Kia to enter CART in 2003.
The number of competing engine manufacturers in the Fed-Ex Championship Series will once again increase to four when South Korean company Kia joins Ford, Honda and Toyota on the CART scene in 2003.
When Mercedes announced their withdrawal from the CART Fed-Ex Championship Series late last year, the number of engine manufacturers competing in an official capacity was reduced to three for the first time since 1995 but that figure is set to change with the announcement that Kia are planning to build a Champ Car power-unit that will be available to teams in 2003.
The number of competing engine manufacturers in the Fed-Ex Championship Series will once again increase to four when South Korean company Kia joins Ford, Honda and Toyota on the CART scene in 2003.
When Mercedes announced their withdrawal from the CART Fed-Ex Championship Series late last year, the number of engine manufacturers competing in an official capacity was reduced to three for the first time since 1995 but that figure is set to change with the announcement that Kia are planning to build a Champ Car power-unit that will be available to teams in 2003.
The South Korean based firm will enter the series with its American arm, Kia Motors America for its first major assault into the world of single seater acing after enjoying success in off-road racing over the past few years.
Kia may be a relatively new name to many European observers but the company has been in operation since 1944, first as a parts manufacturer for bicycles and then a fully-fledged motor company.
Kia Motors America president B.M Ahn said of the announcement, "Based on our success in off-road racing, we're ready to take on the next challenge. We're very proud of our 3.5-litre racing engine program and feel CART is the best venue for us."
No concrete plans are yet in place as to when the first Kia Champ Car engine will hit the track although it is expected that the firm will run in anger for the first time towards the en of 2001 before embarking on a full testing program in 2002.
Understandably none of the current Champ Car teams have linked themselves to a possible deal although Kia will most likely hire one team to do the majority of their testing next year with that team becoming effectively a works customer in 2003 when the engine will be widely available.
The engine will be built and produced in America and it will join Toyota as being the second Champ Car engine to be built in America. The firm will have to be prepared for a long haul to the top of the Championship ladder as Toyota endured three years of problems before finally striking the right chord in 1999 when the engine became a regular contender and then a race winner last season.
