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Official: Kia prices 2011 Soul Hamstar special edition at $20,295*

Filed under: Car Buying, Marketing/Advertising, Hatchback, Kia

2011 kia soul hamstar special edition

2011 Kia Soul Hamstar special edition – Click above for high-res image

You can get with this… for $20,295. Kia has officially announced that you’ll need that much dough (*plus $695 for delivery) if you want to purchase a 2011 Soul Hamstar special edition. An ode to the award-winning hip-hop hamsters seen in Kia commercials, the four-speed auto-equipped Hamstar becomes the sixth special edition Soul that Kia has offered up for sale.

The limited-production box on wheels wears Molten Red pain, which is offset with a pair of black stripes across the front doors and black trim. Black is also the color of choice for the 18-inch wheels, fender vents and fuel-filler cap. A Hamstar logo sits on the hood, and can also be seen throughout the interior.

That interior space can be filled with music thanks to the Audio Upgrade Package. A 315-watt amp pumps sound out through the speakers, but it’s kicked up a notch thanks to the center speaker and subwoofer.

The full press release on the Soul Hamstar is posted after the jump. You can check out the concept version shown off at the 2010 SEMA show, by clicking through the gallery below.

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Kia prices 2011 Soul Hamstar special edition at $20,295* originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 May 2011 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lifetime membership to Skip Barber available for $295,000

Filed under: Etc.

You can buy a lot of sports car for $295,000. A fully loaded Lamborghini Gallardo; an Audi R8 and matching R8 V10; three Nissan GT-Rs and a Mustang GT; a 911 Turbo, a Cayman and a Boxster… we can play that game all day. But buying a great car (or cars) is just part of the equation. Insurance, storage, fuel and track time can add up quickly, even for the well-off among us, but the folks over at Skip Barber have a different idea.

The world-famous driving school is offering a lifetime pass for a not so affordable $295,000, but that lofty figure includes just about all the learning and racing your heart desires. Lifetime Fast Fast Pass owners can register for an entire season in advance, race at one of the school’s 10 tracks or show up at any event and fill any open spots. One thing lifetime pass owners can’t do is bump another driver from a purchased spot; a damn good rule if you ask us.

The latest offer from Skip Barber comes after the driving school offered a $150,000 unlimited pass, $100,000 national pass or a $75,000 regional pass. School officials are gauging interest in the passes, and if too many die-hard drivers purchase a lifetime pass a cap may be placed on the amount of available spots. If you’ve got the means, get in quick.

[Source: Skip Barber]

Lifetime membership to Skip Barber available for $295,000 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Kia Sportage to start at $18,295*

Filed under: Crossover, Kia

2011 Kia Sportage – Click above for high-res image gallery

The 2011 Kia Sportage is one great-looking crossover, and with a starting price of $18,295 (*$18,990 with destination) it’s rather affordable as well. Kia announced Tuesday that its longest running nameplate will start well below the $20,000 mark while sporting standard features like a six-speed manual transmission, air conditioning, power everything, SIRIUS Satellite Radio, MP3 inputs and Bluetooth connectivity.

At $20,295 ($20,990 with destination) the mid-level LX model adds outside mirrors with LED turn signal indicators, keyless entry and privacy glass. Another $3,000 ($23,990 with destination) adds 18-inch alloy wheels and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. Standard safety features include six airbags, four-wheel ABS and electronic stability control.

The Sportage appears to be a screaming deal – though it’s starting price is $1,300 higher than the outgoing model, it’s a much improved vehicle – and its 176-horsepower 2.4-liter will deliver an impressive 22 miles-per-gallon in city driving and 31 mpg on the highway. A far more powerful 270+ horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter Sportage variant will be available later in the model year. Hit the jump to read over Kia’s press release.

Gallery: First Drive: 2011 Kia Sportage