Earlier this year Inside Line got a chance to fling around the Mazda 2 and Honda Fit B-Spec racecars at Thunderhill Raceway. We left the event excited for the smal car series, "This dry run of the B-Spec racing concept has people smiling up and down the pit lane...Let's hope the B-Spec concept takes root somewhere and that Ford, Chevy and others decide to play, too."
Well, it may not be Ford or Chevy (yet), but Kia is all in with the new Rio 5. Kia, by way of their racing partner Kinetic Motorsports, will provide all of the necessary stuff -- cage, safety equipment, suspension, etc -- to teams looking to compete in B-Spec showroom-stock events.
"Outstanding value has always been a foundation of the Kia brand, and with the rapid development of the Kia Racing program and the launch of the 2012 Rio 5-door we have a unique opportunity to introduce Kia to a new and passionate racing community by providing an affordable and great-looking race car that delivers best-in-class horsepower in the rapidly expanding B-segment," said Kia Motors America Vice president of marketing and communications Michael Sprague.
More details on the B-Spec Kia Rio will be announced at SEMA on Tuesday, November 1.
stovt001 says:
08:36 AM, 10/12/11
I love this idea of small cheap production-based racers. Chevy and Ford need to get in on this!
zeniff says:
07:45 AM, 11/ 1/11
Like the car. Methinks the roof wants to be carbon fiber, but ain't.