Kia has developed an image around affordability, reliability and safety. It's not what most would call threatening or aggressive. Today, the award-winning Korean automaker is breaking those stereotypes. They're showing off an unexpected sporty attitude with their racing stripes on their sleeves.

Case in point: the Kia Forte race car. It recently finished second in the Grand-Am race at Daytona and some might say it is a force to be reckoned with. The podium finish was the first for Kia Motors and racing partner Kinetic Motorsports. More amazingly, the dynamic duo accomplished the feat just one year after…

The Korean auto maker also known as Kia, is celebrating a huge sales increase for January 2011, over the same month in 2010. They have posted a 23 percent increase in sales!

The new Sorento has been starting things off, with sales totaling 8,116 units, up from 7,398 last year. Kia's Soul managed to edge out the Forte for the second place position. Dealerships sold 5,345 Souls and 5,330 Fortes last month.

The Optima, Kia's midsized sedan, accounted for nearly 3,819 units - 3,338 of which were the all-new 2011 model. The last-generation…