Following the Ceed (or cee’d as Kia like to refer to it) hatchback and sportwagon, they released the first images of the all-new Pro Ceed (pro_cee’d) and confirmed its public debut at the upcoming Paris Motor Show. Let’s not mess around, it’s a fabulous looking car this Pro Ceed, even though it may have been inspired, to some extent, by the current Opel Astra.

The Pro Ceed is nice, sleek and sporty, and only comes in three-door format. The overall design is very similar to the Ceed hatchback, naturally, but there are some little details that make it much more desirable than the five-door version; details such as lower ride height, revised bumper, grilles, and lights. We think it looks cooler than the Scirocco. That is high praise.

So, Peter Scheyer, Kia’s head of design, did it again. We don’t know how much Kia pays this man, but he’s worth every penny.

“This car embodies emotion and energy through and through,” explains Peter Schreyer, Kia’s Chief Design Officer.  “You know from a single glance that this is a car you want to drive, not just own.  Kia is on a distinctive design adventure and the all new pro-cee’d spearheads this forward looking journey.”

Kia Pro Ceed goes on sale in Spring 2013 as a 2014 model.