Kia ups the performance of the pro_cee'd GT with a new 1.6-liter turbo package.
Kia has made a rapid transition from econobox maker to a brand better known for strong design and unexpected performance, a shift it hopes to reinforce when it pulls the covers off the new Kia pro_cee’d GT and cee’d GT at the 83rd Salon International de l’Automobile in Geneva.
“The world premiere of Kia’s new pro_cee’d GT and cee’d GT highlights the diversity of our current product line-up and underpins the natural expansion of the brand into the performance car market, an important step forward for Kia,” said Michael Cole, Chief Operating Officer, Kia Motors Europe.
Designed in Europe the Kia pro_cee’d GT and cee’d GT are expected to challenge the likes of the Volkswagen GTI, no easy task considering VW’s dominant position in the Continental hot-hatch segment. Performance will be part of the pitch, but so will styling.
Kia hopes to take on the VW GTI with the new pro_cee'd GT.
“The new Kia pro_cee’d GT will have great appeal for motorists looking for style, performance and dynamism in their next car – and the cee’d GT adds an extra level of practicality for buyers who prefer five doors,” Cole said.
The exterior features new front grilles and lamp clusters, deeper bumpers, jewel-like four-point LED daytime running lights, new fog lights, dual-exhaust pipes, larger 18-inch alloy wheels, eye-catching red brake calipers and a range of special paint finishes.
But it’s likely to come down to numbers, in the end, and that where Kia is weighing in by giving the two new models debuting at the Geneva Motor Show a new version of the Korean maker’s 1.6-litre GDI engine equipped with a twin-scroll turbocharger and strengthened internal components. The package has already proven itself out in North America on various Hyundai products, such as the Veloster Turbo.
Power and torque outputs jump 51% when compared against the other models of two vehicles, according to Kia. The engines in both cars are paired with a six-speed manual gearbox and the front-wheel-drive models can accelerate from 0 to 100 kph (0 to 62.5 mph) in 7.7 seconds, and reach a top speed of 230 kph. They can also accelerate from 60-100 kph in fourth gear in 5.4 seconds, 80-120 kph in fifth gear in 7.3 seconds and 80-120 kph in sixth gear in 8.8 seconds.
Inside, the GT models are equipped with Recaro sports seats, alloy pedals, bespoke surface materials and a seven inch racing car-inspired TFT instrument cluster to create an engaging, performance-oriented ambience for the driver and passengers.
Significant developments to the suspension system ensure that the high performance credentials of these more powerful models are matched by exceptional dynamic characteristics, while retaining an outstanding ride quality, ensuring that both GT models are well suited for every day driving.
Cole said production of the Kia pro_cee’d GT and cee’d GT, the newest members of the cee’d family, is scheduled to start at Kia’s Zilina plant in Slovakia in mid-May 2013, with cars going on sale across Europe from mid-year.