A ute from global car manufacturer Kia with a special connection to Tasmania has been officially unveiled at an event in Hobart.
The launch of Kia’s first ute was kept ‘top-secret’ from the general public, held in a ‘blacked out’ Princes Wharf 1 on Hobart’s waterfront on Tuesday evening.
The southern-hemisphere launch in Hobart was held simultaneously with the northern-hemisphere launch at the Jeddah International Motor Show in Saudi Arabia.
The ute is named after 17th-century explorer Abel Tasman, the namesake for Tasmania – after he reached the state’s West Coast in November 1642.
A Kia Australia spokesperson said the ‘cutting-edge’ and ‘bold’ design has been much anticipate.
“The Kia Tasman has been designed to push the boundaries of what’s possible from a ute and invites customers to ‘Dive into a New Dimension.”
“The launch marks the latest addition to Kia’s extensive lineup, which includes passenger, SUV, commercial and PBV (Platform Beyond Vehicle) models, the Kia Tasman sets the benchmark for Kia’s future ute range.”
The launch in Hobart was attended by several Australian sporting icons who featured in a recent TV commercial, including AFL legend Buddy Franklin, NRL icon Darren Lockyer, Australian cricket great Steve Waugh, UFC fighter Alex Volkanovski and former NBA basketballer Luc Longley.
The Kia Tasman will initially launch in the Korean domestic market in the first half of next year before being released in Australia (including Tasmania) later in 2025.
