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Kia will introduce three hot versions of its Procee'd next summer - three-door and five-door hatches and an estate
Kia’s entry into hot hatch territory next summer with a 200bhp Procee’d three-door hatchback will be intensified by applying the same high-performance running gear to a five-door hatchback. In addition, a third, estate car variation on the GT-badged theme is close to approval.
Equipped with bespoke body kits, 18-inch alloy wheels and coloured brake calipers, the 1.6-litre turbo petrol GT Procee’d and five-door hatchback models are due to be launched at the Geneva motor show next March, having undergone final shakedown chassis tuning on British roads.
To help mark out Kia’s first overtly performance model, the three-door Procee’d will also feature stitched leather Recaro seats and other signature cabin details.
A senior Kia executive said that an internal European debate on how to badge the series had resulted in using GT “because we must be careful about presenting these new Kia performance models and something like RS would have more hardcore connotations. It’s better to under-promise than to over-hype”.
It is believed that the GT models will be offered with stand-alone ‘hot’ colours, mimicking Ford’s ST spectrum and its orange and electric blue paint finishes.
Kia’s marketing managers are tracking the sales success of the Focus ST estate before a final decision on the Cee’d Sportswagon GT is taken.
Hugh Hunston