In addition to our own scoops, Kia has offered us teaser sketches and preliminary specifications on the GT variant of the five-door Cee'd and the three-door Pro_Cee'd.
As it turns out, though, Kia has done much more than that as we were tipped off about a video shot earlier this month in which a one Vadim Ovsiankin has not only filmed a prototype of the Pro_Cee'd GT inside and out, but he also took it for a spin on the road, where we see the sport hatch hitting speeds of up to 180km/h (112mph) on public roads.
Kia's two new GT models are powered by a new version of the brand's 1.6-litre GDI (Gasoline Direct Injection) petrol engine fitted with a twin-scroll turbocharger and strengthened internal components. Maximum output is 204PS (201bhp), up 51 per cent over the non-turbo engine, with torque up 61 per cent to 265 Nm (195 lb/ft).
Now, we have a batch of fresh spy shots of a Pro_Cee'd GT prototype as it was entering Kia's technical center in Germany.
The car was heavily camouflaged, but we can still see some of the details such as the unique 18-inch alloy wheels with red brake calipers, side skirts, the large oval tailpipes on either side of the rear diffuser, and with a little bit of effort, the aluminum trim and leather Recaro sport seats inside.
If Kia hadn't covered up the Pro_Cee'd GT, we would also have seen the rest of the aerodynamic add-on parts like the rear spoiler, the new front grille and lamp clusters, while the Koreans have said that the interior will gain a sports steering wheel, alloy pedals and bespoke surface materials.
Less than a week after the Koreans announced their decision to rival VW's Golf GTI with the three-door Pro_Cee'd GT, Kia has now not only confirmed the availability of a GT version of the five-door Cee'd, but also revealed preliminary specifications.
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Aimed directly at Europe's finest in the hot hatch category such as the upcoming Volkswagen Golf GTI, the three-door Pro_Cee'd GT will feature the Hyundai and Kia developed 1.6-liter turbocharged GDI engine and a six-speed manual gearbox driving the front wheels.
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This footage was reportedly shot during some of sort of demonstration by the Slovakian Police force, but one that did not go exactly as planned – and that's probably a huge understatement.
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At the 2012 edition of the Paris Motor Show, the Korean partners each introduced a three-door version of their respective C-segment compact hatchbacks.
The two models are the Hyundai i30 3d (the five-door version of which is sold as the Elantra GT in North America) and the Kia Pro_Cee'd, both of which offer a more aggressive design than their five-door counterparts.
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The Pro_cee'd follows the introduction of the five-door hatchback and the Sportswagon estate and is anticipated to hit European showroom floors in the first half of 2013.
The new model isn't simply a three-door version of the regular Cee'd as it sports a different design from the A-pillars and back including a more rakish roofline, heavily pronounced rear fenders, together with new lights and tailgate. In addition, there are new fog lamp surrounds and chrome strips that connect the grille to the lights up front.
The most impressive results came from the new Volvo V40 five-door hatchback that not only achieved five stars but also became Euro NCAP’s all-time top scorer in its segment.
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It's still a work in progress, but the racing specialist from Slovakia, which also happens to be the home of Kia's European assembly plant that manufactures the Cee'd, has already transferred the compact model's 2.0-lter turbo diesel engine from the front end to the rear end of the car.
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The new generation of the Cee’d Sportswagon was introduced alongside the five-door hatchback model that has already gone on sale, at the Geneva Motor Show this past March.
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And that's not all as Paul Philpott, Kia Europe's Chief Operating Officer, told Autonews Europe that the company aims to reach annual sales of 400,000 vehicles by 2013.
Kia plans to do this with the launch of several key models, including the all-new Cee'd five-door hatchback this month and the Cee'd Estate in September.
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Perceived as Kia's most serious effort to gain foot in Europe's highly popular C-segment with rivals such as the VW Golf and Ford Focus, the brand-new Cee'd combines a more youthful and dynamic exterior with a higher quality and more upmarket looking interior.
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The Pro_Cee'd is the three-door hatchback version of Kia's C-segment model and it's scheduled to launch in the European market within the next year, possibly making its debut at the Paris Motor Show this fall, though we wouldn't be surprised if Kia reveals the car at next year's Geneva event.
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And while we have the pictures to show you, for some reason Kia has decided to withhold all details simply stating that it will release more information closer to its on-sale date, later this year.
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The South Korean firm's entry in the compact hatchback category with rivals like the Opel Astra and Ford Focus is larger, more stylish and promises to offer improved quality throughout over the outgoing model.
“Just as the original cee’d represented a major step forward for Kia in 2007, this second-generation model represents a further leap for the brand – both in terms of the capability and sophistication of the vehicle, and what it will do to drive further momentum in our European sales," commented Paul Philpott, Chief Operating Officer, Kia Motors Europe.
The new Cee'd was designed and engineered in Europe with manufacturing taking place at the company's Zilina facility in Slovakia.
Compared to the previous model, the overall length of the new car has been is increased by 50 mm to 4,310 mm while overall height has been reduced by 10 mm to 1,470 mm by lowering the ride height.
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Despite the lengthened rear end that adds some extra space to the boot, from what we can tell by looking at this single picture, the estate variant seems to retain the elegant lines of the hatchback model, with which it shares the same 2,650mm (104.3-in.) wheelbase.
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According to our sources, Kia will also host the world premiere of the estate version featuring an elongated rear end that will further increase its boot capacity offering an additional advantage over the hatch.
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