The soul of Kia might be its… Soul. Lousy pun aside, we’re more impressed with the Korean automaker’s second-generation box-on wheels every time we take a look at it.

The Soul now boasts a vastly improved interior with a terrific Android-based navigation system. Not only that, it rides and handles much better thanks to a number of refinements made to its all-new structure and its revised suspension. 

At around $15,000 to start, the Soul is well-equipped and, for the first time ever, a compact car that appeals on more than just its style.�

Join our Ron Doron as he takes you on a full tour of Kia’s new Soul and don’t forget to check out our full First Drive here. 

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Ford has announced no less than 57 show cars to be unveiled next month at the SEMA show is Las Vegas. Taking center stage at Ford’s showcase area will be 10 Transit Connect wagons and cargo vans modified by various tuning shops in a display the automaker has dubbed “Vandemonium.”

In addition, the Blue Oval will be highlighting popular models such as Fiesta, Focus, Fusion Mustang, F-150 and Super Duty. However, with SEMA being SEMA, it is expected there will also be a good number of customized classics and hot rods sprinkled into the mix. 

Featured show cars will also include a bevy of 2014 Fiesta STs aimed at the tuner market. Among them, an example modified by sport compact specialists Cobb Tuning and drifter-cum-Top Gear USA host Tanner Foust, a Boss Mustang-inspired creation by 3dCarbon, and a customized work in conjunction with Forza Motorsport 5. Ford will also give showgoers a chance to play the upcoming video game before its official release on November 22.

Modified 2014 Mustangs thus far include the supercharged “Yellow Jacket” built in conjunction with Vortech, a supercar-inspired build using a Banks Straight-Shot Water-Methanol injection system good for 750hp, and the “Mustang Flame” with partner Nitto Tires.

The Specialty Equipment Market Association show takes place annually during the first week of November and showcases vehicles and aftermarket parts for the enthusiast market.<![CDATA[
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Lamborghini has unveiled the convertible variant of the outlandish Veneno that was presented at the Geneva Motor Show last march.

Built out of carbon fiber and aluminum in order to save weight, the Veneno roadster wears the same highly-angular design as the coupe but its roof has been removed.  The car was long rumored to feature a detachable roof panel made out of carbon fiber but Lamborghini has confirmed it comes with no roof at all, leaving the passengers in an unenviable spot should sunshine unexpectedly turn to rain.  Roll bars integrated into the body work help protect the occupants in the event of an accident.

Lamborghini has not made any mechanical modifications and the Roadster is powered by the same Aventador-derived 6.5-liter V12 engine as its coupe counterpart.  Linked to a seven-speed ISR transmission that sends power to all four wheels, the 750-horsepower 12-cylinder mill propels the 3,278 open-top supercar to a top speed of around 220 mph.

Lamborghini will build nine examples of the Veneno Roadster beginning in early 2014.  Each unit will cost €3.3 million (roughly $4.4 million) before taxes and options are factored in, precisely ten percent more than its fixed-roof sibling.

Don’t expect the Veneno Roadster to greet the public at next month’s Los Angeles Motor Show.  Potentially discouraged by the generally negative response to the Veneno’s styling, Lamborghini will show the Roadster to wealthy potential customers but it will likely never display it at a major auto show. <![CDATA[
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An Australian company called Moke International has teamed up with China’s state-owned Chery Motors to bring the Mini Moke back to life after a 20-year hiatus.

Designed without any input from BMW or MINI, the 21st century Moke looks almost identical to the original version but it packs new tail lamps and a different radiator grille.  It is available in orange, white, red, green, blue and yellow and sits on 13-inch alloy wheels.

Still as a Spartan as ever, the Moke’s interior offers four bucket seats and a minimalist instrument cluster mounted in the middle of the dashboard.  It does not come with features like ABS brakes, airbags and electronic stability control.

The new Moke is powered by a 1.0-liter fuel-injected four-cylinder engine borrowed from the diminutive Chery QQ, one of China’s most popular cars.  It sends 50 horsepower and 72 lb-ft. of torque to the front wheels via either a five-speed manual transmission or an optional automatic.

Moke International is working with Chery to launch an all-electric version of the car called eMoke.  Technical details are vague at best but it will offer a maximum range of 74 miles and a top speed of 37 mph.

The company is currently filing the required paperwork to ship a limited number of Mokes to Europe but the battle is far from won because of the car’s primitive design.  The new Moke is currently on sale in Thailand and it might reach Australian shores before the end of the year.<![CDATA[
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Nissan has unveiled the final version of its ZEOD RC electric race car. Nissan announced the ZEOD RC program in July and displayed the final iteration of the zero-emissions racer this week at Nismo’s world headquarters in Yokohama, Japan.

The ZEOD RC – which stands for Zero Emissions on Demand Race Car – has undergone a rapid development, going from concept to reality in just 33 weeks. The ZEOD will make its racing debut at next year’s Le Mans race.

Nissan has been invited to campaign the ZEOD at Le Mans by Automobile Club de l’Ouest. The ZEOD will race in the “Garage 56″ spot, which is reserved for vehicles showcasing new and innovative technology.

“The ZEOD RC utilizes our technology gained through the development of the Nissan LEAF NISMO RC, the first EV racer based on the mass production zero emission vehicle,” said NISMO President Shoichi Miyatani. “The LEAF RC’s energy management and efficient energy recovery system that is suitable for racing are just examples. We believe these technologies serve as important steps for using EV for motor sports.”

Nissan says it will use technology gleaned from the ZEOD RC program to help develop its future LM P1 program.

Nissan is hoping to become the first automaker ever to complete an entire lap around the 8.5-mile Le Mans circuit on pure electric power. Nissan estimates that the ZEOD RC will be able to hit speeds of 185 mph.

Nissan hasn’t specified the ZEOD RC’s electric range, but the car does have a small turbocharged engine aboard for when the juice eventually runs out.

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MINI is now offering a unique matte black paint finish on top trim levels of its Countryman and Paceman models.

Officially called Frozen Black metallic, the matte hue is being offered on MINI Cooper S Countryman, MINI Cooper SD Countryman, MINI Cooper S Paceman, MINI Cooper SD Paceman, MINI John Cooper Works Countryman and MINI John Cooper Works Paceman models. Buyers in the UK can now order the matte finish, but MINI has yet to announce if it will extend the option to United States buyers.

Created using a “complex manufacturing process”, MINI says Frozen Black metallic leaves a velvet-like surface on either the Countryman or Paceman. In order to improve durability, the painting process includes a base surface treatment, a layer of color and then a clear lacquer that gives the paint a matte look.

MINI says the Frozen Black metallic paint is completely weather and car wash resistant, but the automaker recommends special care products as typical waxes and polishes can turn the paint glossy.

Given the labor-intensive process of laying down the matte black paint, MINI says it limit the number of cars finished in Frozen Black metallic.

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Alfa Romeo has announced that its highly-anticipated 4C sports car has lapped the Nordschleife at the Nurburgring in 8 minutes 4 seconds.

Although 8 minutes 4 seconds might not sound that impressive – especially considering the 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 recently laid down a 7:37 in the wet – Alfa Romeo says the 4C’s lap time is a world record for a vehicle with less than 250 horsepower. It also puts the 4C on par with more powerful vehicles like the Porsche Cayman S and Audi R8 V8.

The record lap time was achieved on September 12, 2103, with Nordschleife expert Horst von Saurma behind the wheel.

Powered by a 240 horsepower, 258 lb-ft of torque version of Alfa Romeo’s turbocharged 1.75L four-cylinder engine, the 4C can accelerate from 0-62 in just 4.5 seconds and hit a top speed of 160mph. In the corners the 4C can pull 1.1g.

In production now, the Alfa Romeo is scheduled to launch in the United States during the second quarter of 2014. However, the car’s launch date has already been pushed back several times, so we wouldn’t rule out another delay.

When it does finally reach our shores, the limited edition 4C will carry a price tag of $54,000.

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Fiat’s CEO says the Italian automaker is committed to the future of one of the industry’s most historic and romantic brands, Alfa Romeo. But any sort of revival is on hold until the Detroit union that holds a stake in Chrysler agrees to sell Fiat its share.

Such a move would help Fiat fund new Alfa Romeo-badged products. As it is, Alfa’s lineup consists of a curious array of small hatchbacks hardly fitting with its historical image or its plans to re-enter the U.S. market, plus a new, limited-run sporty car.

Fiat chief Sergio Marchionne is sparring with the United Auto Workers’ health care trust known as VEBA, which owns the remaining stake in Chrysler. Since helping the governments of Canada and the United States and VEBA to bail out Chrysler, Fiat has been acquiring shares in the Detroit automaker.

Not only has that given Fiat access to Chrysler’s distribution in the U.S., the two automakers have begun sharing platforms and technologies. And that’s worth mentioning since Fiat is also after Chrysler’s cash, the same thing Germany’s Daimler wanted more than a decade ago when it completed its controversial “merger of equals.” In this case, Fiat’s intentions seem, at least on the surface, to be far more genuine, although that isn’t stopping the UAW from being concerned that the Italians will raid Chrysler’s savings. 

Yet Fiat faces an uphill battle to get its Italian operations off the ground. Sales of even its mainstream Fiat division are sputtering, but it is Alfa Romeo that has been hit especially hard. Fiat ratcheted down its 2014 sales forecast from 500,000 to 300,000 units, but analysts at IHS Automotive estimate the brand may deliver just 81,000 cars next year.

“If Marchionne really wants to relaunch Alfa Romeo, he needs Chrysler’s cash,” said Bocconi University professor Giuseppe Berta, the former director of Fiat’s archives, in a conversation with Bloomberg. “The carmaker has to invest billions of euros in the brand as VW did with Audi.”

VW took Audi from also-ran to heavy-hitter over the course of about a decade. During the first nine months of 2013, VW sold almost 1.2 million Audis globally.<![CDATA[
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