KIA performance brand:

JRM · Post by **JRM** » Thu May 24, 2007 5:13 pm

Korean automaker Kia plans to roll out a new line of performance sedans and hatchbacks over the next three years under the "XR" badge, according to a new report from Britain's Autocar.

The company will offer a selection of up-rated engines, which could include naturally-aspirated, turbocharged, and supercharged mills. Turbocharged engines would be aimed at European customers, while supercharged powerplants would be marketed to Americans, a source told the magazine.

Kia revealed a modified Cee'd hatchback during a press event at its headquarters earlier this month. Although company officials said the vehicle was merely a standard Cee'd with a styling kit, sources say the production XR models will be very similar. "XR" badging lends credibility to these rumors.

03sxt · Post by **03sxt** » Thu May 24, 2007 5:28 pm

Great.

Queue the birth of Kia ricers.

Mr Josh Zombie · Post by **Mr Josh Zombie** » Thu May 24, 2007 5:28 pm

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

03blackrt · Post by **03blackrt** » Thu May 24, 2007 5:31 pm

I think it's great, as long as they put down respectable power (like the SRT-4). The 60's marked the Detroit muscle car wars, so its kinda fitting that half a century later there is a world muscle car war.

03sxt · Post by **03sxt** » Thu May 24, 2007 5:59 pm

Here we go...

Just my imagination running strong.

Panhead · Post by **Panhead** » Thu May 24, 2007 6:13 pm

lol, i like your imagination, mike. btw, kia ricers...well, there already up here, just a few though.

KrackstaR · Post by **KrackstaR** » Thu May 24, 2007 6:14 pm

^ where is the aggresive styling kit?

03sxt · Post by **03sxt** » Thu May 24, 2007 6:16 pm

KrackstaR wrote:^ where is the aggresive styling kit?

You don't see the wing?

I couldn't really fabricate a Kia body kit with my graphics program.

lolelectricbluesxt · Post by **lolelectricbluesxt** » Thu May 24, 2007 7:49 pm

My brother in law is modding a KIA. It isnt a pretty sight.

rannox · Post by **rannox** » Thu May 24, 2007 8:02 pm

suzukis, hyundais, now kias

CrashTeam · Post by **CrashTeam** » Thu May 24, 2007 8:50 pm

Kia and Hyundai are the same company to all who didn't know...

I would love to see another foreign automaker take a leap into the sports car world.

And how many of you own LG products? They are south Korean built also, just so ya know before ya slam it!

Anywho, I say they should go for it! It wouldnt be bad to see a mid 14 sec. supercharged Kia selling for 14K or less

INVUJerry · Post by **INVUJerry** » Thu May 24, 2007 8:59 pm

My mom has a Kia Spectra. If it were a 5-speed it would totally smoke my neon. My dad's new Hyundai Sonota runs 15.1's according to consumer reports. He's owned hyundai's since 1990, so I'm glad that Kia is going to sell hi-performance cars now.

BTW: I know a guy who turbo'd a Hyudai Accent!

OverDrive418 · Post by **OverDrive418** » Thu May 24, 2007 10:35 pm

I say bring it, especially if it helps drop prices of other cars a little more!
Competition is always a good thing. Keeps it interesting

MoxHair · Post by **MoxHair** » Fri May 25, 2007 8:30 am

CrashTeam wrote: And how many of you own LG products? They are south Korean built also, just so ya know before ya slam it!

LG > Kia

LG bought out Zenith and all of it's Patents. That would be like Kia buying out GM.

I Respect the Lucky GoldStar name sake alot more than KIA.

TNK · Post by **TNK** » Fri May 25, 2007 11:04 am

-walks in, reads thru the page, turns around, and walks the fock back out-

Bella Lugrossi · Post by **Bella Lugrossi** » Fri May 25, 2007 11:08 am

the title alone had me laughing.

Neonix · Post by **Neonix** » Fri May 25, 2007 11:11 am

Opi wrote:BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Cabbs · Post by **Cabbs** » Fri May 25, 2007 1:56 pm

And of course, we don't get the turbo ones.

60trim · Post by **60trim** » Fri May 25, 2007 2:19 pm

You could do a twin charge one....turbo and s/c...

heyitsstock · Post by **heyitsstock** » Fri May 25, 2007 2:36 pm

i never even to notice to a kia....

so i went to the site

the spectra 5 isnt too bad

scneonchic · Post by **scneonchic** » Fri May 25, 2007 5:31 pm

I used to want a spectra hatchback back in the day LOL.

dont ask me why...I mustve been stupid then

Cabbs · Post by **Cabbs** » Fri May 25, 2007 10:29 pm

Don't feel bad. When I was 13, I wanted a Civic and wanted to put an exhaust and body kit on it.

flamingpinhead · Post by **flamingpinhead** » Fri May 25, 2007 11:09 pm

yeah, i used to want a civic (before TFATF... then i didnt want one anymore, lol)

also almost put a really gay spoileron my 01se back in the day. YUCK

in any case though, i wont expect much from KIA, although they have improved since around 00. KIA - Kick It Again

TeckNeon · Post by **TeckNeon** » Sat May 26, 2007 3:26 pm

Hyundai is trying to go up market and keep Kia more as the "value" version of their cars. Have you seen the new Sportage? Go take one out on a test drive. They really are not awful cars. Everyone thinks because they are cheap foriegn cars that they are shit. Most Kia stuff is total down market trash meant to help gobble up some of those first time new car buyers and people with horrible credit who think they need a brand new car with a 100K warranty (and a $350/mo. payment for 6 years) to solve all their problems.

I think it's a step in the right direction. Americans like superchargers anyway because of the instant tire roasting torque off the line. Stop light to stop light, that is what you want. Turbos are more fun for high end runs. Yeah, I don't see too many people doing top ends with thier Spectra5's but still. If they continue to drop in resale value, imagine how much fun a two or three year old supercharged Rio for a commuter? $6-$8000 for 200WHP? hell yeah! And it still would be covered under their wonderful warranty as well for when you break axles left and right because you tossed on a nice sized pulley and opened up the exhaust to 2.5". LOL And you prolly still could net 25 MPG all day with mixed driving.

Cheap reliable performance FTW!

60trim · Post by **60trim** » Sat May 26, 2007 8:42 pm

thats what I heard from a friend that is a tech at a local stealership.

OB · Post by OB » Sat May 26, 2007 8:45 pm

hyundia is also suppoed to be doing a performance/upper class brand in the next year or two. I hear theyre planning a v8 or something. They took the idea from the honda-acura, toyota-lexus deal. Interesting.

Midnight_Rider · Post by **Midnight_Rider** » Sun May 27, 2007 7:32 pm

TNK wrote:-walks in, reads thru the page, turns around, and walks the f*** back out-

Stonebender · Post by **Stonebender** » Sun May 27, 2007 9:15 pm

Midnight_Rider wrote:
TNK wrote:-walks in, reads thru the page, turns around, and walks the f*** back out-

Some of you should hear what people say about Neons.

Midnight_Rider · Post by **Midnight_Rider** » Sun May 27, 2007 11:56 pm

We have but we know they're wrong.