2018 KIA Stinger

Source: AutomotorPro.com – 2018 KIA Stinger

The New 2018 KIA Stinger

Designed in Frankfurt, developed on the Nürburgring in Germany

Written by Marco Carvajal

Photographs by Marco Carvajal

The Stinger!, KIA’s new baby is officially out and available for purchase in the United States! The Stinger is available as a GT (Gran Turismo), with supreme power, delivering European-like comfort and high performance at a great low price with an amazing warranty, seems like the dream car.

I had the pleasure to be invited to the official press release of the 2018 Stinger by KIA, in Hollywood, California a few weeks ago. I was able to test drive KIA’s new baby, the new Stinger through different type of roads, and learn about the Stinger directly from Kia’s top executives.

My overall impression of the Stinger is very good, Kia was able to built an European-like sports sedan with power and specs similar of traditional Gran Turismo car manufacturer players like BMW, Porsche, Audi and others but with the reputation and value of KIA.

The Stinger was designed in Frankfurt, Germany. Designed by Peter Schreyer, Kia Motors’ chief design officer, and his talented team of designers in Frankfurt. Ride and handling development was developed by Albert Biermann, head of Kia’s Vehicle Test and High Performance Development and his group of engineers in two locations, Korea and on the grueling Nürburgring racing circuit in Germany.

After learning how the Stinger was created and developed, one can understand why the result is a knockout!

The Stinger will be available for sale in December 2017 at Kia dealerships through the United States. Americans will be able to drive a true Grand Turismo vehicle made by KIA, competing with famous European automotive manufacturers in this class, but at a lower purchase price, around 32K to 40K, and with the well-know long warranty offered by KIA, and also with lower maintenance cost than its European competitors.

Kia Motors America is Headquartered in Irvine, California. Kia Motors is the second-largest automobile manufacturer, also being a subsidiary of the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group. Being strongly committed to the U.S. market and having more than 750 dealers on its territory, in 2009 Kia Motors has open its manufacturing plant in West Point, Georgia, investing over $1,1 billion.

With this new GT sports sedan, Kia Motors has decided to break the stereotypes and enter the game to compete in the high leagues.

Pricing

The all-new 2018 Kia Stinger, the highest-performance production vehicle in KIA’s history will be offered in five different trim levels: Stinger, Stinger Premium, Stinger GT, Stinger GT1, and Stinger GT2 with a price range from 31K all the way to 49K.

It is not an inexpensive sedan, but if we understand the quality and power included with this car, and if we compare with other cars on this segment, then the price is actually very inexpensive, providing great value.

Model	Price
Stinger base model	$31,900
Stinger Premium	$37,100
Stinger GT base model	$38,350
Stinger GT1	$43,250
Stinger GT2	$49,200
+All-wheel drive feature:	+$2,200
+Destination fee:	+$900

2018 Stinger

KIA Stinger GT Fastback Sport Sedan

From 0 to 60 MPH in 4.7 seconds

5

Seats

2 Powertrains with 2 Types of Engines:

2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cyl engine:

255 HP

260 Lb.- Ft. Torque

3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 engine:

365 HP

376 Lb.- Ft. Torque

Transmission:

2nd-generation 8-speed automatic transmission with 5 drive modes

Wheelbase: 114.4 in.

Length: 190.2 in.

Width: 73.6 in.

GT – Gran Turismo?

Gran Turismo, in Italian means “Grand Tour”. GT refers to automobiles that can drive for long-distance “Grand Tours” in comfort and style. GT cars have a powerful engine and can travel for long distances with very good performance. GT care are usually larger and heavier than most regular sports cars, mixing comfort, speed and performance. GT usually include visual effects in the design like spoilers, extra set of headlights, and other features like extra comfort features, such as softer suspensions or leather seats.

The original GTs were produced in the beginning of the 20th century by European car manufacturers like Alfa Romeo, Ferrari and Lancia. The GT concept has gained popularity in both North America and Europe, and KIA has decided to compete in such markets. KIA’s Years-long journey with the GT began when the KIA GT concept was unveiled for the first time in history at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. At that time the GT concept was something considered by many as little more than a dream for a brand like KIA, known for producing mass-market transportation rooted in value. But the GT sparked a fire within KIA, and over the next five years the difficult challenge has grown beyond fantasy into reality with the recent release of the GT, a dream come true for KIA and its followers.

Great Design

The Stinger GT design is bold, nimble and fast while also luxurious and quiet. KIA wants to achieve the perfect balance of ride and handling, it can seat five people comfortably with enough room for luggage during long trips. The Stinger GT is an authentic gran turismo with nothing to envy from its European competitors. People are calling it the BMW killer, Maserati for poor, and other names. No matter how you call it, the 2018 Kia Stinger is on its way to become the highest-performance production vehicle in KIA’s history, ready to race against European automakers.

Engine

The new 2018 Kia Stinger is very powerful, from 255HP up to 365HP. Two turbocharged engines are available: The base Stinger and Premium trims with a 2.0-liter twin-scroll turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 255 horsepower at 6,200 rpm with 260 lb.-ft. of maximum torque available from 1,400 – 4,000 rpm. Stingers wearing the GT moniker get a more powerful 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 which produces 365 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and offers 376 lb.-ft. of torque from 1,300 – 4,500 rpm.

Both Stinger’s available engines are matched to a second-generation eight-speed rear-drive automatic transmission. Optimized fuel efficiency, and its Dynamic Stability Damping Control suspension will adapt to your driving.

The standard Stinger comes with a passive suspension, tuned to offer a balance of handling and ride comfort. The Stinger GT is available with innovation, Kia’s first electronically controlled Dynamic Stability Damping Control and standard high-performance Brembo® disc brakes. Power and precision at your fingertips.

All-wheel drive also is available across all models.

2018 Kia Stinger’s 111.4 in. wheelbase is longer than several competitive brands in its class.

“I think for the Kia brand, the Stinger is like a special event. Because nobody expects such a car, not just the way it looks but also the way it drives. It’s a whole different animal’’, – Albert Biermann, former BMW M Division VP and now head of Kia’s Vehicle Test & High Performance Development.

“The Stinger is a prime example of Kia’s commitment to surpassing consumers’ expectations in everything we do,” Orth Hedrick, vice president of product planning, KMA.

Interior Features

The interior is premium, if you have any doubts just look at the list, the all-new 2018 Kia Stinger has a retro/modern interior with aircraft-style spoked vents and metal-ringed gauges similar to the vents in some Mercedes Benz. Leather standard!, all Stingers come standard with a leather-appointed interior, and ultra-soft Nappa leather is also available. A beautiful elegant thick hand-stitched multifunction leather-wrapped steering wheel with paddle shifters sits front and center of the driver. The GT trim gets a flat-bottom steering wheel providing a sporty-elegant look. All Stinger models are available with a large color TFT instrument cluster with performance gauges including a track timer. Following the gran turismo stye, ideal for long extended trips, the Stinger has a generous 23.3 cu.-ft. of cargo space that can be accessed with a power lift-gate with available Smart Trunk functionality. I love all these features!, it would help you and your guests enjoy the ride much more.

Satin chrome trim
Ultra-soft Nappa leather seats
Under-seat mounted subwoofers
Height-adjustable color Head-Up Display
Wireless Smartphone charging pad
Bluetooth hands-free
Base audio system, six speakers and a seven-inch haptic touchscreen with the latest version of UVO
QuantumLogic Surround Sound technology

The Stinger’s overall interior volume is more spacious than cars like the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe and 4 Series Gran Coupe, the Audi A5 Sportback, the Lexus GS and the Mercedes-Benz CLS. KIA is working hard to make us love the Stinger.

Great quality audio! The standard included audio system for the 2.0-liter turbo features six speakers and a seven-inch color touchscreen with the latest version of UVO, Kia’s award-winning telematics systems. The standard system found in the GT trim ups the speaker count to nine and includes an external amplifier. Also available, the premium Harman/Kardon® audio system that features Clari-Fi and next-generation QuantumLogic Surround Sound technology.

Exterior

Beautiful…..really beautifully designed exterior. Aerodynamic, sporty and super cool! If you want to impress, attract a lot of attention on the road and make your neighbors jealous, then yes this is the car for you. At a half price of a Porsche Panamera or some GT Audi or BMW. The Stinger is longer (190.2 in.) and wider (73.6 in.) than other cars in this car segment, with a generous cargo area of 23.3 cu.-ft. which is also larger than many in its class, and will be perfect enough for full-size luggage or golf bags.

Safety Features

I am always satisfied with how many safety features are included in most Kia cars for no additional cost, standard-included, or at a very low cost as an additional package. The stinger comes with Multiple Advance Driver Assistance system that works together to help you drive it. It includes Driver Attention Warning (DAW), Forward Collision Avoidance (FCA) with pedestrian detection, Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go (SCC w/ S&G)6, Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) 6, Blind Spot Collision Warning (BCW) 6, and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning (RCCW) 6. A height-adjustable color Head-Up Display (HUD) display is also available and much more, to ensure advanced safety on the Stinger and its passengers.

Driver Attention Alert
Forward Collision Assistance
Autonomous Emergency Braking
Advanced Smart Cruise Control
Lane Keep Assist
Blind Spot Detection
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
Height-adjustable color Head-Up Display (HUD) display

This new performance automobile is a historical event for KIA, it brings the car manufacturer to new heights. The Stinger delivers a cool elegant and trendy head-turning design, lots of premium amenities and a lot of power, from 255 to 365 horse power. Even with so much to offer, the stinger is still very affordable, the Stinger is a premium luxury car at a value price.