Thursday 17th November 2011

LA Show: Kia Rio B-spec racer

Budget race series entrant previews possible hot-hatch look for Kia's Rio supermini

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Kia Rio racer hints at hot hatch potential

It seems Americans are finally waking up to the idea of hot hatches, a new B-spec cut-price race series for close to stock superminis attracting the likes of Mini, Honda, Ford, Mazda, Fiat and now Kia into the fold.

Engines remain standard with restrictors and ballast to even out any performance imbalance and teams are restricted to one set of springs to suit all the tracks the series will race on in one example of the focus on keeping costs down. Pro drivers are banned and the series is very much aimed at privateers buying off-the-shelf racecars like this Rio.

And while there's no sign yet of any hot Kias coming our way in the UK this B-spec racer prepped by Stateside Kia race squad Kinetic - think the Koreans' equivalent of Mugen - suggests it might want to address that sooner rather than later.

138hp doesn't sound like a whole lot but stripped, caged, lowered and running on sticky rubber just tell us this doesn't look like a whole lot of fun. The first truly PH-worthy Kia? Could be.

Optima hybrid built for safety car duty

This isn't the only hot Kia here at the LA show though, Kinetic also revealing an Optima saloon prepped for safety car duty in the US touring car championship. It's also worked on a Forte coupe - the US market pro_cee'd - underlining the seriousness with which this officially funded programme is taken. Kia's global HQ and European arm are apparently watching with interest, suggesting hot Kias might not be too far away.

 

[loudlashadjuster]

Good on 'em. They have the aspiration and the means, maybe in a few years they manage The Big Leap.

Until then I'll avoid them like the plague when I'm requesting a hire car as they still have some way to go

[anonymous-user]

Lets have a hot hatch version! might shake things up a bit

[melvster]

That looks brilliant, be nice to see a road going version, the Cee'd is not a bad car for the money, boasts a 7 year warranty so Kia are clearly confident they have made a good car.

[Oelholm]

Maybe the Koreans are the ones to revitalise the (affordable) hot hatch genre?

They have no silly ideas of the perceived brand prestige to be frigthened of losing, so could perhaps offer a cheap and fun car, without all the image-bks?

[Mouse1903]

One of the most undesirable cars in the world turned into this....I like!

[LuS1fer]

Maybe they'll finally get a Top Kia on Top Gear.

[G0ldfysh]

140bhp not sounding like much?

Peugeot 205 GTi 1.9 130bhp
Renault Clio 16v mk1 137bhp

[Crow555]

G0ldfysh said:

140bhp not sounding like much?

Peugeot 205 GTi 1.9 130bhp
Renault Clio 16v mk1 137bhp

Without the added weight of modern safety equipment.

[Beefmeister]

Kia make a pretty nice car in the US - the Forte Koup thingummy.

I think it'd sell well over here with the right engine and handling, bit like a modern Puma.

[Chris71]

Some pretty harsh comments about the Rio above! The new model is actually pretty good in petrol form. Ditch the electric power steering and hand it over to someone like Lotus for a bit of suspension tweaking and you could have the makings of a decent warm hatch.

[Donkey62]

"new B-spec cut-price race series for close to stock superminis"

We need something like this an off the shelf racer instead of expensive bespoke so far removed from showroom race cars to bring back the marketing and racing connections instead of current irrelavent one make series.