Coming off its first two motorsports championships in company history in the 2011 Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge (CTSSC), Kia has announced plans to increase its racing footprint next year with the unveiling the all-new 2012 Rio 5-door B-Spec racecar by Kinetic Motorsports that is set to compete in the newly established Sports Car Club of America's showroom stock racing class in 2012 against a variety of competitors.
“The Kia Racing program is just two years old, but with the Street Tuner Team and Driver championships already under our belt we are excited to expand to new forms of racing, and the B-Spec series is a great way for grassroots racers and Kia enthusiasts to get involved in motorsports and experience the outstanding driving dynamics and class-leading horsepower1 the all-new Rio 5-door subcompact has to offer,” said Michael Sprague, vice president, marketing & communications, KMA.
The Rio 5-door B-Spec racecar will compete against a variety of subcompact competitors such as the Mazda2, Honda Fit and Ford Fiesta in a range of motorsports events sanctioned by various organizing bodies, including World Challenge, GRAND-AM, Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and National Auto Sport Association (NASA). Showroom stock racing provides an affordable avenue for auto enthusiasts to participate in the excitement of competitive motorsports with a vehicle like the all-new 2012 Rio 5-door that is fun to drive, fuel efficient and stylish.
Once potential racers purchase their 2012 Rio 5-door, a B-Spec kit that costs $14,000 is available for purchase from Kia’s racing partner, Kinetic Motorsports, that includes everything needed to transform the 2012 Rio 5-door into a proper racecar: roll cage kit, racing seat, quick-release steering wheel, racing harness, race shocks, lightweight wheels, spec-series tires, oil sump pan expansion kit and complete build instructions. If preferred, the racer can have the team at Kinetic Motorsports assemble the Rio at their shop in Buford, Georgia, for an additional $6,000. As racers do battle on the track, Kinetic will also be their source for replacement parts.
source: sportscarillustrated
