What's the news?
Pictures and specification details of Kia's brand new Stinger GT have been released following its world debut at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. The striking four-door sports saloon/fastback is the final evolution of a concept car first shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show way back in 2011, and it certainly looks the business.
There's a prominent sporting theme, with vents aplenty and quad exhaust pipes framing a diffuser at the rear, while the Kia family grille manages to look somewhat more purposeful than usual at the front. Inside, a central infotainment screen dominates the slightly sombre-looking cabin. Kia hasn't published any official numbers with regard to boot capacity, but has said that it will be among the best in its segment. We expect it to be upwards of 500 litres with the option to increase that by folding the rear seats flat.
Two petrol engines have been announced as part of the car's debut in the North American market. First up is a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder unit that produces 255hp and 352Nm of torque. But what is of more interest is the larger 3.3-litre twin-turbocharged V6. This engine churns out 365hp and an impressive 510Nm and should be good enough to see the Stinger have a 0-100km/h time of around five seconds and a top speed of close to 270km/h. Both engines will be offered with an eight-speed automatic gearbox and the choice of all- or rear-wheel drive. There is no confirmation yet as to whether a manual transmission will be made available in Europe.
The Stinger has a wheelbase that is longer than potential rivals' such as the Audi A5 Sportback, BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe and even the Mercedes-Benz CLS. This should bode well for passenger space, but also pushes the wheels further into the corners of the car to the benefit of weight distribution. It's low too, at 1,390mm in height, lower than both the Audi A7 Sportback and Jaguar XF. Interestingly, ex-BMW chassis guru Albert Biermann is said to have been involved on the handling side, with the now-mandatory Nürburgring development work also completed.
As expected for a car in this class, the Stinger will carry a host of tech and safety functions as part of what Kia calls its Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS). These will include a new Driver Attention Alert (DAA) that is designed to combat drivers becoming drowsy at the wheel during long journeys. Forward Collision Assistance and Emergency Braking with pedestrian detection will also feature, along with Advanced Smart Cruise Control (ASCC), paired with Lane Keep Assist.
Anything else?
The Kia Stinger will make its European debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March, and is due to go on sale in Ireland this October. At this early stage there has been no pricing or specification details confirmed, though it is expected to come at a premium over the Kia Optima. Although there has been no talk yet of the choice of a diesel engine, given the popularity of diesel in the European market Kia may make an announcement regarding this when the car is shown in Geneva.