Originally, the company...
Originally, the company claimed it was confident of shifting 10,000 models across Europe every year by 2010. But with only 600 examples of the BLS finding homes in the UK in 2006, that ambitious target has now been dropped.
The striking Mesa concept...
The striking Mesa concept is built on the platform of the next-generation Sorento, due late next year, and features a powerful V8 engine. It"s the work of Kia"s California-based design studio. Company vice president Yong-Hwan Kim said: "The Mesa exemplifies the future of the SUV market and is a glimpse of the dynamic designs to come from us."
Thanks to a monocoque construction, rather than a separate ladderframe chassis, the high-end 4x4 is designed to offer car-like road manners, yet still provide genuine mud-plugging ability.
Inside it"s luxury all the way, with dual full-length sunroofs and individual captain"s chairs. Those in the rear are kept entertained by a DVD player and a surround-sound speaker system.