Kia Releases First Photo of Chicago-Bound Track’ster Concept

Courtesy of Automobile Magazine

Having shown off a sketch last week, Kia has now released the first photo of its Track’ster concept car. The model will bow later this week at the Chicago auto show, but is not slated for series production.

The prior teaser sketch showed that the three-door Track’ster had a sloping roofline, big showy wheels, and an aggressive scallop in the front fender. This rear shot shows the car has a squat stance, with flared fenders leading into a greenhouse that tapers at the top. Twin round exhaust tips, bracket-shaped taillights, and vents in the bumper further dress up the Track’sters rear. The car is loosely based on the production Kia Soul hatchback.

Kia says the Track’ster, which is the brainchild of the company’s California design studio, is a performance-themed variant shows “what the Soul could someday be.” Lead designer Tom Kearns echoed those sentiments, saying the Track’ster has a “rebellious, individual, and urban character.”

The company says the Track’ster concept would be powered by a gasoline engine with about 247 hp on tap. However, there are no plans to put a model like this into series production. The concept car will be unveiled publicly later this week in Chicago.