KMAu media and corporate communications manager Kevin Hepworth told GoAuto he believed that IRS will be available in the next-generation Cerato, however, paving the way for a future sports hatchback replacement.
“We understand there will be an IRS in Cerato and that being the case there would be a strong argument from us for a GT version of the car,” he said.
“There is nothing settled but it’s on the wish list, sure.”
Asked whether a torsion beam rear suspension in a Kia product could be as effectively tuned as an IRS, Mr Hepworth responded: “No, physically no.”
“You can still make a car with a torsion bar that is a fine handling vehicle, but if you want to go to that next step in sports then you really need to be able to tune that rear-end properly and that’s what an IRS gives you,” he added.
Kia Australia has in recent months culled both the two-door Cerato Koup and three-door hatchback Pro_cee’d GT from its range, with each model last year contributing just 235 and 378 sales respectively.
Of the decision to remove the Pro_Cee’d GT from the line-up, Mr Hepworth said: “The pluses were that it was a great driving car, but against it was that it was a three-door car which is not very practical, but the biggest thing against it was that it didn’t have an automatic transmission.”
The Cerato Koup was available with an automatic transmission, yet it still sold in fewer numbers than Pro_cee’d GT and utilised a torsion bar rear suspension. Mr Hepworth instead promised bigger things are on the way.
“Having taken Pro_cee’d and Koup Turbo out of the product line-up, you’ve got to look at that as possibly clearing the decks for something more exciting.
“There is method to the madness. We might be taking some things off the product line, but we’re not going to leave a chasm.”
Asked what KMAu will do if IRS does not become available in Cerato, Mr Hepworth said: “We certainly hope that’s not the case, but if it was then it’s back to the drawing board.”
GoAuto understands if IRS does not become available in Cerato, the local division will look at re-introducing a similar version of the Pro_cee’d GT, which is now available in automatic form in Europe but only with five doors, and is simply called Cee’d GT.
