If you were to conjure up a template for a very good modern sports saloon, it might sound a little like the new Kia Stinger: design by a guy who was at Audi, chassis by a guy who was at BMW, power by twin-turbo V6 and dynamic testing by, er, the Nurburgring. Without wishing to get too ahead of ourselves, it's not a bad combination of attributes.
Described as a "dream car for us" by Kia's senior management, the Stinger is the production realisation of an idea first mooted back in 2011 with
the GT concept
. As well as being the first rear-wheel drive Kia, it's also the first car from the company to come with selectable drive modes and adjustable adaptive damping.
More of those in a sec. First to the design, said to exude "a muscular confidence". A fastback more than a traditional three-box saloon, the Stinger sits in between rivals like a 4 Series and 6 Series Gran Coupe at 4,831mm long. The wheelbase is 2,906mm and the Stinger measures 1,869mm across. As for the look, Kia says "the stance and visual balance are designed to lend the car an air of elegance and athleticism, rather than boy racer aggression." While the shark nose is a familiar Kia trait now, the cab-back silhouette and broad rear haunches certainly aren't. And there are four exhausts! What do you reckon? Don't forget America is likely to be the biggest market...
If you have been following
Kia's preamble
to the Stinger, you will know it has been extensively tested on the Nordschleife. You will probably also know that Albert Biermann
has been with Kia
since December 2014, having left BMW soon after finishing
the current M3
. Notable chassis highlights include 'Dynamic Stability Damping Control', which is adaptive but with parameters that can be adjusted by the driver. There are five drive modes for the Stinger too: Personal, Eco, Sport, Comfort and Smart. Steering is by - deep breath - variable ratio Rack-mounted Motor Driven Power Steering (R-MDPS), an electric power steering system that promises "razor-sharp feedback" by mounting the electric motor directly onto the rack. The Macpherson front and multi-link rear suspension has also been set up with the f-word in mind, this time "to provide optimal feedback". And no, a 'ring lap time hasn't been mentioned yet.
Under the bonnet the Stinger will be offered with two engines, a 2.0-litre 255hp four-cylinder turbo (standard Stinger) and a 365hp 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 (Stinger GT). In the UK we will take only the V6 with rear-wheel drive (all-wheel drive will be offered in certain markets), which again sounds promising. With 376lb ft too, Kia claims 0-62mph in 5.1 seconds and 167mph. The gearbox is Kia's own eight-speed auto, with a limited-slip diff out back to get that power down. A limited-slip diff. In a Kia. Behind those handsome 19-inch wheels sit vented Brembo discs with four-piston calipers at the front. And if you look really closely, you'll see the tyres are Continentals, although Kia will only say at the moment that they are "ultra high-performance".
As yet there are no pictures of the Stinger's interior, though we're promised a "confident dashboard", a "feeling of cocooned intimacy" and "aeronautically inspired spoked circular vents". That longish wheelbase should ensure plenty of space, while the driver gets a TFT screen between the dials to provide info like oil temperature, lap times and g-forces. Or something dull like the trip computer.
Expect too plenty of leather and the latest in driver assist tech; indeed there are so many features on the latter that Kia requires another acronym: Multiple Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).
It would appear there's plenty to be encouraged by with Kia's first sports saloon then. We'll hope to bring you more from Detroit soon, but there shouldn't be long to wait for the Stinger; sales will begin later this year, with prices to follow nearer the time.