Kia Motors America Unveils 2010 KONI Racing Program

[matthewAPM]

http://www.grand-am.com/images/content/story/11032009KiaAnnouncementPhoto.jpg

November 3, 2009



Kia Motors and Kinetic Group team up to build and campaign race cars for the automaker's first-ever auto racing efforts on U.S. soil. Decorated drivers Nic Jönsson and Andy Lally to pilot No. 10 Infinity Kia Forte Koup race car...


http://www.grand-am.com/news/index.cfm?series=k&cid=24237

[Elbow]

LMFAO fuck yeah.

[dazn]

HAHA.
fail.

[matthewAPM]

anything with andy behind the wheel should be fast.

[5speed]

I bet they will actually be pretty good. I think this may spark something for KIA in the tuner world. The Spectra 5 was a huge fail. I honestly would rock one of these if I could get a hold of a body kit like that.

[VooDooXII]

Kia? Really? That's quite interesting.

Side Note: I saw a Forte Coupe on the road and those things look GOOD.

[Nerdsrock22]

Side Note: I saw a Forte Coupe on the road and those things look GOOD.

I've seen a few as well. Hyundai and Kia are sneaking up...

[EJ25RUN]

Kia? Really? That's quite interesting.

Side Note: I saw a Forte Coupe on the road and those things look GOOD.

With anything related to this type of racing, the manufacture is responsible for funds.

It is who they chose to build and run the cars that matters. In this case, it is Kinetic Group.

[josh green]

It looks remarkably like a new civic SI.

[jdm>usdm]

Kias are such low quality, poorly built pieces of garbage.:2cents:


I predict that this will not go well.

[Elbow]

Kias are such low quality, poorly built pieces of garbage.:2cents:


I predict that this will not go well.

I predict you're wrong and don't know what you're talking about. :D

[5speed]

I predict you're wrong and don't know what you're talking about. :D
X2 I have actually been impressed with the Kia Spectra EX, I bet that engine would woop the shit out of your integra if both were built to a fair race. :taun:

[Cool Cat Racing]

I'll admit thats the first Forte coupe I can remember seeing and that looks pretty cool. I'd honestly buy one.

[VooDooXII]

It looks remarkably like a new civic SI.

I keep saying that this is what the Civic should've looked like.


With anything related to this type of racing, the manufacture is responsible for funds.

It is who they chose to build and run the cars that matters. In this case, it is Kinetic Group.

I just think it's interesting that Kia of all companies is getting into a racing program. First time for everything, I guess!

[jdm>usdm]

I predict you're wrong and don't know what you're talking about. :D


Lol.

I just know that my sister has a kia. optima I believe. It only has like 40,000 miles on it and the thing is falling apart. Interior trim pieces are chipping left and right, the steering wheel has damn near holes in it from where you place hands. The motor feels sooo underpowered for what I would expect from a v6. I cant even imagine what the 4 cylinder model feels like.
Also, my relatives bought a kia. Some small SUV; dont know what model exactly. They have the same complaints. Underpowered, and poor quality.


Just havent seen or heard a single good thing about them.

[EJ25RUN]

Lol.

I just know that my sister has a kia. optima I believe. It only has like 40,000 miles on it and the thing is falling apart. Interior trim pieces are chipping left and right, the steering wheel has damn near holes in it from where you place hands. The motor feels sooo underpowered for what I would expect from a v6. I cant even imagine what the 4 cylinder model feels like.
Also, my relatives bought a kia. Some small SUV; dont know what model exactly. They have the same complaints. Underpowered, and poor quality.

Just havent seen or heard a single good thing about them.

I wanted to see what your response was before i had input.

You are looking at this as out of the box racing. The Koni is incredibly close to production based racing compared to pretty much every single other series there is but even still, modifications are allowed and more importantly, prep and r&d on behalf of the team will get this project to move on.

I'm not saying it will win immediately but i am saying that this and a showroom Kia are not the same.

For another more stretched out example, look at the Chevy Lacetti used by RML in the WTCC and BTCC. Over in America, it was another simple Pacific Rim import branded as a Suzuki.

Over there, it was an over engineered piece of British perfection.

The KIA is not built to S2000 rules but again, this is NOT a stock Kia.

[jdm>usdm]

X2 I have actually been impressed with the Kia Spectra EX, I bet that engine would woop the shit out of your integra if both were built to a fair race. :taun:


Nearly anything can be "built" to be quick. But until someone chooses to build one, its 138hp and 136 ft lb will not be enough to "woop the shit" out of my integra.lol

[jdm>usdm]

I wanted to see what your response was before i had input.

You are looking at this as out of the box racing. The Koni is incredibly close to production based racing compared to pretty much every single other series there is but even still, modifications are allowed and more importantly, prep and r&d on behalf of the team will get this project to move on.

I'm not saying it will win immediately but i am saying that this and a showroom Kia are not the same.

For another more stretched out example, look at the Chevy Lacetti used by RML in the WTCC and BTCC. Over in America, it was another simple Pacific Rim import branded as a Suzuki.

Over there, it was an over engineered piece of British perfection.

The KIA is not built to S2000 rules but again, this is NOT a stock Kia.



Yeah, I dont know much about the series at all, but I do believe that if a good bit of modification is allowed (which I indeed initially didnt assume was the case) then Kia will learn alot. I would like to see the experience they gain through all of the R&D that naturally comes with racing carry over on to the street some time soon.

I honestly dont see Kia becoming a well respected name in the motorsports world though, atleast not anytime soon. But I do believe that they are heading the right direction in terms of learning how to build an all around better car.

[JDMGRNAV6]

I've seen a few as well. Hyundai and Kia are sneaking up...


they have a hyundai that looks like a mercedes without the logo in the front, 4dr..kinda like it

[Andr3w]

It looks remarkably like a new civic SI.

I thought this the first time I saw one.

[5speed]

Lol.

I just know that my sister has a kia. optima I believe. It only has like 40,000 miles on it and the thing is falling apart. Interior trim pieces are chipping left and right, the steering wheel has damn near holes in it from where you place hands. The motor feels sooo underpowered for what I would expect from a v6. I cant even imagine what the 4 cylinder model feels like.
Also, my relatives bought a kia. Some small SUV; dont know what model exactly. They have the same complaints. Underpowered, and poor quality.


Just havent seen or heard a single good thing about them.

What year models? Kia stepped up their game big time back around 2006. Ive said this in countless other forums that anything before 2006 that ive seen sucks. Anything 2006 and up are pretty damn good, I dont know how they stepped it up so quickly but they did! You gotta remember that Kia though its Hyundai is still a relatively new company. They dont have all the years experiance as the Big Three of Japan. Koreans are just now getting closer to some great potential. :D

[TypeRPersonality]

It does look good for an economy car. Why? Because Kia's head designer is from Volkswagen Group.

[eraser4g63]

Funny part is if something should happen to it (IE; wreck) crumple it up and throw it in the trash and build another one for like $50. I wish KIA luck, i think this will start a spark in the community.

[jdm>usdm]

What year models? Kia stepped up their game big time back around 2006. Ive said this in countless other forums that anything before 2006 that ive seen sucks. Anything 2006 and up are pretty damn good, I dont know how they stepped it up so quickly but they did! You gotta remember that Kia though its Hyundai is still a relatively new company. They dont have all the years experiance as the Big Three of Japan. Koreans are just now getting closer to some great potential. :D


I believe that they were both pre-06 models.

So I guess thats all it is :dunno:

[5speed]

^ Yeah, those vehicles were complete shit. They had to bring someone new in to design and execute the newer vehicles bc they aren't bad at all. Its a 180 difference in thw quality.

[matthewAPM]

maybe this will get people to buy kia's and mod them

[ash7]

Nearly anything can be "built" to be quick. But until someone chooses to build one, its 138hp and 136 ft lb will not be enough to "woop the shit" out of my integra.lol

... unless it is a type R, "your integra" had about those same numbers - when it was new.

I applaud Kia stepping into this area of racing, i have a feeling they'll surprise quite a few people.
-jonathan

[Elbow]

Nearly anything can be "built" to be quick. But until someone chooses to build one, its 138hp and 136 ft lb will not be enough to "woop the shit" out of my integra.lol

It's Koni Challenge, they are FAR from "built." I PROMISE it would rape your Integra lol.

[jdm>usdm]

Haha I never said anything about my car being as quick as the Kia thats being built for the Koni Challange! Hell I know it would rape me in every apect.


I was referring to 5speed's coment about how a Kia Spectra EX would out run me if it was built to a make a good race. I took this as just being a kind of street car build, not a damn race car. All Im saying that is that until people decide to start really modifiying them, then I dont have to worry about a Kia pulling up next to me on the streets and blowing my doors off.

[Elbow]

Haha I never said anything about my car being as quick as the Kia thats being built for the Koni Challange! Hell I know it would rape me in every apect.


I was referring to 5speed's coment about how a Kia Spectra EX would out run me if it was built to a make a good race. I took this as just being a kind of street car build, not a damn race car. All Im saying that is that until people decide to start really modifiying them, then I dont have to worry about a Kia pulling up next to me on the streets and blowing my doors off.

Have you raced a Kia? Stock for stock the Kia could kill you..lol.

[Demsum]

Looks good, but APR's GTI will probably continue to dominate that class.

[jdm>usdm]

Have you raced a Kia? Stock for stock the Kia could kill you..lol.


Maybe other kias would out run me, stock to stock. But not the one my sister has. I believe its a 04 optima with the v6. cars.com claims it ran a 16.53 at 86.86 mph. Which isnt THAT bad, considering its a four door. But then go search to see how an 04 honda accord four door v6 fairs in the quarter, and its grabin a 15.56 at 90.85 mph.

Just sayin.

[5speed]

Maybe other kias would out run me, stock to stock. But not the one my sister has. I believe its a 04 optima with the v6. cars.com claims it ran a 16.53 at 86.86 mph. Which isnt THAT bad, considering its a four door. But then go search to see how an 04 honda accord four door v6 fairs in the quarter, and its grabin a 15.56 at 90.85 mph.

Just sayin.
There is never really much of a difference in weight with four doors or even the length change of that matter that would make a difference in acceleration. Some cars come better equipped bc its a coupe but not most of the time. Like I said Pre '06 sucks end of story. I think you are just offended SimonTibbett and I know stock to stock or even street built to street built (if there was enough aftermarket support for a 2006 Kia Spectra) that it would not have much problem beating Integras(kswap not included). They would make a great race, and are pretty evenly matched just better response with the Spectra even if it is roughly 100lbs heavier :D

[jdm>usdm]

There is never really much of a difference in weight with four doors or even the length change of that matter that would make a difference in acceleration. Some cars come better equipped bc its a coupe but not most of the time. Like I said Pre '06 sucks end of story. I think you are just offended SimonTibbett and I know stock to stock or even street built to street built (if there was enough aftermarket support for a 2006 Kia Spectra) that it would not have much problem beating Integras(kswap not included). They would make a great race, and are pretty evenly matched just better response with the Spectra...just sayin:D


Alright I suppose that my opinion may be a bit biased, just becuase of my personal experience with their cars.

But nevertheless, I wish the company luck! I look foward to seeing how this company will be looking in another 5-10 years.

[5speed]

^ thats pretty much what I was saying haha. I used to hate Kia's but then drive my fiances all the time and its grown on me. It wouldn't blow your doors off just saying that they are pretty close.