Picanto News: Kia Realign Picanto Range And Prices

For 2007, the Picanto range will be rationalised to a more focussed line-up which will offer even more value-for-money than ever before.

The entry model will now be the GS grade which is being re-priced to match the specification of the previous Zapp model at £5995.

There will also be a new LS derivative, which is based on the same specification as the previous 1.1 Zapp A/C models (i.e. GS grade plus air conditioning) priced from £6595. An automatic transmission is optional on the LS grade at £800.

Kia expect the LS with air conditioning to be the volume model in the range. The S, Zapp!, Zapp A/C, Zipp!, LX and SE Picanto will be phased out, indicating a new or at least a facelifted version later in the summer of 2007.

Picanto News: Kia Continue £20 Marks & Spencer Test Drive Incentive

As we posted earlier, Kia are continuing with their incentivised test drive campaign which proved successful in the latter part of 2006.

The scheme, which offered a £20 Marks & Spencer voucher if you took a test-drive in a new Kia Picanto or other Kia model, resulted in over 11,000 test drive voucher downloads in 2006 and to date, more than 4000 redeeemed test drive vouchers, indicating the number of test drives taken.

Although the campaign in the 1st quarter of 2007 will largely be the same, Kia are modifying the creative message and the media placement to make the offer more bespoke to new car buyers.

More information on this offer visit the Kia website

Picanto News: Kia Sales Success Continues To Grow

With the new year well under way, Kia Europe published their final figures for 2006 reaching a grand total of 271,261 units.

This was however, 2% down on 2005, but was to expected due to 6 new product launches, product shortages, a new factory in Slovakia to rectify those product shortages as well the up and coming Ceed launch to contend with.

Top of the European charts as usual was the Picanto with 83,203 units sold - including more than 16,000 in Italy, the model´s biggest market.

"Kia´s strong 2006 sales performance in Europe during our year of consolidation again demonstrates how our products now meet the needs of European consumers," commented Mr Jean-Charles Lievens, Senior Vice President Kia Motors Europe. "More and more new customers are switching to the Kia brand and this is very encouraging for everyone in our expanding dealer network as we start the New Year."

For Kia, the top markets in Europe in 2006 were Spain (46,378 sales, up 2%), Germany (42,920), the UK (36,583), Italy (36,090), France (19,972, up 4%) and Netherlands (19,114).

Globally the Picanto achieved (130,169 sales) and was Kia's second best selling car.