Kia SP2i to be available in a sporty variant with an exclusive engine - Report

17/01/2019 - 11:53 Kia SP Concept, Kia Sagar Parikh

Kia has planned three different engine options for the production SP Concept, two for the standard variant and one for a sporty variant, as per a new report from Autocar India.

Kia SP Concept at 2018 Busan Motor Show — The sporty variant of the Kia SP2i will pack a punchier, 140 PS 1.4-litre T-GDI turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine.

The sporty Kia SP2i will have a more appealing exterior with a body kit and an exclusive interior trim among other styling bits. Most important of all, it will pack a punchier, 140 PS 1.4-litre T-GDI turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine. This engine will send drive to the wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. Kia will offer paddle shifters in this variant and may tune the suspension differently for a sportier drive.

Kia will likely offer the 140 PS 1.4-litre T-GDI engine and the 7-speed DCT in the Ceed as well, should it decide to launch the car in our market. The turbocharged petrol engine may power other models.

The standard Kia SP2i will come with two engine options: 1.5-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel. As the launch is scheduled for the middle of this year, Kia may offer them in BSIV form. The BSVI versions may make them too expensive compared to close rivals that are likely to continue using the launch-spec engines until closer to the BSVI deadline (1 April 2020).

Transmission choices will include manual and torque converter automatic units, and the high-end trims equipped with the latter are likely to feature paddle shifters. The first-ever Kia model in India is expected to feature a head-up display and a fully digital instrument cluster.