Looking to further associate itself with the world of motorsports after the first two motorsports championships in company's history in the 2011 Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge (CTSSC), Kia today unveiled two more track-ready models at the 2011 SEMA Show, the 2012 Rio 5-door B-Spec racecar and the Optima Hybrid pace car. Developed in partnership with Kinetic Motorsports, the new Rio 5-door B-Spec racer will compete in the newly established showroom stock racing class against various subcompact rivals such as the Mazda2, Honda Fit and Ford Fiesta starting from 2012. The Rio B-Spec is eligible to race in numerous motorsport events including the World Challenge, GRAND-AM, Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and National Auto Sport Association (NASA).
Aside from purchasing a stock 2012 Kia Rio 5-door hatchback, those interested will have to buy the B-Spec kit that costs $14,000 from Kia’s racing partner, Kinetic Motorsports, and either build the car themselves or shell out another $6,000 to have the team at Kinetic Motorsports assemble the racecar at their shop in Buford, Georgia.
The B-Spec package includes a roll cage, racing seat, quick-release steering wheel, racing harness, race shocks, lightweight wheels, spec-series tires, an oil sump pan expansion kit and complete build instructions.
Also making its world premiere in Las Vegas is a specially modified Optima Hybrid that will take over the role of the official pace car of the United States Touring Car Championship (USTCC) from the Soul.
Built by GoGoGear, the Optima Hybrid Pacecar has been fitted with a free-flow air intake system, Magnaflow exhaust system, coil-over suspension kit to lower the ride height, front splitter and rear wing, lightweight wheels and performance tires.
Other highlights include a black exterior paintwork with lime-green graphics and LED auxiliary lights, while GoGoGear also updated the interior with a not so pacecar-like 2,400-watt audio and video system with dual seven-inch monitors in the front-seat headrests.
Kia said that the Optima Hybrid Safety Car will make its first appearance at the USTCC in March of 2012.
