Late last year Kia delved into the compact coupe market, unveiling their Kia Forte Koup at the 2009 New York International Auto Show. Targeting driving enthusiasts, Kia lured the thrill seekers in with a twin turbocharged version of the Theta II four cylinder engines. There is a direct injection that results in a 144 lb-ft. of torque at 6,200 rpm and 156 horsepower. That’s right folks, not only does Kia do quality and affordability, they now do speed in the compact sector.

The former laughing stock of the automotive industry, Kia is now making serious plays in most automotive market segments. Kia along with its sister automaker Hyundai have been winning tons of awards in the past two years and analysts over at PriceWaterhouseCoopers suggest that 2010 will be filled with just as much success, if not more.

The Forte Koup is based upon a Kia Koup concept vehicle that was unveiled at the 2008 New York International Auto Show. This concept vehicle was well received, won some rewards and generated enough buzz to be tweak and made into a viable vehicle available for purchase. Check-in at your local Round Lake Kia Rondo dealer to find out when you can grab the keys to a 2010 Forte Koup.

Hugging the ground closely while sporting an aggressive body, the Forte Koup has a contemporary design futuristically accented with wrap around headlamps, dual exhaust outlets and a rear diffuser. Further reinforcing its contemporary look is a pair of chrome exhaust tips, integrated turn signal indicators and body-color bumpers. To see for yourself visit a Gurnee Kia Sportage dealership, where the staff will encourage a test-drive.

Sporting enthusiasts are also excited about the Forte Koup turning radius, which can circle in 33.9 feet. Whether you’re riding the red at high speeds or carving the curbs with precision you’ll be doing so very quietly thanks to Kia’s new noise-lowering materials in the engine bay bulkhead. The Forte Koup has a 2.0 L four cylinder engine, which comes standard with a 5-speed manual transmission or the option of a 4-speed automatic.

The Forte Koup seamlessly takes the place of the five-door Spectra job which was lagging in sales and the fact that Kia has chosen the Forte Koup to compete in the Grand-Am Continental Sports Car Challenge, their first entry ever, means they’re proud of their compact coupe. Stop by your Classic Kia dealership to test drive the Kia Forte Koup and experience a vehicle that will make you proud to be its owner.

We’re really happy to be unveiling the newest edition to the Classic Automotive Group, our Classic Kia blog! We’ll be telling you about all the great things happening at our dealership and providing you with the coolest and most up-to-date information on new Kia models, new deals and much more.

We’ll be blogging regularly so we hope you will check up on us and discover what’s new at Classic Kia. For your convenience, each blog is equipped with its own RSS feed, so if you use RSS, you’ll always know when we post something new. Also, be sure to check out the our other blog for Classic Toyota!