Kia Prepping Forte Koup for Targa Newfoundland

It's one of the most unique and perhaps gruelling motorsports events in North America, but the Targa Newfoundland, now in it's eighth year, can also be one of the most rewarding.

Kia Canada is one of the longest participating automakers, having fielded official works cars in five events, including the inaugural race back in 2002. This year's event marks a “natural extension of the company's U.S. motorsports program,” according to an official Kia press release, that began last fall with road racing.

In conjunction with the Kinetic Group, Kia has fielded race prepped Koups in the Koni Challenge series and has now entered a car in the Targa's modern class, driven by Adam Hill and Mark Kostick. The car was modified for the rally use by Sherwood Kia, a dealership in Edmonton Alberta, Canada and both Hill and Kostick have partnered with Team Wishful Thinking as part of an effort to raise $100,000 for the Children's Wish Foundation.

This year's Targa which takes place between September 10-18; covers a distance of some 1,375 miles (2200 km) and if past years are anything to go by, will likely be a real car breaker. Inspired by the original Targa Florio and latter day Targa Tasmania, competitors drive on closed public roads at speeds of up to 100 mph or more. For more information on Kia's progress and the Targa, click on the link below.

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