Picanto News: Picanto's Lost Its Glamour

Well its finally happened, Kia is dropping the Glamour from its range in the UK.

The decision comes on the back of difficult sales conversions by its dealer network to sell them. Not that there has been a problem selling Picanto, on the contrary, the S, GS and LX are selling like hotcakes.

But from what I understand it's the bright pink badging putting customers off, sounds strange I know, but seriously I have it on good authority that is the reason.

I mean you'd think all the customer would do was just pull the badges off, but it just puts them off. So dealers have been pulling them off and re-badging them as sports due to the fact the Glamour comes with alloys and a really good spec.

I think there is always a tendency to overdo the marketing of car and try to push it into a certain area. Kia see the Picanto as a fun, young persons car but the reality of the situation is that it appeals to all ages. Nothing like customer power to keep the car makers on their toes and give them what they want.

I suppose at least they have listened to the customers and dealers in the end.

What took them so long?

Picanto News: New Kia Picanto SE +

A new Kia Picanto is to be introduced to the family in November/December 2005. Full details have yet to be released but the model will be called the SE +.

The main bullet points will be:

• It will be a 5-seat, M/T only model, priced from £7,695 OTR
  
• Based on the LX, the specification includes air conditioning, front fog
  lamps, a new leather and cloth trim, an extended metal grain dash and
  upgraded instrument meter surround trim
• Exterior changes include a new horizontal-style chrome grille and new
  design 14” alloy wheels
  
• It will be available in red, black, silver, cobalt blue and diamond blue
  
• Insurance Group Rating 3 (Same as LX and previous SE)
  

Looking forward to bringing you more details on that one.

Picanto News: Picanto TV

Kia UK have made a series of new television ads for the Kia Picanto. The ads will run from October 2nd until the 3rd week in October.

The ads will focus heavily on displaying the compelling consumer offers on Picanto such as 1 years insurance for £1.

Picanto News: Free Dual Controls For Picanto LX

Kia UK have announced that as of October 1st any driving school purchasing a Kia Picanto LX will be entitled to free dual controls.

Sounds cool to us, but why make these available only on the LX?

You can image in the boardroom the executive standing up and saying: "I have a great idea, why not offer free dual controls for driving schools on the LX Picanto". And then everybody standing up and giving him a round of applause.

Maybe the LX isn't selling as well as the rest of the range, who knows, but surely it would be better to offer them on that Glamour model which dealers are saying isn't selling that well because of the girly name.