Chicago 2011: Kia Optima Turbo SX Kinetic Race Car

Is Kia considering following the lead set by Toyota in crafting an entry into NASCAR? No – at least not that we know of. But the Korean automaker is proving it has an interest in racing nonetheless, as you can see from the 2011 Kia Optima Turbo SX built by Kinetic Motorsports seen above.

According to Kia, this race car was built as a prototype to showcase the performance and racing capabilites of the Optima. Performance aside, this machine, which is being shown off at the 2011 Chicago Auto Show, certainly looks the part of a credible racer.

It's worth noting that the Kia Forte race car, also built by Kia racing partner Kinetic, finished second in the Grand-Am race at Daytona a few weeks ago. Will the Optima be following suit? It certainly wouldn't be a complete surprise...