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NEWS
More Kia GTs to come
Kia says its pro_cee'd GT is a "wonderful weapon" that will inspire more sporty modelsKia is set to channel the sporty traits of its pro_cee'd GT for other models in its range in the near future, with a Rio, Cerato and even an Optima GT lined up for hot hatch treatment.
Speaking to motoring.com.au at a preview drive of the all-new Carnival in Korea this week, Kia's vice president of overseas marketing, Soon-Nam Lee said the lessons learnt from the pro_cee'd GT have given the manufacturer the confidence it needed to extend its GT line-up.
"The pro_cee'd GT was a wonderful weapon for the brand," said Lee. "[And while] it's not concrete, the learnings and success of the pro_cee'd GT have driven us to repeat those steps. We can extend it to Rio GT, [and] we strongly want a GT line-up including a B-segment, C-segment and D-segment car."
Assuming the plans come to fruition, Kia would find itself in the company of European and Japanese manufacturers cognisant of the market appeal sports models offer.
The Rio GT would likely be a competitor to the acclaimed Ford Fiesta ST and Peugeot's 208 GTi, while the Cerato GT would face off against competitors including the Hyundai i30 SR or even Volkswagen Golf GTI. And with the warmed-over GT treatment, Kia's mid-size Optima GT would challenge more powerful versions of Volkswagen's Jetta or even Subaru's Liberty GT.
The Kia pro_cee'd GT went on sale locally in March this year (2014) and complements the likes of the Toyota 86 / Subaru BRZ and Hyundai Veloster SR Turbo at the entry end of the sports car segment. It is powered by a turbocharged and direct-injected 1.6-litre engine that produces 150kW and 265Nm, delivering MINI Cooper S levels of performance from less than $30,000.
The three-door manual-only Kia pro_cee'd GT is currently selling around 45 units a month in Australia, a number KMCA says could "double or even triple" were an automatic or dual-clutch transmission available.
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Written byMatt Brogan
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