KIA RACING CHASES BACK-TO-BACK WINS AT BARBER MOTORSPORTS PARK IN ROUND TWO OF THE CONTINENTAL TIRE SPORTS CAR CHALLENGE

Kia Racing and Kinetic Motorsports return to Barber Motorsports Park for round two of the 2012 Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge (CTSCC) aiming for back-to-back wins at the beautiful, purpose-built road course carved into the hills outside Birmingham, Ala. Coming off a thrilling race and photo finish at Daytona in January, the team is optimistic about the Koups' chances to once again stand tall on the podium at Barber.

"We are really looking forward to going back to Barber where we had our first GRAND-AM win with Kia last year," said Jönsson. "Both Forte Koups should be very strong in Birmingham, and following the racing debut of the new Kia Optimas last weekend in St. Petersburg, which resulted in two top-ten finishes in our first World Challenge series event, the entire crew is energized to return to Barber and take the next step in defending our 2011 Team and Driver championships."

Something else to watch for this weekend: Andy Lally has a chance to make motorsports history at Barber by becoming the first driver with 100-career GRAND-AM podium finishes. Following his most recent CTSCC podium with Kia and his Rolex series victory in the 24 Hours of Daytona, Lally has climbed the podium 98 times in his decorated GRAND-AM road racing career. At Barber, Lally will again be doing double duty, co-driving the No. 10 Infinity Audio Kia Forte Koup with Jönsson and piloting a GT-class Porsche in the Rolex series.

Last year, joined by co-driver Michael Galati, Nic Jönsson and the No. 10 Forte Koup dominated the CTSCC round at Barber much to the delight of a large contingent of team members from Kia's nearby manufacturing plant – Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG). Jönsson and Lally visited KMMG on Tuesday, March 27 to talk about Kia's expanding motorsports program and sign autographs as the team made final preparations for Barber.

"Returning to Barber feels a lot like coming home for Kia Racing," said Michael Sprague, vice president, marketing & communications, KMA. "With our U.S. assembly plant just down the road in West Point, Ga., our strong dealer body in the area and Kinetic's home base nearby, we are looking forward to seeing a lot of Kia Racing fans at the track and hoping to give them another great show by repeating last year's historic performance."

Round two of the CTSCC at Barber Motorsports Park starts Saturday, March 31 at 5 p.m. ET. Kia Racing fans can check out live race status updates, photos and videos at www.facebook.com/kiaracing. Televised coverage of the race begins at 12 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 8 on SPEED.

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Kia Rio tops Consumer Reports ratings of subcompacts

Consumer Reports rates the Kia Rio the top subcompact sedan, ahead of the Hyundai Accent and Chevrolet Sonic, in its road tests released Thursday.

CR test drivers praised the redesigned Rio for its nimble handling, smooth transmission and relatively low level of noise for a subcompact. The magazine also cited the Hyundai Elantra for top MPG and the Chevrolet Sonic for comfortable ride and good handling, but ranked them just below the Rio. The full results appear in the May issue or, for subscribers, online at the Consumer Reports web site.

The overall tests showed how much subcompacts have improved recently as auto makers work to meet consumer demand and federal regulations for higher gas mileage. "Subcompact cars were once collectively known as penalty boxes for their noisiness, rudimentary interiors, uncomfortable rides and weak performance," notes David Champion, head of the CR auto test center. "But now improved redesigns, combined with an affordable price and impressive fuel economy, make a number of subcompacts good choices for people looking to stretch their budget."

The one redesign that failed to impress the test drivers was the 2012 Nissan Versa sedan. The Versa dropped from the top of the rankings last year to the bottom with the new model. Toyota Yaris also continued its perennially low score in these subcompact tests.

For Korean auto maker Kia, the strong Rio rating comes on top of recent sales success. Kia sales in February were up 37% over a year earlier following a 36% gain for all of 2011.

 

Source:CBSNews

From all of us Mike Finnin Kia, we want to say 'Thank You' to Jess E. for writing to us!

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and you are definitely to thank for that :) Have a great day!

Sincerely,

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Watch pro-golfer, Michelle Wie pick clay targets out of the sky using a golf club and golf ball, as well-to-do hunters and their dogs look on in amazement.

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Kia Adds Style To Economy

It’s a tiny subcompact that gets 30 mpg in the city and 40 on the highway, and it costs about $18,000 with all the options.

The Rio gets decent power from its 1.6-liter engine, though an automatic transmission takes a toll on performance. (Photo: Kia)

But don’t call it an econobox.

The all-new 2012 Kia Rio 5-Door EX lifts the formerly rental car status of the Rio to a whole different level, offering slick European looks and a peppy engine that makes saving on gas a lot of fun.

Updating the Rio for the first time since 2006, Kia has taken its new "design-led transformation" concept to heart, crafting a stylish hatchback that can standup to hip recent competition from the Chevrolet Sonic or Ford Fiesta.

With angry headlights and a sneering, stylized front grill, the Rio cuts an aggressive figure from the front, while playing things a bit more straightforward with the simple European hatchback look in back.

The five-door hatchback configuration adds versatility to the subcompact Rio. (Photo: Kia)

That aggressive style isn’t all posturing. The new Rio comes with a direct-injection 1.6-liter inline-4 engine that cranks out 138 horsepower and 123 pound-feet of torque. That might not sound too impressive, but when you’re dealing with a 2,500-pound hatchback, that little engine packs a punch.

My EX tester came equipped with the new six-speed automatic transmission, which also helped milk all the fun out of that tiny engine. It’s certainly not the fastest car around, but its smooth acceleration, smart shifting and nimble handling offered an enjoyable drive.

The improvements to the Rio extend to the interior, which features a surprisingly roomy cabin and decent storage space. The backseat is still tight, but the kids or your shorter friends should be OK.

The soft-touch dashboard offers a solid and stylish look, accented by climate controls that echo the toggle switches in the Mini Cooper.

The touch-screen radio and control panel features the Uvo voice-activation system, developed by Microsoft, which lets users give voice commands to the system, much like the Ford Sync system. It doesn’t work as well as the iPhone’s Siri, but once you get a handle on the commands, it’s pretty efficient. But really, the touch-screen controls are straightforward and easy to use, so shouting commands at the radio didn’t really seem that necessary.

The upgraded Rio EX model gets some premium interiot trim and features. (Photo: Kia)

A big strike against the system: if the car comes with the navigation system, the Uvo isn’t available, which takes away the most useful application for voice command.

Rios equipped with either the navigation or Uvo systems come with a rear backup camera, a rare commodity at this price range and a near necessity, since the pillars in back block most of the rear visibility.

The EX test car came with the Convenience Package, which includes alloy wheels, front fog lights, power folding mirrors, the Uvo system, leather-wrapped steering wheel, soft touch dashboard and more. Those added up to $1,000, a small price tag for so many nice touches.

With its 2012 Rio, the once painfully economical South Korean carmaker has taken its game up a notch, with a hip subcompact that is way more fun to drive than a Kia has any right to be.

If this trend continues, in a couple of years that sentence won’t even make sense.

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Jim Herber from Mike Finnin Kia shows how to work the Traction Control System in a Kia.

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Thanks to Ted R. for writing this outstanding review!

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"My time with Finnin was like the last few times. No problems and April Finnin-Rink is a great salesperson. She is the reason I return to Finnin Kia.Thanks,"

-Ted R.

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I just want to say thank you for your attention to details and for being one of if not the best automobile sales person I have ever dealt with.  Please thank your Dad for wasting his time once again helping his Son out of a jam..................  We'll be seeing you and Take care."-Ed

Kia Motors America Announces Kia Classic Winner to Receive New Range-topping Optima Limited

The third annual Kia Classic, from March 19-25, is attracting a strong field of LPGA players who will compete for a $1.7 million purse with the winner taking home a first-place check for $255,000 and one of the first range-topping 2012 Optima Limited midsize sedans to roll off the production line at Kia's U.S. manufacturing plant in West Point, Georgia.

"Kia is one of the fastest growing auto brands in the U.S., and sports marketing initiatives such as our involvement with the LPGA have significantly raised awareness and consideration for the brand and our vehicles," said Michael Sprague, vice president, marketing & communications, KMA. "We are pleased to offer an enhanced prize package for the winner of this year's Kia Classic. The Optima Limited is Kia's most refined and premium product offering to date, and we are excited to showcase the vehicle to golf fans at the Kia Classic and reward some of the tour's best players for their outstanding performances."

In addition to the Kia Classic winner, Kia will honor the outstanding achievements of LPGA players this season by presenting the winners of the Kia Performance Award with an Optima Limited. The awards, which will be presented at the CME Group Titleholders event in November, include:

Kia Power Drive - Awarded to the player with the longest average driving distance Kia Drive to the Top - Awarded to the player with the most Top 10 finishes Kia Most Compelling Performance - Recognizing a player with exceptional performances throughout the year; this award is chosen by fans through an online vote Kia Community Assist - Recognizing a player who makes exceptional contributions to charity organizations or community programs

Following strong event-attendance and TV-ratings growth in the tournament's second year, Kia signed on as the "Official Automaker of the LPGA." Kia also serves as the "Official Tournament Vehicle" of eight LPGA events.

New 2012 Optima LimitedProduced at Kia's U.S. manufacturing plant in West Point, Georgia[1], the new 2012 Optima Limited is motivated by a 2.0-liter turbo GDI engine delivering a class-leading 274 horsepower[2] and achieving 22/34 mpg[3] (city/hwy). Offered exclusively in Ebony Black, Snow White Pearl and Titanium Metallic exterior colors, the Optima Limited is equipped with sporty red front brake calipers and uniquely designed 18-inch chrome wheels. Other premium-level features include LED daytime running lights, chrome-accented rear spoiler and lower door sills. Interior appointments and amenities include rich wood trim, high-grade Nappa leather seats, a panoramic sunroof and an Infinity®[4] audio system.

Kia's Unprecedented GrowthKia Motors is the one of the world's fastest moving global automotive brands; from 2009-2011 Kia launched more new vehicles in the U.S. than any other automaker, and under the guidance of chief design officer Peter Schreyer earned a reputation as an industry leader in automotive styling. Kia Motors America's full line of fuel-efficient and fun-to-drive cars and CUVs has earned critical acclaim and dramatically increased consumer awareness, perception and consideration for the brand. In 2011, KMA recorded its 17th consecutive year of market share growth, thanks in part to the largest increase of any major brand in perceived quality[5] and the industry's highest brand loyalty ranking[6]. Kia's U.S.-based manufacturing facility in West Point, Georgia - KMMG - is responsible for the creation of more than 10,000 plant and supplier jobs and builds the company's two best-selling vehicles in the U.S. - the Sorento CUV and Optima midsize sedan[7]. Kia's value and technology-laden 2012 model year lineup also includes the Sportage compact CUV, Soul urban passenger vehicle, Optima Hybrid, Forte compact sedan, Forte 5-door compact hatchback, Forte Koup two-door coupe, all-new Rio and Rio 5-door sub-compacts and Sedona minivan.

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Is Kia's new Cee'd the look of next-gen Forte for U.S.?

Kia showed off at Geneva today the second generation of the only car in the world with an apostrophe in its name -- Kia's European, oddly named Cee'd compact. The Cee'd is Euro-only, but is sold in modified form in the U.S. and elsewhere as the Forte.

Unveiled were a five-door hatchback model and a wagon model, both of which will go on sale in Europe later this year.

Kia said full details will come later, but said the Cee'd will offer Kia's new Gamma 1.6-liter, 135-horsepower direct-injection four in Europe, as well as a 1.4-liter gas engine and two diesels.

The 1.6 will be mated to a new, Kia-developed dual clutch automatic designed for more mpg's. Kia claims a 4% fuel-efficiency gain across the engine lineup.

The new model is a little longer and lower and swoopier than its predecessor, and Kia says it will have an upgraded interior and electronics.

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Happy Friday fans!

Today is the 50-year anniversary of NBA legend, Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point basketball game. What is one memorable sporting event that you wish you had seen or attended?

Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia Produces 500,000th Vehicle

This morning, Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, Inc. (KMMG) celebrated production of the 500,000th vehicle at the West Point, Ga. automobile manufacturing facility.

KMMG began mass production of the Kia Sorento CUV on Nov. 16, 2009, a vehicle that quickly became the brand's best-selling product in the U.S. Then, on Sept. 2, 2011, KMMG began production of the Kia Optima mid-size sedan, a vehicle that led the brand's U.S. sales in December 2011 and January.

Since opening, KMMG has added two additional shifts of production with more than 3,000 team members hired by the plant to date. In 2011, KMMG completed a $100 million expansion that pushed the plant's total capacity to 360,000 units per year.

"Building 500,000 vehicles in just over two years is quite a milestone for our first U.S. manufacturing plant to accomplish," said Byung Mo Ahn, Group President and CEO for Kia Motors America and KMMG. "The commitment from each one of our team members is a big reason we've been able to achieve 17 consecutive months of record sales. Their dedication to building world class, high quality vehicles is apparent in each vehicle we produce."

Vehicle number 500,000 was a snow white pearl Optima SX and will now be allocated to one of KMA's more than 755 dealerships nationwide.

About Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia
Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, Inc. (KMMG) is the first manufacturing site in North America for Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, Korea. KMMG is located on 2,200 acres in West Point, Georgia, and began mass production on Nov. 16, 2009. KMMG is home to the 2012 Sorento CUV and the 2012 Optima mid-size sedan, two of the brand's top selling models in 2011. Beginning in 2012, the plant has the ability to build 360,000 vehicles annually from U.S. and globally-sourced parts.

 

Source:Kia Media