Track'ster hints at next Kia Soul

Kia showed off the potential design direction of the next Soul with the new Track'ster concept.

You know the Soul. It's the cute 5-door Kia whose commercials feature the rapping hamsters.

On Wednesday, Kia showed off the new 3-door Track'ster concept, which is based on the Soul. While the concept isn't intended for production, Kia managers say it hints at potential design cues for the next Soul.

For the concept, Kia took the shape of the Soul, then widened and stretched it. They increased the size of the air intake on the front, and revised the headlights and taillights.

What they ended up with is a concept that's all-wheel-drive and ready for a day at the track, with features like beefy tires and brakes, and specific compartments for racing tools, a helmet and a fire extinguisher.

Something that you're more likely to see in a future car is the new UVO integrated app for Kia. The app does things like remember where you park, and it can even alert you if your car drives out of a pre-designated area (a feature Kia calls geo-fencing).

Kia also used the 2012 Chicago Auto Show to introduce a new version of the popular Optima sedan. The new top-of-the-line trim level, called the Optima SX Limited, stuffs every Kia luxury into one package.