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2015 Kia Pirelli World Challenge GTS Optima

First shown at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show, when Kia Motors America announced that it would augment its championship-winning Forte Koup racing program with an entry into the Pirelli World Challenge, this championship winning Kia Racing Optima features an exciting new livery for the 2015 racing season.

Kia Racing clinched the 2014 Pirelli World Challenge Grand Touring Sport (GTS) Class Manufacturer Championship in only its third season of competition. Kia defeated rivals Ford, Chevrolet, Porsche, Aston Martin and Nissan to become the first Korean auto manufacturer to win the coveted championship. Kia Racing finished the stellar season with 13 podium finishes, including 5 race wins. Meanwhile, the turbocharged Optima race cars led more on-track miles than any other manufacturer in the class this season, a testimony to the speed and reliability of the Kia Optima.

The No. 38 B.R.A.K.E.S. Optima turbo on display at SEMA was driven by Mark Wilkins throughout the 2014 season and utilizes the same 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder GDI engine found in the Kia Optima SX and SXL. The engine block, head and crank shaft are stock Kia parts. Power output has been increased from the stock 274 HP to about 368 HP and is routed to the front wheels via a six-speed sequential transmission. (posted on conceptcarz.com) The Kia Racing Optima weighs 2,950 pounds and has a top speed of 160 mph.

2015 Kia Pirelli World Challenge GTS OptimaWilkins finished the season third in the Driver Championship, scoring two wins and six podiums. Teammate Nic Jönsson, in the No. 36 DonorsChoose.org Optima turbo (not shown at the SEMA Show), finished the season seventh in the Driver Championship with three wins and seven podiums.

Not only do Kia Racing's performances reinforce the quality and dependability of Kia's vehicles against the very best under the most extreme conditions, they support and increase awareness for two important charitable organizations. B.R.A.K.E.S. (Be Responsible and Keep Everyone Safe) provides free advanced driver's education to teenage drivers with the goal of preventing injuries and saving lives. DonorsChoose.org is an online charity devoted to helping public school students in need of learning materials. Teachers post classroom project requests, and donors give to the projects that most inspire them.

Source - Kia

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Kia Monthly Sales Volume

February 2024
59,059
January 2024
51,090
December 2023
60,275
November 2023
58,338
October 2023
59,164
September 2023
67,264
August 2023
72,147
July 2023
70,930
June 2023
70,495
May 2023
71,497
April 2023
68,205
March 2023
71,294
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