OPC hot hatch that you see in our gallery after the jump were downloaded by us.

The only visible change over the current Corsa concerns the refreshed fascia that receives a crispier front grille similar to the one found on the updated 2011 Antara we told about yesterday, reshaped headlamps and a new design for the bumper with a wider lower grille and taller housings for the fog lamps (expect the OPC).

That's all we have for now, but we'll update this story as soon as something pops up on our radar.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

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READ MORE - 2011 Opel Corsa Facelift Pictures Found and Confirmed on Official Site

Opel Insignia OPC Sports Tourer: High-Res Gallery and Details on 325HP Estate

What we have here are the first official photographs of the more practical, estate version of GM's Opel Insignia OPC. Aimed squarely at the Audi S4 Avant and the BMW 335i Touring, the Insignia OPC station wagon or as Opel prefers to call it, the Sports Tourer, shares the same mechanical underpinnings with the four-door sedan model introduced earlier this month. It comes with a four-wheel drive chassis mated to a 2.8-liter V6 equipped with a twin-scroll turbo cranking out 325 horsepower and 400Nm or 295-lbs/ft of torque.

The hot Insignia Sports Tourer that will be sold in the UK with the VXR badge send power to all wheels through a six speed manual gearbox. Like its sedan offspring, the transmission is coupled to an electronic limited-slip differential (eLSD) claimed to reduce wheelspin.

Performance-wise, Opel give a zero to 60mpg (96km/h) sprint time of 6.0 seconds, or 0.2 seconds slower than the Insignia OPC sedan, while the estates top speed is electronically governed at 250km/h or 155mph.

Other than that, the Sports Tourer features the same mechanical upgrades as the sedan including a lower suspension and beefier Brembo brakes with cross-drilled discs all around.

Same goes for the visual enhancements with the Insignia Sports Tourer OPC boasting a new front fascia with tear-like air scoops at both corners, side skirts and a redesigned rear bumper that integrates the chromed exhaust pipes. Inside, the hot Insignia estate sports Recaro buckets, a new three-spoke steering wheel with a flattened bottom, leather gear knob, sill plates and a sportier instrument cluster.

Opel's sportyliscious estate will go on sale across Europe this fall.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

READ MORE - Opel Insignia OPC Sports Tourer: High-Res Gallery and Details on 325HP Estate