After 20 years in the U.S., Kia's ambitions extend far beyond
offering eyebrow-raising 420-hp luxury sedans. To mark five years in
professional motorsports, Kia
hosted an event at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch outside of Las Vegas to
give us a taste of the automaker's racing efforts, even getting us behind the
wheel of the Kia Forte Koup
race cars that compete in the Pirelli World Challenge (PWC) Touring Car A
class. Making the decision to invest in racing wasn't one Kia took lightly --
keep reading to learn more about the automaker's efforts.
1. One of Kia's primary directives in its first racing
season was to finish races -- something that can be easier said than done.
Having frequent breakdowns on the track would reinforce the very perception Kia is still trying to
eradicate, people who associate the brand with mid-1990s Sephias and Sportages
that may not have been as reliable as contemporary class-leaders. To that
effect, Kia says
it had just one engine issue during its first year on the track, and over the
last five years has experienced some successes too. 
2. Kia
insists racing is a brand-building endeavor that can actually influence people
who aren't enthusiastic about motorsports. Effectively communicating racing
wins is like the motorsports equivalent of the K900 luxury sedan -- it's
another way of establishing parity between Kia and respected
nameplates that have been around far longer.
3. Where would Kia's Scott McKee like to see Kia Racing
in five to 10 years? Aside from continuing to be as successful as the brand has
been, McKee mentions higher classes of sports car racing as well as developing
a grassroots racing scene, something Mazda has benefitted from for years.
4. Driving a Kia Forte Koup race car isn't
at all difficult, except for maybe getting inside. Though the Forte Koup race
car I drove clearly wasn't designed for a six-foot, four-inch tall automotive
journalist like me, once inside, the car is entertaining and easy to drive. The
Forte Koup's turbocharged 1.6-liter I-4 makes about 201-210 hp and has a
freer-flowing straight exhaust, brake system upgrades, and shocks. What hasn't
changed from the street car to the race car? The familiar chime a
production-spec Kia makes when
you turn off the vehicle. 
5. Kia
has been approached before about opening up a racing school. Racing schools can
be a good way to better connect actual racing efforts with public perception of
the brand, though, as with everything, it comes at a financial cost. While Kia isn't ready to
divulge any details on this subject, McKee suggests coming to a future SEMA
show for more details on Kia Racing's next moves. Considering that's where Kia
first announced its plans to enter professional motorsports, in 2009, we'll be
watching to see what the brand has in store.
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