Like a bull rider in a Texas rodeo, Mark Wilkins grabbed the reins of his No. 38 turbocharged Optima and rode it to a well-deserved and hard-fought second-place finish Sunday in Round Five of the Pirelli World Challenge (PWC) at the world-renowned Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas. The relentless Texas heat wreaked havoc on drivers and tires alike, but Wilkins managed the race well from the driver’s seat and held off Jack Baldwin’s hard-charging Porsche Cayman S for the second step on the podium after a late caution flag bunched up the field of 51 cars with less than 10 minutes to go.

Kia Motors America (KMA) has been one of the fastest-growing car companies in the U.S. over the last five years , and its edgy urban passenger vehicle, the Soul – a key factor in that growth – was recently named to Strategic Vision’s 2013 list of Total Quality Vehicles. The list, compiled after consulting with new car buyers, reveals the fierce competition between brands to improve quality and win customer loyalty. The Soul was chosen by consumers as the leader in the small multi-function segment after receiving the highest Total Quality Index® (TVI) score.

Kia Motors America announces partnership with iRacing.com, a premier PC-based racing simulation that will now feature the Pirelli World Challenge Optima Turbo for online racing

Kia Motors America (KMA) today announced a complimentary scheduled maintenance program available for the all-new 2014 Cadenza premium sedan. The program covers the first five factory-scheduled service appointments and is applicable for 36 months or 37,500 miles. The program highlights yet another way Kia is elevating value to new levels of sophistication and promises to further differentiate the Cadenza from its competition.

The value-friendly Sedona returns to the Kia line up for 2014, combining practical convenience, modern amenities and a long list of safety features, offering families on-the-go comfort, utility and peace of mind. Updated for 2014, the Sedona has won over media and consumers alike with its feature-rich content and powerful engine, making it a capable contender in the minivan segment.

With the first deliveries of the all-new 2014 Cadenza and Forte sedans taking place throughout the month, Kia Motors America (KMA) today reported best-ever April sales of 47,556 units. The U.S.-built* Optima midsize sedan led Kia’s sales for the 17th consecutive month with 14,678 units sold, and together with Sorento CUV, also built in West Point, Georgia*, accounted for nearly 50 percent total sales for the month. The Soul urban passenger vehicle also recorded robust monthly of sales of 11,311 units.

Just up the road from its U.S.-corporate headquarters in Irvine, Calif., Kia Racing gave its fans reason to cheer loudly with a top-five finish in Round 3 of the Pirelli World Challenge (PWC) at Long Beach presented by Kia. Wilkins, whose turbocharged Kia Optima got faster with each passing lap, was stalking the fourth-placed Aston Martin late in the contest, but his bid for a podium finish was thwarted when the 50-minute sprint race ended under caution. The top-five finish marks the second in a row for Kia Racing and moves both drivers into the top five in driver championship points heading into Round 4 at Circuit of the Americas next month. By virtue of the strong performance, Kia held station in third in the manufacturer championship.

Kia Motors America (KMA) is pleased to announce pricing for its most powerful and technologically advanced vehicle ever offered in the United States. The 2014 Cadenza will be offered in one trim level with a starting MSRP of $35,100, plus $800 destination and handling, when it goes on sale later this month. Aside from a unique blend of European-inspired design, dynamic performance and high levels of refinement, Kia’s newest flagship offers class-leading interior room and standard features like keyless entry, advanced navigation system with SiriusXM Traffic and UVO eServices, Bluetooth® wireless technology,an eight-inch touch screen, 550-watt Infinity® 12-speaker audio system, Rear Camera Display and leather-trimmed seats with heat and power adjustment in the front.

Kia Motors’ fourth season of U.S. road racing competition heats up this weekend on the streets of Long Beach, and the Southern California-based automaker’s commitment to motorsports will be on full display with Kia’s first-ever presenting sponsorship of a Pirelli World Challenge (PWC) event. Coinciding with the Pirelli World Challenge Long Beach Grand Prix presented by Kia is Friday’s introduction of the turbocharged Optima racing machine into Cie Games’ Car Town, a leading social game on the Facebook platform, which allows its nearly 50 million lifetime players to collect and customize virtual cars in garages of their own design and participate in challenges.

Kia Motors America (KMA), one of the fastest growing car companies in the last five years , has garnered yet another accolade with the all-new Kia Forte being named to WardsAuto’s list of “10 Best Interiors of 2013.” The stylish Forte stood out for combining premium features, high-quality materials and a sophisticated design at the lowest base price in the compact-car segment.