Kia, Continental running diesel pro_cee'd on street rubber in 'Ring 24h
Click image to enlarge
If you've been looking in on the live stream of the Nürburgring 24h race, you might spot the car above crossing your video window. It's basically a production-spec Kia pro_ceed (fitted with whatever safety features are required for race participation) powered by the stock 138 hp/225 lb-ft 2.0L diesel. The skinny on this one is that it was entered by Continental Tires' Italian division and will run the entire race on ContiSportContact 3 street tires. The team's goal is to complete the race while making as few tire changes as possible, after which Continental will likely talk about how awesome its tires are in advertising that points back to this particular effort. We'll try to remember to drop the Kia Europe people a line post-race to get the final tally on the number of tire changes they wind up going through.
[Source: Kia/Continental]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Anik 1:17PM (5/24/2008)
Thats actually not a bad looking car. Well with those wheels. Why dont we get one?
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why not the LS2LS7? 1:38PM (5/24/2008)
Cause it's a hot hatch. Hot hatches don't do so hot in the US. I wish they did, but even on this site, you'll see people who bitch that they make no sense in this country.
Aprime 2:40PM (5/24/2008)
Facepalm.jpg
You guys get the Spectra 5. Your argument is invalid.
Aprime 2:57PM (5/24/2008)
Oh wait, I guess you wouldn't qualify it as a hot hatch because it's not bootirific enough for you.
RMc 2:57PM (5/24/2008)
The c'eed looks substantially better than the USDM Spectra 5 both inside and out. There has to be a reason why Kia keeps the c'eed out of the US and it might have something to do with the cost verses what American buyers are willing to pay for a somewhat disrespected brand like Kia (abet that disrespect is fading.) The c'eed would be an excellent car to get younger buyers an in to the Kia brand, even if it means for Kia to not make a large margin on each sale.
Anyways, good for Kia for trucking this decent looking oil burner around the 'ring.
why not the LS2LS7? 3:00PM (5/24/2008)
I wouldn't call it a hot hatch because it isn't hot. 143HP.
Aprime 3:43PM (5/24/2008)
"...powered by the stock 138 hp/225 lb-ft 2.0L diesel."
I totally missed that.
225 for a 2.0L is hot.
why not the LS2LS7? 4:50PM (5/24/2008)
A Prime.
I was referring to the Spectra 5 not being hot. You said how can I say anything about hot hatches when we have the spectra 5, so I pointed out the spectra 5 isn't hot.
And as to your comment about the level of torque, you cannot measure car speed with torque. Yes, Diesels have a lot of torque, no that doesn't mean a thing because due to their low redlines, they have to be geared lower in the gearbox/differential and thus the torque listed is not reflected in the performance of the vehicles.
When someone asked why we don't have this in the US, I assumed they meant the model of car, not the Diesel engine. We don't have the Diesel engine in this car here because it certainly doesn't meet US/CARB emissions.
Aprime 12:23AM (5/25/2008)
Do you know what? We've got two diesels coming in Canada.
One in the Aveo, the other in the Cobalt. Possible that Saturn gets its fair share as well.
Sucks to be in America I guess (price difference between regular and diesel is approx 16 cents per litre, but for the added fuel economy, you can't go wrong).
Anik 2:10PM (5/25/2008)
I totally meant the look of the car. Hint "not a bad looking car".. Anyway i think us americans should turn to hot hatches rather than 2mpg suburbans.
Ian 1:53PM (5/24/2008)
I want MORE hot hatches. I see GTIs, Rabbits, Civic Hatches, Focus ZX3s, etc all over. Its just the younger market that wants hatches, not the older demographics. That is changing though, as people that grew up in the 80's with the dominance of the rabbit getting older and remember how nice they were.
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nanotube 3:34PM (5/24/2008)
The US will get the station wagon version as an '09 model, slightly restyled and renamed the Hyundai Elantra Touring. It is basically the same car from the B-pillar forward, 2.0L 143hp gas engine only, but the rear styling is um.... bad?
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Aprime 3:44PM (5/24/2008)
Uh, no? I love it. If it were available presently I'd get it rather than the Astra.
Aprime 3:45PM (5/24/2008)
...Subjective matter, blerr.
AMcA 10:05PM (5/25/2008)
I'm just back from Central Europe. C'eeds are on the road. And they're nice. Quite nice. Definitely in the game with Golf, et al.
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