Kia Forte Koup to Enter Grand-AM Koni Challenge Racing Series

At this week's SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Kia unveiled a racing version of the new Forte Koup with which it will compete in the 2010 GRAND-AM KONI Sports Car Challenge Series in the Street Tuner (ST) class, thus marking the firm's first ever racing efforts on U.S. soil. The Korean automaker has teamed with the Kinetic Group to build and campaign two Forte Koups that will be driven by Andy Lally and Nic Jönsson.

"We researched every form of auto racing in the U.S. to find a fan base that was aligned with our target demographics, and found GRAND-AM to be the perfect fit," said Michael Sprague, vice president of marketing, Kia Motors America.

The front-wheel drive Forte Koup will compete in the GRAND-AM Koni series against a variety of production-based race cars from the U.S., Europe and Asia.

Detroit Freep's Mark Phelan Slams the 2010 Kia Forte - Thinks It's a Mid-Size Sedan with "Forgettable Styling"

Not to generalize, but can't say that I like reading car test drives on newspapers or their respective websites for the simple fact that I often find myself looking at an un-opinionated shortened press release or even worse, a review written by someone that has little idea of what he or she is talking about. I don't know Mark Phelan personally nor am I aware of his automotive background, but in my opinion, his latest review on the 2010 Kia Forte sedan at the Detroit Free Press fits in the second group.

I could just mention the fact that he makes a mega blunder by calling the Kia Forte a mid-size sedan, and leave it that, but, what the heck, let's see what else he wrote.

If you've been in this biz for a while, you can feel the negative vibe right from the beginning. And truly enough, Phelan picks up his shovel and beats the crap out the Korean sedan straight up from the title "Kia's Forte Falls Short on Comfort, Styling" and continues in the opening sentence "That's a humble vehicle, my friend said" - as if anyone cares what "Kathleen" thinks about the car's styling...

But it gets worse as he then completely messes it up by saying that it's an "underpowered mid-size sedan with a drab interior" (okay, everyone is entitle to their own opinion when it comes to styling) that is "no match for leading midsize models like the Chevrolet Malibu, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord and Toyota Camry"

Well, sorry to be the ones to break it to you Mr Phelan, but the Forte is actually a compact sedan that competes with smaller cars like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla and NOT their larger siblings.

Having said that, there's no need to comment on Phelan's ramblings on the "rather faint-hearted 156-horsepower 2.0-liter four-pot", which by the way, is more powerful than the more expensive entry-level 140HP Civic and 132HP Corolla sedans, or that the boot is smaller in capacity than the Rolls-Royce Phantom Camry, Malibu and Accord.

I'd also slightly disagree on the "forgettable exterior styling" (as if the Camry and Malibu are something to remember...) but again, beauty or the lack of it is to the eye of the beholder.

Also, since I have never driven the Forte, can't say anything about Phelan's comments on the vehicle's quality (large gaps, uneven fit etc), poor Bluetooth system or whatever else he finds negative, and there are plenty of them according to Phelan. Those of you that have sat behind the wheel of the Forte sedan, especially ones with a professional / journalist background, may have your say below.

And just for the record before someone jumps into conclusions, we have no affiliation with Kia (or with any other automaker for that matter), the ads on julino billym are sourced from Google's Adsense and we couldn't care less about the Forte's market performance in the U.S. or elsewhere.

Check out Phelan's complete review on the 2010 Forte at the Detroit Free Press here and have your say in the comment section below.

- John

Source: Freep

Kia Launches its First Hybrid Model, Says Hybrids to be Available in Europe by 2013

Following in the footsteps of its mother company, Hyundai and its recently launched Elantra LPI Hybrid, Kia has introduced its first commercialized hybrid - electric car onto the Korean market. As its name suggests, the Forte LPI Hybrid utilizes the same drivetrain with the Elantra that comprises of a 1.6-liter LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) engine, a 15kW and 105Nm electric motor and a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). The hybrid system is also equipped with Kia's Intelligent Stop and Go system.

Furthermore, the Korean automaker's engineers honed the Forte sedan's aerodynamics by applying different front/rear bumper skirts, aluminum wheels and rear spoiler as well as using a special cover for the lower part of the engine room and centre floor. These changes resulted in a lowered air resistance of 0.26 Cd, compared to 0.29 Cd for the standard, petrol-powered Forte sedan.

The Forte LPI Hybrid has a combined fuel efficiency of 17.2km per liter of LPG which Kia says is the equivalent of 21.5km/liter (50.6mpg US, 60.7mpg UK or 4.7lt /100 km) in a standard petrol engine.

While the LPG-hybrid version of the Forte won't be making it to other markets outside Korea, Kia said that it the company is currently working on petrol-powered and plug-in hybrids that are likely to arrive in European showrooms by 2013.

2010 Kia Forte Priced in the States from $13,695

Kia has announced pricing for its new entry in the compact-car segment, the 2010 Forte sedan. The Spectra's replacement is available with two engines and three trim levels with prices ranging from $13,695 for the entry-level Forte 2.0 LX to $18,195 for the 2.4 SX Auto. The Forte LX and EX are powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 156HP and 144 pound-feet of torque that can be matted to either a standard five-speed manual gearbox or an optional electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission.

The range-topping SX model features an upgraded 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine, which delivers 173 horsepower, and is offered with a standard six-speed manual gearbox or an optional five-speed automatic transmission with Sportmatic.

In terms of fuel economy, the 2.0-liter engine returns 25/34 mpg (city/highway) when mated to either the five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmissions, while the 2.4-liter engine turns out 22/32 mpg when paired with the six-speed manual and 23/31 mpg with the five-speed automatic.

The standard features on the basic LC model include ABS with brake assist and EBD, electronic stability control, tire pressure monitoring system, 195/65 R15 tires with wheel covers, an audio system with CD, MP3 and USB capability, Bluetooth hands-free connectivity with steering wheel-mounted controls and front, side and curtain airbags.

The EX model adds power windows and door locks; remote keyless entry, air conditioning, map lamps, steering wheel-mounted audio and cruise controls, tweeter speakers, dual front and rear cup holders and floor mats.

Aside from the larger engine, the SX model a few more standard features, including a black interior with sport cloth fabric adorned with red stitching, a telescoping steering column, the so-called "Supervision gauge cluster" - whatever that means, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob and metal-finish trim and pedals.

U.S. Spec 2010 Kia Forte Sedan Introduced in Chicago: 37 High-Res Photos

Following its introduction in the Korean market last August, Kia unveiled the U.S. spec Forte at the at the 2009 Chicago Auto Show. Due to go on sale in the States in late spring or early summer of 2009, the Forte sedan will replace the (very) forgettable Spectra in Kia's North American lineup. Available in three trim levels, the Forte LX and EX are powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 156HP and 144 pound-feet of torque, while the range-topping SX features an upgraded 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine delivering an output of 173HP.

The Forte LX and EX 2.0 are offered with two transmission options, a standard five-speed manual transmission or an optional electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission. The more powerful SX 2.4 comes with a standard six-speed manual transmission and an optional five-speed automatic transmission with Sportmatic.

While pricing and detailed information on the standard equipment will be announced closer to the launch date, Kia said that all Forte sedans will come with a standard four speaker AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio system outfitted with SIRIUS Satellite Radio capabilities with three months complimentary service, an auxiliary audio input jack and USB port for connecting personal MP3 players and Bluetooth connectivity. The EX and SX packages also add a standard six speaker surround audio system and steering wheel controls.

In terms of safety features, Kia has equipped all Forte sedans with two-stage airbags, front seat-mounted and side curtain airbags, four-wheel disc brakes with an antilock brake system (ABS), electronic stability control (ESC) and traction control (TCS), and a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) as standard.