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Introduction to the Kia Stinger Gran Turismo
Memories of the classic age of grand tourers are evoked by the Kia Stinger Gran Turismo. The stunning Stinger represents Kia’s first foray into the gran turismo segment and is the company’s first rear-wheel-drive car in the UK. With pent-up demand reaching fever pitch, Kia has released pricing and specification details as order books open. The Kia Stinger, a car that has been six years in the making, is based on the GT Concept from the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. There were times when it seemed as though the GT would never make it into production form, but Kia’s senior management was always enthusiastic about the idea; they simply wanted to wait until the time was right. That time is now.
Design and Development
The Stinger is a five-door fastback that echoes the style and substance of gran turismo legends. The car has been designed to make the joy of the journey almost as important as reaching the final destination. The Stinger is a game-changer for Kia, a car that aims to convince people that the company has moved beyond its value-driven brand image focused on durability and practicality. While those attributes are still important, Kias are now highly desirable in their own right, and the Stinger epitomizes that.
Engine Options and Performance
There will be five versions of the Stinger based on three trim grades: GT-Line, GT-Line S, and GT-S. The range is powered by three turbocharged engines. The top-of-the-line GT-S is powered by a twin-turbo 365bhp 3.3-liter V6 T-GDi engine, capable of taking the car from standstill to 60mph in only 4.7 seconds and on to a top speed of 168mph where allowed.
GT-Line and GT-Line S both offer the choice of a 244bhp 2.0-liter four-cylinder T-GDi engine or a 197bhp 2.2-liter CRDi turbodiesel capable of up to 50.4mpg, giving Kia’s new gran turismo a touring range of more than 600 miles. All models drive the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic gearbox with five different shift and throttle programs and the option of full manual control using the steering wheel-mounted paddles.
Interior and Technology Features
Grand tourers are not sports cars; rather, they are high-performance luxury cars designed to cover long distances with maximum comfort, safety, and refinement. All three trim lines for the Stinger reflect that. All models come with an 8.0-inch touchscreen navigation system with European mapping and a Traffic Messaging Channel. The screen is linked to Kia Connected Services with TomTom, providing traffic, weather, and local search information, and even warning of speed cameras. The Stinger can be connected to Android Auto and Apple CarPlay via a smartphone, has Bluetooth with voice recognition and music streaming, and is equipped with a reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors, and a 7.0-inch Thin Film Transistor (TFT) supervision cluster. A head-up display is also a standard feature, which displays speed and navigation instructions, a first for Kia in the UK. GT-Line S and GT-S also have a 360-degree around-view monitor.
Audio and Safety Features
GT-Line has a nine-speaker sound system with a front under-seat subwoofer, while the other two trim grades feature a 15-speaker Harman/Kardon premium sound system with a subwoofer, external amp, and front center speaker. Standard safety features to assist drivers on long journeys include Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane Keep Assist, Driver Attention Warning, and Speed Limit Information. GT-Line S and GT-S also have Blind Spot Detection with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, and GT-S is fitted with Brembo brakes. A limited-slip differential is standard, as is an Active Bonnet to protect pedestrians in the event of a collision.
Wheels and Lighting
GT-Line and GT-Line S have 18-inch alloy wheels with 225/45R18 tires, while for GT-S the wheels are upgraded to 19 inches with tires of 225/40R19 at the front and 225/35R19 at the rear. There are projection headlights on GT-Line and full LED headlights on the other two trim grades. All versions have LED tail lamps and daytime running lights.
Seating and Comfort
Leather upholstery in either black, grey, or red is available on all trims, and in GT-S there is Nappa leather. Eight-way power-adjustable memory front seats are fitted to all models, along with a two-way power-adjustable cushion extender. Two-way side bolsters adjustment is added in GT-S. The front seats are heated, along with the outer rear seats in GT-Line S and GT-S, which also have ventilated front seats. Adding to comfort and convenience is electrically operated tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment as standard across all grades.
Additional Features
There is a D-shaped leather-trimmed steering wheel and a leather and chrome gear shifter, leather on the dashboard and door armrests, an aluminum finish center console which also has a wireless phone charger, alloy pedals, stainless steel door scuff plates, suede headlining, dual automatic air conditioning, Smart Cruise Control with a speed limiter, and a Smart Entry System with an engine start/stop button. A powered tailgate is fitted to GT-Line S and GT-S. GT-S has electronic suspension which can be set to one of five modes and variable gear ratio steering. The Stinger’s standard paint finish is Sunset Yellow, while Pearl White, Midnight Black, Ceramic Silver, HiChroma Red, and Panthera Metal are chargeable options.
Key Takeaways
- The Kia Stinger Gran Turismo is Kia’s first gran turismo and first rear-wheel-drive car in the UK, designed to evoke memories of the classic age of grand tourers.
- The Stinger is available in three trim grades (GT-Line, GT-Line S, and GT-S) and three turbocharged engine options, including a 365bhp 3.3-liter V6 T-GDi engine for the GT-S model.
- All models feature an 8.0-inch touchscreen navigation system, Kia Connected Services with TomTom, Bluetooth, a reversing camera, and a head-up display.
- Safety features include Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane Keep Assist, Driver Attention Warning, and Speed Limit Information.
- Comfort features include leather upholstery, power-adjustable memory front seats, heated and ventilated seats (depending on trim), and a Harman/Kardon premium sound system on higher trims.
- GT-S models come with Brembo brakes, 19-inch alloy wheels, and electronic suspension with five different modes.
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