Photo: Theophilus Chin
Last week, Auto Express spoke to a Kia representative and found out that the company wants to make more hot hatches after the cee'd GT and pro_cee'd GT, but only if the demand is there.
These models don't actually create profit for the Korean company, but they do help to boost their image.
The next logical step for Kia's GT line is the Rio, which has long been rumored to be the recipient of tuning treatment. From the start, Kia made the suspension of the car deliberately sporty, which made many believe a hot version is on the way.
If the Rio GT is indeed on the way, it won't arrive until 2015, when the car will need a mid-life refresh. For this application, Kia can't use either the 120 hp 1.0-liter or the 140 hp 1.2-liter turbo engines it's planning, firstly because they wouldn't be that impressive, and secondly because they can't best the 1.6 GDi engine in terms of performance.
Instead, the Rio GT will have to use the big 1.6-liter turbo with 180 hp so as not to become faster than the cee'd GT that has the same engine with 204 hp. Performance wise, the 0 to 100 km/h sprint should be dealt with in just over 7 seconds.
Theophilus Chin has recently rendered a hot version Rio, after hearing the same rumors we talked about at the beginning at the story. He started out with the cheaper and sexier 3-door version of the car, then added two-done ally wheels, a new LED daytime running light cluster, a new front air intake and black accents. The side sills were also enlarged to give it that sporty look.
Knowing that the pro_cee'd GT is only slightly more expensive in Britain than the Clio RS, we expect much from the Rio GT, not because it will be fun, but because it will be well equipped and cheap.
Via Theophilus Chin
The next logical step for Kia's GT line is the Rio, which has long been rumored to be the recipient of tuning treatment. From the start, Kia made the suspension of the car deliberately sporty, which made many believe a hot version is on the way.
If the Rio GT is indeed on the way, it won't arrive until 2015, when the car will need a mid-life refresh. For this application, Kia can't use either the 120 hp 1.0-liter or the 140 hp 1.2-liter turbo engines it's planning, firstly because they wouldn't be that impressive, and secondly because they can't best the 1.6 GDi engine in terms of performance.
Instead, the Rio GT will have to use the big 1.6-liter turbo with 180 hp so as not to become faster than the cee'd GT that has the same engine with 204 hp. Performance wise, the 0 to 100 km/h sprint should be dealt with in just over 7 seconds.
Theophilus Chin has recently rendered a hot version Rio, after hearing the same rumors we talked about at the beginning at the story. He started out with the cheaper and sexier 3-door version of the car, then added two-done ally wheels, a new LED daytime running light cluster, a new front air intake and black accents. The side sills were also enlarged to give it that sporty look.
Knowing that the pro_cee'd GT is only slightly more expensive in Britain than the Clio RS, we expect much from the Rio GT, not because it will be fun, but because it will be well equipped and cheap.
Via Theophilus Chin
Google News