THERE'LL be something missing when Kia launches the third generation of its mainstream hatchback at next month's Geneva Motor Show - an apostrophe!

Eyebrows were raised when Kia launched its first European designed and built model as the cee'd way back in 2006.

It seemed like an odd name to many industry pundits, but the Korean company's reasoning was simple enough.

The car was designed in Germany and built in Slovakia so to mark the fact they took the initials of the European Community - CEE - and tacked on ED for European Design.

CEEED would have been an E too far, however, so, in their wisdom, the marketing people decided to drop the final E and replace it with an apostrophe.

Now, 12 years on, the cee'd is to become the Ceed with the upcoming launch of the third- generation model. So while it loses the apostrophe - it gains a capital C.

With or without that apostrophe, Kia's compact hatch has been an outstanding success and has been highly praised by critics over the years, totally justifying the decision to build a car in and exclusively for the European market.

Two versions of the latest model will be unveiled at the Geneva show - the core five door hatchback plus what Kia cryptically refers to as "a second member of the Ceed family".

And if that second family member bears even as slight resemblance to the design sketch issued by Kia as a teaser, it will look sensational.

Kia says that the design has been inspired by the fastback styling of the recently-launched Stinger and promises that it will be better than its predecessor in terms of dynamism, driver engagement and refinement. There'll also be plenty of innovative technologies

British buyers will have to wait a while to check it all out however, as initial production will be of left hand drive models for mainland Europe where the new model will go on sale in the Spring. The UK on-sale date and pricing will be announced later.