High-performance KIA Forte in the works, spy shots reveal
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Just a few weeks after the first units of the all-new KIA Forte began to roll out of the assembly plant in Pesqueria, Nuevo Leon, Autoblog revealed spy shots of a high-performance version of the compact sedan during a drive test in an unknown location.
The model features a number of visual changes, but the most notable is its dual exhaust outlets, suggesting it's a more powerful version of the Forte. Also, the upper grille appears to be larger, with bottom corners that push out lower and wider than on the basic car, while the lower grille also looks taller and seems to have larger fog lights mounted farther inward than the regular Forte.
Instead of the 147-hp naturally aspirated engine and CVT transmission, it's likely to inherit the same 1.6-liter turbocharged engine from the KIA Soul, with around 200 hp and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
It is worth noting that the third generation of the KIA Forte is only built in the Hwaseong and Pesqueria plants, in South Korea and Mexico respectively, so it is very likely this sport version for the North American market will be sourced from Nuevo Leon.
MexicoNow
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