2017 Kia Stinger European specifications confirmed

The Kia Stinger has now been exposed in European specification, confirming the details of all three of its powertrain options for the very first time.

The Audi A4 , BMW three Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class rival will inject production in the 2nd half of two thousand seventeen before sales kick off in the final quarter of the year.

Pricing is yet to be announced, but the entry model will likely be priced to rival with its rivals so a kicking off figure of around £28,000 is expected.

Europe’s entry engine is a turbocharged Two.2-litre four-cylinder diesel that produces 197bhp and 325lb ft of torque – the latter figure is available from 1750-2750 rpm. It can accelerate the car from 0-62mph in 8.5sec and onto a top speed of 158mph.

Above this sits the very first petrol engine, a turbocharged Two.0-litre four-cylinder that produces 252bhp and 260lb ft of torque. No straight-line spectacle figures have been released for this unit yet, but it’s expected to be slightly quicker than the diesel.

Top of the range is the turbocharged Three.3-litre V6 petrol engine of the Stinger GT. The GT is aimed squarely at more potent versions of the Stinger’s rivals , albeit it sits below the likes of the BMW M3 and Mercedes-AMG C63 . Its engine produces 370bhp and 376lb ft of torque and can accelerate the car from 0-62mph in Five.1sec, meaning the GT can outpunch the 349bhp Audi S4 . Kia targets a top speed of 168mph for the GT.

Both rear and four-wheel drive versions of the Stinger are available, and the car uses an eight-speed automatic gearbox as standard.

Scroll to the bottom to read our interview with Kia design boss Peter Schreyer

At 4831mm in length, the Stinger is almost 200mm longer than a three Series and actually closer to the BMW five Series (4935mm) in length. It is 1869mm broad and 1400mm tall and has a wheelbase of 2906mm. This makes it 58mm broader than a three Series and 41mm lower, with a wheelbase that’s 96mm longer.

The Stinger has been honed at the Nürburgring under the observe of Albert Biermann, who Kia poached from BMW ’s M division in late two thousand fourteen – in fact, the BMW 440i has been used as a benchmark. It is closely related to the GT concept of 2011, a car which Kia says it never lost look of in the intervening years and always intended to use as inspiration for a production car.

Underpinning the Stinger is a modified Genesis chassis, 55% of which is made from lightweight high-strength steel for what Kia claims is a rigid chassis with diminished levels of noise, stimulation and harshness (NVH) in the “quiet cabin”. The suspension features MacPherson struts at the front and a multi-link system at the rear, and is claimed to have been tuned “to provide optimal feedback to the driver”.

The suspension is adjustable with adaptive damping, a Kia very first, through a system called Dynamic Stability Damping Control. Kia has tuned the system to suggest agility through the corners as well as high-speed stability.

For the very first time, Kia will suggest switchable driving modes, with five settings on suggest. These modes adjust not only the firmness of the suspension but also the responses of the variable-ratio electrical steering, which has the motor mounted directly on the steering rack for what Kia claims are improved responses and feedback and diminished stimulations.

The four-cylinder Stinger has 18in alloy wheels and 225/45 R18 ‘performance’ tyres, with 19in alloys and 225/40 R19 ‘ultra-high-performance’ rubber for the GT model. Brembo brakes with four-piston calipers at the front and two-piston calipers at the rear provide the stopping power for the GT model.

Pricing for the V6 Stinger GT has not yet been confirmed, but it is expected to be in line with that of a top-spec Sorento, which costs £49,050.

Describing Kia’s latest creation at its launch earlier this month, Biermann said: “I think for the Kia brand, the Stinger is a special event because no one expects such a car — not just the way it looks, but also the way it drives. It’s a entire different animal.”

Speaking to Autocar in Detroit, Biermann described the car as an excellent all round gran turismo car rather than an out and out track car. “It’s a truly sporty car but still a good all rounder. It has a high treating level but is still convenient and has a spacious interior.” Stability was also a key part of the GT’s appeal, he said, and the confidence it inspired when you shoved it. Biermann said that he hoped the Stinger GT would have an influence on the treating of the rest of the Kia range. “We’re on the way to do that, we already have some good treating cars and are on the way to doing more.”

Biermann said the GT had been one of the key reasons he switched to Kia from BMW. “There’s this car and a few others. I thought ‘wow, what an interesting challenge’. I dreamed to get them dancing, finish and joy to drive. It was still a concept when I joined, but I guided it. Such a car you never leave alone, you babysit it.”

The model was designed at Kia’s European design studio, where it was overseen by Gregory Guillaume. He said: “We were coaxed from day one that we would take this concept car [the two thousand eleven GT] from motor demonstrate plinth to the road, knowing that we have the freedom within Kia to spread the brand in many directions. There was no doubt we were going to build it, so it became our halo spectacle car.”

An interview with design boss Peter Schreyer

What can this do for the Kia brand?

“It’s a milestone, a strong statement. I think it’s a brand shaper. This is a special moment. We’re a challenger brand but we have a strong design philosophy. The brand and design already have consistency. This car makes the brand more sporty, more fresh, junior. It shows in that we can challenge at a high level with some of the premium brands.”

Can it indeed challenge premium brands?

“The premium brands have a loyal following, but in the US market this is not such a problem. We have a superb chance US, which is key for the car.”

Did you attempt and stick closely to the GT concept?

“We had a concept car that got so much positive feedback from media, dealers and customers that we went into looking at it for production and the business case. It got more and more serious. I still recall when we very first knew about making it; it was good news for all of us and we had time to truly refine the design. Put it next to the concept and you can see it’s truly close, and in some ways it’s even better.”

Was it nice to design a rear-wheel-drive car?

“It was a fantasy to get these kind of proportions, which are possible only with a rear wheel drive platform. It’s the beginning of a fresh chapter for Kia, I never want to see an end and we will never be done. We will always go on and open up the doors. This permits us in other segments to make more attractive and sporty architectures and proportions.”

Was it design or engineering led?

“It’s a design lead project undoubtedly but we can’t do it without engineers. We work together with engineering and Albert Biermann. He was so excited when he very first came here and has been a big help.”

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