PARIS MOTOR SHOW: Kia rules out performance sub-brand
Kia has no answer for Hyundai's hot Veloster Turbo – yetThey may be joined at the hip in most things they do but Kia will not emulate parent company Hyundai's move into developing a niche performance sub-brand.
That’s the word from Kia Australia spokesman Kevin Hepworth, who said from the Paris motor show that such a strategy was “not for us”.
Hyundai confirmed recently its new i30 would spawn a higher-performance version, to be named the i30 SR. The SR badge denotes increased grunt and will also be worn by the brand’s Veloster Turbo.
Mr Hepworth described the development of a Kia performance sub-brand strategy as “a huge gamble” and a “massive investment”, but didn’t specifically rule out developing performance variants of existing models.
He hinted that if Kia were to bring the cee'd Sportswagon to Australia, which it is considering, there was no reason the importer couldn't also bring in other cee'd variants.
Kia currently lacks an effective answer to Hyundai's image-enhancing Veloster and Veloster Turbo, but could make up lost ground if it were to introduce the sexy pro_cee'd three-door with an upgraded drivetrain.
As for such a vehicle ever reaching the local market, Mr Hepworth said simply that media are "free to speculate".
Read more Paris Motor Show stories at motoring.com.au
See all the photos from the Paris Motor Show at motoring.com.au
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