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Kia debuts Forte 5-door with available 201-HP turbo engine

The US-bound 2014 Kia Forte first showed up in sedan form back at the LA Auto Show last year, but Kia unveiled the hatchback version of the car today at the Chicago Auto Show. Unlike the current Forte five-door the 2014 will feature styling that is distinct from its sedan counterpart, but the big news is it will also get a few extra ponies under the hood.
Since the Forte five-door will only be offered in EX and SX trim, the sedan's 1.8-liter inline-four is not offered on this model. The base engine in the EX is the 2.0-liter direct-injected four, producing 173 horsepower and 154 pound-feet of torque. Those looking for more power should check out the Forte SX, which uses the 1.6-liter turbocharged engine currently found in the Hyundai Veloster Turbo. This engine produces 201 hp and 195 lb-ft, and it can be paired to either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission; the latter of which is optional and comes with paddle shifters.
Aside from the obvious styling changes required for the added cargo area, the 2014 Kia Forte five-door gets numerous design elements to set it apart from the sedan. The face of the new hatchback will get a much smaller tiger-nose grille than the sedan, but it will get a larger lower intake, which we can't help but compare to the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo. Kia also gave the Forte dual exhaust outlets and LED taillights, and the SX model will get stylish 18-inch wheels. Inside, the five-door design allows the Forte to increase its cargo volume to 23.2 cubic feet, and the cabin can also be equipped with features such as heated front seats, ventilated driver's seat, navigation, leather seating and dual-zone climate control.

Hyundai, union reach tentative labor deal

According to Reuters, South Korea's labor unions may have reached a tentative deal with Hyundai following a compromise between the two sides on wages. Workers have staged a number of stoppages since August 20, which have cost the South Korean giant 1.02 trillion won - around $1.1B US. It also represents just over 50,000 units of production. That vehicle total sounds like a lot, but it's a small enough figure that Hyundai can apparently catch up with weekend and overtime shifts. We'd wager that this is why US inventories haven't been hit quite so hard aside from the battering already taking place. The proposal will now go before the union's rank and file.
If ratified, the new agreement will see workers getting a 5.14-percent raise in base salaries, along with 8.5-million-won (roughly $7,800) bonuses. Those concessions are a far cry compared to what the union was initially demanding, though. Early proposals included a 56.25-gram gold medal for each employee (worth about $2,400) and a 10-million won bonus (about $9,100) for employees whose children chose not to attend college. The union also sought a bonus worth two months' salary for workers that have been with the company for over 40 years, but this was negotiated down to a flat rate of six-million won ($5,464).
Based on Reuters' report, the work stoppages must have taken a real toll on Hyundai - its domestic sales dropped 20 percent last month, while exports were down nine percent. Those startling figures must have put some fire under the Hyundai bargaining team.

Kia Stinger GT Atlantica is a deep-blue limited edition

Kia continues its massive marketing push for the brand-new Stinger fastback by announcing a limited-edition "Atlantica" model for 2019. It adds European and Korean badging and other features to the standard U.S. version of the sport sedan. It's based on the Stinger GT2 AWD, which starts at $51,400 and features a 3.3-liter V6 that puts out 365 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque. From there, the Atlantica will get a deep chroma blue metallic paint finish, plus 19-inch alloy wheels borrowed straight from the European version. And instead of the standard Kia badge on the rear, there's a large-font Stinger logo, just like Korean buyers get. Inside is where things get more luxurious, with an exclusive espresso-brown nappa leather and a black "suede-type" headliner. There's also a surround-view monitor, wireless phone charger and heated rear outboard seats. There's a Stinger Atlantica badge on the front center console, plus two flanking both front fenders. Kia says it'll make just 500 examples of the Atlantica and will announce pricing closer to the on-sale date this summer. It's the latest example of the Korean automaker's marketing push for the new Stinger, which it bills as its most performance-focused vehicle yet. In addition to its Super Bowl ad last month starring Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler, it's also offering "Stinger Experience" events in nine U.S. cities. There, people can take a Stinger, accompanied by a professional driver, through paces including a 0-60 mph acceleration run, alongside competitors like the Audi A5 and Porsche Panamera. It's also opened non-sales Stinger "salons" in shopping malls in several states. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2019 Kia Stinger GT Atlantica Image Credit: Kia Marketing/Advertising Kia Performance Sedan kia stinger gt kia stinger