The Kia pro_cee'd GT will become the Korean brand's first hot-hatch when it launches onto the world stage in the second half of 2013.
Powered by a 1.6-litre direct injection turbocharged petrol engine–the same as the one that produces 150kW/265Nm in the Hyundai Veloster Turbo–and mated to a six-speed manual transmission,the Kia pro_cee'd GT is set to be a genuine hot-hatch competitor that Kia says aligns perfectly with the brand's"fun to drive"philosophy.
While details remain light at this stage,the hotted up GT–which is based on the Kia pro_cee'd seen at the 2012 Paris motor show earlier this year–should be a vast improvement performance-wise over the non-turbo 1.6-litre pro_cee'd(pictured below),which can only muster a 0-100km/h time of 10.2 seconds in its fastest guise.
Unfortunately,while due to go on sale towards mid-2013 in other markets,its potential for the local market is less certain.
After the pro_cee'd was unveiled at Paris,Kia Australia's head of public relations,Kevin Hepworth,told CarAdvice the car was still under assessment for our market.
"The cee'd has always been a model of interest to Kia Australia,but to date there have been some well documented hurdles to bringing the car to Australia.There has been a continuous process of assessment and that is continuing in light of the global financial situation and availability of models of interest."
