The Kia Stinger has been a hot topic ever since it was globally unveiled at the 2017 NAIAS, and has taken the brand to a whole new level. In fact, Kia hired Albert Biermann from BMW for the project to make sure that the car lives up to its stunning design from behind the wheel as well.
And, it appears to have worked. Everyone who drove this, especially the 365 bhp GT variant, had only one thing to say – “the car is too good for a Kia”. The Stinger is designed in Frankfurt (Peter Schreyer), developed on the Nurburgring and built with industry-leading quality, says Kia.
The Stinger’s engine range starts with a 2.0L twin-scroll turbo Theta II 4-cylinder petrol, which produces 252 bhp (188 kW) at 6,200 rpm with 353 Nm (260 lb-ft) of maximum torque available from 1,400–4,000 rpm, propelling the Stinger from 0-60 mph (96.5 km/h) in just 5.9 seconds.
My favorite one is, of course, the 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 Lambda II, which produces 365 bhp (272 kW) at 6,000 rpm and offers 510 Nm (376 lb-ft) of torque from 1,300–4,500 rpm. With more power on tap than the Audi S5 Sportback, BMW 440i Gran Coupe, and Infiniti Q50, the Stinger is positioned to be a worthy challenger to the competition, says Kia.
The car’s development took place across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North and South America, but the Nurburgring’s grueling Nordschleife is where the Stinger was honed, the company added.
The Stinger GT accelerates to 60 mph (96.5 km/h) in 4.7 seconds, claimed to be quicker than the V6 Porsche Panamera. The top speed is limited to 167 mph (269 km/h).
Europeans get a 197 bhp 2.2-litre CRDi diesel option.
As for the transmission, Kia says that the 8-speed automatic has been designed in-house, and features Kia’s first use of a Centrifugal Pendulum Absorber (CPA) torque converter to help reduce torsional vibrations.
The base Stinger rides on a passive suspension tuned to offer a balance of handling and ride comfort, while the GT is equipped with Kia’s first continuously damping electronically controlled suspension system called Dynamic Stability Damping Control.
The Stinger is also Kia’s first sedan available with rear or all-wheel drive configurations. The rear-biased AWD system features a new Dynamic Torque Vectoring Control system which monitors driver inputs and road conditions and automatically applies power and braking force to the appropriate wheels, Kia said.
Up to 50% of torque can be distributed to the front wheels and in Sport mode, up to 80% of the power can be routed to the rear wheels. RWD GT models get multi-plate limited-slip differential to help evenly distribute power through the rear wheels and enhance directional stability.
Equipment list includes a 7-inch touchscreen, Harman Kardon audio system, height-adjustable color Head-Up Display, Driver Attention Warning (DAW), Forward Collision Avoidance (FCA) with pedestrian detection, Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Blind Spot Collision Warning (BCW), Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning (RCCW) and so on.
The Stinger is slated to go on sale in the U.S. market this December.
Also read: Kia Picanto, Cerato, Sportage showcased for prospective Indian dealers
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