Kia Picanto, Cerato and Sportage showcased to prospective dealers at a roadshow in Delhi.
Kia Motors will be hosting a series of roadshows to meet prospective dealer partners and convey to them about the brand Kia, its offerings for the Indian market and its business strategy. Kia recently concluded the first leg of the roadshow which was in Delhi.
At the Delhi roadshow, Kia showcased three of its models from the global line-up, the Picanto hatchback, Cerato sedan and Sportage SUV. The Picanto made its debut earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show and shares its underpinnings with the Rio sedan. The Picanto comes equipped with a centrally-mounted floating touchscreen infotainment system with a piano black border. Internationally the Picanto is a rival to the Volkswagen Up and Ford Ka+.
In the European market, the Picanto is powered by a 1.0-litre 3-cylinder petrol engine with 66 HP of power and a 1.2-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine with 83 HP of power. The Picanto is available with either a 4-speed automatic gearbox or a 5-speed manual gearbox.
The Kia Cerato is a mid-size sedan rivalling the Toyota Corolla and Skoda Octavia. The Cerato is available in a choice of petrol and diesel engines. The petrol includes a 1.6-litre and a 2.0-litre unit, while the diesel is a 1.6-litre oil burner. Transmissions on offer are a 6-speed manual and automatic gearboxes and also a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
The third car on display was the Sportage which we’re especially excited about. The Sportage is available with a 2.0-litre and a 2.4-litre petrol engine. There is also a 2.0-litre diesel engine on offer. The Sportage is available with 6-speed manual or automatic transmissions.
Kia has planned to invest US$ 2 billion (approximately Rs. 12,750 crores) over the next two years and this investment will be used to setup a local supplier base in India. The automaker recently signed an MoU with the Government of Andhra Pradesh to build a manufacturing plant in Anantapur with an investment of US$ 1.1 billion (approximately Rs. 7000 crores).
Production at its manufacturing plant is set to commence in 2019. The next leg of roadshows will cover cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata. There are many speculations as to which car will Kia launch first, some say there’s an SUV coming first, while some say there’s a hatchback coming, however, nothing is clear yet as Kia has not made any official announcement as to which car will roll out from their factory first.
Kia Picanto, Cerato & Sportage Showcased
– Kia is a sister brand to Hyundai
– Kia Picanto may share components with the Grand i10
– The next roadshow will be happening at Mumbai ITC Maratha on 16th and 17th August
– Kia will be investing US$ 2 billion over the next 2 years to setup a local supplier base
Source – GaadiWaadi.com
