In one of those eery coincidences, mere hours after an extensive press release about Hyundai's preparations for
frontline WRC emerge
, the Korean firm's partner brand Kia is rumoured to be considering a European-based touring car campaign. Spooky, eh?
Forte coupe runs in American Grand Am series
As if challenging established European brands in the showrooms wasn't enough already, Hyundai's very public squaring up to VW and Citroen in WRC is a sign of just how ambitious the Koreans have become. Matching that with a track campaign under the Kia badge would just further that, building on an established Kia motorsport programme in the US. Over there Kia races the Forte coupe in Grand Am and the Optima in World Challenge. It also has the rather tasty looking
Rio B-Spec hot hatch racer
that we stumbled across at the LA show a couple of years back and were extremely smitten with.
"Motorsport is an interesting proposition for us and Touring Cars is an interesting area that we are looking at," said Kia's UK MD Paul Philpott. "It will help set the two brands apart and would help increase awareness of Kia. I would like to see something a little more sporty about the brand."
Kia B-Spec racer looks like a right hoot
There's no word yet in which championship Kia would look to compete or which car any tin-top campaign would be based on. But with
the Pro_cee'd GT
opening up Kia's road car range to the hot hatch market there's clearly ambition to make good on Philpott's word.