Kia Cee'd GT and Pro_cee'd GT are Korean for "hot hatch" [w/video]

Wed, 06 Mar 2013

Kia has pulled back the curtain on its sportiest offerings to date at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. The Cee'd GT and Pro_cee'd GT benefit from a direct-injection, turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine good for 204 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. Those numbers are up 51 percent and 61 percent over the models' base engine, respectively. A six-speed manual transmission puts power to the front wheels, and Kia says the hatches can spring to 60 mph in 7.7 seconds. Top speed for both sits at 143 miles per hour. Penned by design guru Peter Schreyer, the cars wear tweaked front fascias complete with new grilles, headlamps and fog lamps.

Out back, dual-exit exhaust separate GT models from their common kin, and 18-inch alloy wheels are standard equipment. Indoors, buyers can expect to find a set of Recaro sport buckets and a specially designed TFT instrument cluster. Take a peek at a brief video of the Pro_cee'd GT and the official press release below.

Kia pro_cee'd GT and cee'd GT make world debuts at Geneva

230 kph top speed for most performance-focused Kia models ever

Turbocharged 1.6-litre engine produces 204 ps and 265 Nm

Designed, developed and manufactured in Europe

Frankfurt, 4 March 2013 – The all-new high-performance Kia pro_cee'd GT and cee'd GT make their global debuts at the 83rd Salon International de l'Automobile in Geneva on Tuesday 5 March. This new duo powers Kia into one of the most high-profile market segments in Europe, and they are the brand's most performance-focused production cars ever.

The two new models are powered by a new version of Kia's 1.6-litre GDI (gasoline direct injection) engine equipped with a twin-scroll turbocharger and strengthened internal components. Power and torque outputs are dramatically increased (compared with the non-turbo engine), with maximum power up 51% to 204 ps, and torque up 61% to 265 Nm. The Kia pro_cee'd GT and cee'd GT each deliver fuel consumption of 7.4l / 100km and emit 171 g/km CO2.

Fitted with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, the front-wheel drive models can accelerate from 0 to 100 kph in 7.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 230 kph. They can also accelerate from 60-100 kph in fourth gear in 5.4 seconds, 80-120 kph in fifth gear in 7.3 seconds and 80-120 kph in sixth gear in 8.8 seconds.

"The world premiere of Kia's new pro_cee'd GT and cee'd GT highlights the diversity of our current product line-up and underpins the natural expansion of the brand into the performance car market, an important step forward for Kia," comments Michael Cole, Chief Operating Officer, Kia Motors Europe. "The new Kia pro_cee'd GT will have great appeal for motorists looking for style, performance and dynamism in their next car – and the cee'd GT adds an extra level of practicality for buyers who prefer five doors."

Designed in Europe under the direction of President and Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer, the Kia pro_cee'd GT and cee'd GT feature new front grilles and lamp clusters, deeper bumpers, jewel-like four-point LED daytime running lights, new fog lights, dual-exhaust pipes, larger 18-inch alloy wheels, eye-catching red brake calipers and a range of special paint finishes.

Inside, the GT models are equipped with Recaro sports seats, alloy pedals, bespoke surface materials and a seven inch racing car-inspired TFT instrument cluster to create an engaging, performance-oriented ambience for the driver and passengers.

Significant developments to the suspension system ensure that the high performance credentials of these more powerful models are matched by exceptional dynamic characteristics, while retaining an outstanding ride quality, ensuring that both GT models are well suited for every day driving.

Production of the Kia pro_cee'd GT and cee'd GT, the newest members of the cee'd family, is scheduled to start at Kia's Zilina plant in Slovakia in mid-May 2013, with cars going on sale across Europe from mid-year. Prices and specifications will be confirmed closer to the on sale date.

By Zach Bowman