Turbocharged Kia Forte

For those who don’t know, Kia Forte Koup (Cerato Koup as is known in SA) was unveiled at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show and made quite a buzz, but exciting news lies ahead.

Tom Loveless, vice president of sales for Kia Motors America, said that a turbocharged four-cylinder will most likely be offered on model year 2012, but specific details are yet to be disclosed. Currently the Cerato Koup is available with a 2,0-litre inline 4-cylinder petrol engine, producing 114 kW and 194 N.m of torque. In the States, the SX model is powered by a 2,4-litre engine producing 127 kW and 227 N.m.

Its a good looking car, which seems to lack the bite to match its bark – on paper at least. A turbocharged version with power output in the mid-140 kW region would certainly add a bit of fire to its belly.