The Kia Stinger GT Is A 360bhp, RWD Sports Saloon

Kia has revealed its new sports saloon at the Detroit Auto Show, which puts out 360bhp from a 3.3-litre V6
The Kia Stinger GT Is A 360bhp, RWD Sports Saloon

Kias are - on the whole - rather nice. They’re well built, they’re practical, usually come with decent equipment levels and are sometimes even quite nice to look at. But exciting? That’s not an adjective that often comes up when describing the South Korean car maker, which is why this particular reveal is rather significant.

It’s called the Stinger GT, and it’s the first Kia that’s likely to pique the interest of the average petrolhead since the Pro_Ceed GT warm hatch. Rear-wheel drive? Check. Well over 300bhp? Check. Good looks? Well, it’s a little fussy at the rear, but to our eyes it’s prettiest Kia since, well, ever.

The Kia Stinger GT Is A 360bhp, RWD Sports Saloon

A 360bhp, 376lb ft 3.3-litre V6 powers the top-of-the-range model, sending its thrust rearwards via a mechanical limited-slip differential. 0-62mph takes 5.1 seconds, and the top speed is a decidedly un-Kia 167mph.

There is an optional all-wheel drive system with torque vectoring available - “depending on market,” says Kia - and at a later date there’ll be a lower-powered 2.0-litre entry-level model. Performance figures for the four-cylinder turbo aren’t in the press release, but with 252bhp and 260lb ft on tap, it should be suitably brisk.

The Kia Stinger GT Is A 360bhp, RWD Sports Saloon

This all sounds jolly nice on paper, but further reading makes us hopeful that the GT will be a decent steer too, as well as being quick in a straight line. 55 per cent of the car is made from high-strength steel to give “an ultra-stiff foundation for the ride-and-handling engineers to work with”. Hell, there’s even adaptive dampers, plus a setting on the TFT screen to display G-forces, lap times and oil temperature. Now we’re really far from traditional Kia territory.

It’s not going to be an out-and-out super saloon, though. In a rather telling quote, Kia Europe Chief Designer Gregory Guillaume says: “A true gran turismo, a car for spirited long-distance driving, is not about outright power, hard-edged dynamics and brutal styling, all at the expense of luxury, comfort and grace.” Don’t expect a cut-price BMW M3, in other words.

The Kia Stinger GT Is A 360bhp, RWD Sports Saloon

Speaking of which, what about rivals? That’s where things get a little tricky, as the Stinger GT sounds like a hard car to place. In terms of the V6, Kia is taking aim at the likes of the Audi S4, BMW 340i and Mercedes-AMG C43, but it’s actually longer and wider than all cars in that segment. And interestingly, the wheelbase is actually longer than that of a Mercedes CLS.

It’ll be cheaper than all of the above, although probably not by as much as you might expect. Pricing and specifications will be with us a little later in the year.

What do you think of Kia’s new GT come sports saloon? Would you have one over one of the more traditional, Germanic choices?

Comments

JenstheGTIfreak (pizza)

“Salon” xD

01/09/2017 - 10:39 |
2 | 0
DL🏁

I will be hated for saying this, but lately I’m much more exited about South Korean manufacturers than Japanese
While Mitsu are discontinuing Evo (to make more money by focusing on SUVs) and Toyota having nothing exiting on the production line apart from the ageing GT86 (again, focusing on boring hybrids and SUVs), Hyundai are preparing to release the i30N and Kia just came up with this beauty

01/09/2017 - 10:40 |
250 | 6

But fortunately Toyota is making a new GT86

01/09/2017 - 11:00 |
30 | 4

Now I can finally be proud of driving a Hyundai myself, even though it’s a little hatchback.

01/09/2017 - 14:01 |
4 | 0

Toyota also has Lexus, don’t they use Lexus for the sporty stuff?

01/09/2017 - 14:34 |
0 | 0

Although I do agree that a few of the big Japanese car companies have completely abandoned their sports car roots for sales and the stupid Prius, but as far as to call this kia a beauty..? I can’t agree there. I’ll sit here patiently waiting for the new Z to come out

01/09/2017 - 14:43 |
0 | 0

[DELETED]

01/09/2017 - 14:46 |
0 | 6
Sniff Petrol

Looks juicy, now watch as it becomes a sales disaster and suffers from depreciation that’d make an 07 rangie blush

01/09/2017 - 10:41 |
22 | 0

Kia’s previous attempt at a mainstream sporty car (Pro_Cee’d GT) actually got VW worried and they sell like hot cakes. There are more Pro_Cee’d GTs on the road than Clio 200s and Astra GTCs, and that’s saying something!

01/11/2017 - 20:58 |
0 | 0
Dzonny the e36 maniaq

I love brown interiors :O

01/09/2017 - 10:41 |
0 | 0
Raregliscor1

I don’t like this at all, the name is the best thing about the car. Give me a Genesis G90 any day.

01/09/2017 - 10:43 |
0 | 4

g90 is larger than that….

01/09/2017 - 14:45 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

I think the first STINGER concept of kia is the orange coupe one? Am i right?

01/09/2017 - 10:54 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

yep bro

01/09/2017 - 14:30 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

Is this real life?

01/09/2017 - 10:58 |
24 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Is this just fantasy?

01/09/2017 - 12:55 |
10 | 0
Anonymous

The rear looks like combination of an Audi A7 and a new generation Charger

01/09/2017 - 11:08 |
22 | 4
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

No.

01/09/2017 - 13:17 |
4 | 2
The Outsider

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

You also can see a little bit of Tesla,Infiniti and Hyundai

01/09/2017 - 14:37 |
10 | 2
Nate 1

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

First thing I thought was Maserati

01/09/2017 - 20:15 |
4 | 2
Anonymous

But… It’s still a kia

01/09/2017 - 11:09 |
0 | 8
MK-07

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Kia’s aren’t that bad……… Ok the engine sucks but the interior is pretty roomy and simple unlike Japanese cars here in our country the interior is small and cramp.

01/09/2017 - 11:14 |
0 | 0
Benji Gahleitner

I think I have heard that name before….

01/09/2017 - 11:33 |
90 | 0

I had one, awesome

01/09/2017 - 12:31 |
0 | 0

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