Kia Venga to debut at Frankfurt

Kia will unveil its all-new baby-car contender, the Venga (presumably not named after the trashy 1990s Eurodance band -- the Vengaboys), at the upcoming Frankfurt motor show.

The new B-segment contender was conceived exclusively for the European market (it goes on sale there later this year), and there are as yet no plans at to offer it in Australia.

Based on the 'No 3' concept shown at Geneva in March, the Venga was designed, engineered and manufactured in Europe and Kia says it offers C-segment-matching levels of interior space, despite is compact exterior dimensions.

Spanning 4068mm from bumper to bumper, the Venga has an unusually long wheelbase for its class -- 2615 mm -- and its high roofline (it stands 1600mm tall) is claimed to maximise headroom.

The company says every engine in the Venga line-up will be available with Kia's fuel-saving Intelligent Stop and Go technology and will comply with Euro 5 emission standards. 

The Venga will be offered with a choice of 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre petrol and diesel engines, generating between 55kW and 85kW.

The Venga will be equipped with a sliding 60/40 split rear seat that also folds flat into the floor to create a spacious cargo bay and, a twin-level boot floor and -- depending on model -- a tilt-and-slide all-glass panoramic roof.

Although it's not destined for our shores, we still applaud the Venga's stylish proportions, no doubt largely due to the direction provided by design chief Peter Schreyer, who previously gave us automotive icons such as the original Audi TT and 1997 A6 sedan.

Schreyer was also responsible for Volkswagen's sublime Concept R roadster, which, unfortunately, never made the transition to production-ready status.

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