Kia has really taken their tagline “The Power to Surprise” a notch further here. Unveiled in all its red glory is the Kia Stinger GT, currently the most powerful variant of the new Stinger lineup.
Available either with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo (Stinger) or a 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 (Stinger GT), the Korean gran turismo is evidently the most hotly anticipated model in recent Kia history. The Stinger rivals cars such as the BMW 4-Series Gran Coupe, and the recipe is broadly similar as well.
The 3.3-litre V6 Lambda II engine pumps 365 hp at 6,000 rpm and 510 Nm of torque from 1,300 to 4,500 rpm, and it is strictly rear-wheel drive. This combo rockets the car from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.1 seconds, which is just tenths of a second slower than the comparable straight-six 440i Gran Coupe. It will only come with an eight-speed automatic transmission (developed in-house). Can we get one with a six-speed manual, Kia?
Also introduced for the first time is the Dynamic Stability Damping Control. This essentially allows drivers to choose between five drive modes which alter damping and agility, which varies from Personal, Eco, Sport, Comfort and Smart. Kia went with MacPherson struts for the front and a multi-link setup for the rear.
All hot bits aside, the Stinger GT sits on 19-inch alloys as standard – 225/40 front, 255/35 rear. Resting snug behind the wheels are a pair of quad-piston Brembo brakes up front and a dual-piston setup for the rear. The two axles sit 2,906mm apart, making the wheelbase even longer than the Mercedes-Benz CLS and Lexus GS. Fascia treatment include full LED headlamps, LED DRLs and fully functional air ducts.
The cabin is delightfully premium and is unlike anything from Kia we’ve seen of late. The centre air-conditioning vents mimic those found in the Audi TT, but minus the fancy integrated controls. The cockpit gets a sporty three-spoke leather wrapped steering wheel and analogue instrument clusters. Being a Kia, the Stinger GT comes fitted with a host of passive and active safety systems, including Advanced Smart Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Assist and Multiple Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.
For audiophiles, you can opt for the 15-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system. It outputs 720 watts through an external amplifier and gets subwoofers mounted underneath the seats. A next-generation QuantumLogic Surround Sound software is tasked with extracting signals from original recordings and apparently “redistributes them into an authentic, multidimensional soundstage that’s full of clarity and detail.”
Well, Kia, you’ve certainly piqued our interest. Will it ever come to Malaysia, though? We have a funny feeling that it just might.
IMAGE GALLERY
