The Italian Job: Kia EV6 GT finishes 1000 Miglia Green in style

Kia EV6 GT completes the 1000 Miglia Green 2023

The Kia EV6 GT has completed the 1000 Miglia Green 2023, dubbed the “most beautiful race in the world”.

Finishing as the highest-ranking performance electric vehicle entered and sixth overall, the 1000 Miglia is a true test of endurance for both car, driver and navigator, requiring performance, precision and skill in order to score well throughout the race.

The 1000 Miglia Green is a sub-category of the historic Italian event, open only to fully electric cars.

The 2023 event was the longest in the race’s near 100-year history, spanning five days and more than 2,000 kilometres.

Kia EV6 GT completes the 1000 Miglia Green 2023

Not only was the Kia EV6 GT the first Korean car to ever compete in the 1000 Miglia Green, but the pro rally driver pairing of Jade Paveley and Ross Leach was the only team to represent Great Britain in the race.

In addition, the event marked the first time that an EV6 GT has been entered into a competitive, FIA-approved motor race.

Designed from the outset as a true GT car, the EV6 GT offers blistering performance from its twin electric motor setup that together deliver 577bhp and 740Nm of torque through all four wheels.

That power translates into a 0-62mph time of just 3.5 seconds, and an official top speed of 162mph.

Mated with a powerful 77.4kWh battery, the car is capable of covering 263 miles (WLTP combined) per charge.

Kia EV6 GT completes the 1000 Miglia Green 2023

Charging is equally rapid, thanks to the car’s E-GMP platform that supports 800V charging, enabling 10-80 per cent charge in as little as 18 minutes at the fastest charge points.

Importantly and despite the considerable distance and demanding nature of the roads and speeds required for the race, each of the timed legs travelled during the event were completed using a single charge of the car.

Charging was completed using public charge points, plus destination charging where possible at hotels at the end of each day.

The 1000 Miglia Green’s blend of rapid road driving under police escort along with precision time-trial and special stages on closed roads were the perfect test for the car’s considerable performance.

“The 1000 Miglia Green is a fantastic challenge that blends fast open road driving with time-trials and special stages,” said Ross Leach, rally driver and navigator

“It’s a great way to put any car through its paces and although incredibly demanding, the EV6 GT never skipped a beat and was a constant pleasure to be in. Particularly where outright speed and handling are concerned, the GT is able to easily hold its own, even against those in the supercar segment.

“We’re delighted to have participated in this year’s event, put the EV6 GT to the test and come home in sixth place overall but as the highest-scoring performance EV.”

World Car Awards 2023: Meet the finalists

Home / Auto News / World Car Awards 2023: Meet the finalists

Gareth Herincx

2 days ago
Auto News

World Car of the Year Awards 2023

The top three finalists in the six World Car Awards categories have been revealed.

The countdown ends on April 5 when the winners will be announced live at the 2023 New York International Auto Show during an awards ceremony.

World Car of the Year
BMW X1 / BMW iX1
Hyundai Ioniq 6
Kia Niro

World Electric Vehicle
BMW i7
Hyundai Ioniq 6
Lucid Air

World Luxury Car
BMW 7 Series / BMW i7
Genesis G90
Lucid Air

World Performance Car
Kia EV6 GT
Nissan Z
Toyota GR Corolla

World Urban Car
Citroen C3
ORA Funky Cat / Haomao
Volkswagen Taigo/Nivus

World Car Design
Hyundai Ioniq 6
Land Rover Range Rover
Lucid Air

World Car of the Year Awards 2023, powered by Brembo

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Gareth is a versatile journalist, copywriter and digital editor who’s worked across the media in newspapers, magazines, TV, teletext, radio and online. After long stints at the BBC, GMTV and ITV, he now specialises in motoring.

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Kia EV6 GT to debut at Goodwood Festival of Speed

Gareth Herincx

3 days ago
Auto News

The high performance version of Kia’s award-winning EV6 crossover will be taking to the Goodwood Festival of Speed’s famous hillclimb several times throughout the weekend (June 23-26).

Kia claims the all-electric EV6 GT “combines exhilarating performance, first-class long-distance travel capabilities, ultra-fast charging tech, and an impressive real-world driving range for effortless cross-country touring”.

Kia’s most powerful production car to date, its dual-motor powertrain delivers 577 bhp (585 PS) and 740 Nm torque. It can accelerate from 0-62mph in just 3.5 seconds and boasts a top speed of 162mph (260km/h).

The car features a GT button on the steering wheel, activating its ‘GT’ mode. This automatically optimises the vehicle’s e-motors, braking, steering, suspension, e-LSD and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) systems for their most dynamic settings for a more engaging drive.

Drivers can also tailor the car’s ride, handling and performance characteristics to suit their individual preferences by selecting the ‘My Drive’ mode.

The car will be driven throughout the weekend by rally pro Jade Paveley – 2021 British Rally Cross Country Championship (BXCC) Class T2 Champion and 2018 Junior Welsh Tarmac Rally Champion.

She is also the end-of-stage reporter for the World Rally Championship and European World Rally Championship, and Marketing Director for Llandudno Kia, a Kia dealership in North Wales.

Between drives, the EV6 GT will be on display throughout the event in the ‘First Glance Paddock’. UK customer deliveries of the EV6 GT start at the end of 2022, with the car available to order from £59,995.

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