Kia unveils 200bhp hot hatch 28 | 01 | 2013

KIA'S FIRST HOT HATCH, powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged 201bhp engine, will arrive in UK showrooms in June.

Fitted to the three-door pro_cee'd and the five-door cee'd GT — both will get the hot hatch treatment — the front-wheel drive cars will be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

Kia has not yet confirmed prices for the GT models, but it's expected the pro_cee'd will start around £22,000, with the five door cee'd closer to £24,000.

The four-cylinder engine, mated to a six-speed manual, pumps out 195lb/ft of torque and the GT cars will hit 62mph from standstill in 7.9secs.

First glimpse of Kia pro_cee'd GT

Both the pro_cee'd and cee'd versions are fitted with 18in alloys as standard, and it's expected the hot hatch will benefit from retuned suspension to cut roll and improve handling. They will also have a lower ride height than the standard cee'd.

LED running lights, red trim and a deeper front bumper with enlarged air intakes will set it apart from the standard cee'd. There's also twin tailpipes and a deeply sculpted, diffuser-style lower bumper.

The cabin has been significantly tweaked, with the addition of Recaro seats with red stitching, red GT badging and alloy pedals.

While the GT brand is likely to become an optional trim package for other Kia models, the likelihood of a quick diesel Kia joining the range is strong.

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Jim McGill