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2015 Kia Optima Turbo Looks to Claim Pirelli Championship
Racers Head into Final Weekend Leading in Driver, Manufacturer Points
kia optima
As the 2014 racing season winds down, things are heating up for the 2015 Kia Optima Turbo. With just two more rounds of action in the Pirelli World Challenge—set to run its final events this weekend at Miller Motorsports Park in Toele, Utah—racer Mark Wilkins has pushed his 2015 Kia Optima Turbo to the top of the GTS driver's standings, while Kia currently leads all rivals in the battle for the manufacturer's championship. Needless to say, that puts the Kia racing team in a strong position to defend its advantages, although members also realize how fast things can change once the checkered flag drops.
Noted Wilkins: “With all the success we’ve experienced, it’s been a great year for Kia. But everyone on the team is aware that a lot can happen during a weekend of racing, especially when championships are on the line. We have a job to do, and I’m confident in the package we’re bringing to Miller Motorsports Park. I know we’ll represent Kia well.”
Of course, Wilkins has plenty to be confident about, since the 2015 Kia Optima Turbo provides a strong foundation for its race-ready sibling. It all starts with a potent four-cylinder turbocharged engine, which relies on technologies including direct injection and dual continuously variable valve timing to extricate 274 hp and 269 lb.-ft. of torque from a mere 2.0 liters of displacement. Also in the mix on the production version of the 2015 Kia Optima Turbo is a sophisticated, sport-tuned suspension, and while that setup may not be able to carve the corners as sharply as the racing version, it does come to the party with front and rear performance dampers and stabilizer bars.
As for enthusiasts looking to see the 2015 Kia Optima Turbo in action, they have a number of choices: check out the live-stream of the events on September 12 and 13 at the www.world-challengetv.com website, wait for taped highlights to be shown on the NBC Sports Network on September 28 or head over to an Autobytel Kia dealership for a test drive.
