Motor City may not be what it once was, but one thing for sure when the Detroit Motor Show opens its doors in early January each year is that American metal will be at the forefront. But this year the locals were stung… by an imposter called the Stinger.
JAN 09th 2017
Detroit 2017: Kia unveils sleek Stinger four‑door coupe
It’s the new, sportiest-ever Kia, latest and most convincing statement yet that the Korean firm wants to mix it with BMW, Audi, and Mercedes. The Stinger is a five-door GT with a curvy fastback style, up to 365bhp under the bonnet, and a chassis honed on the Nurburgring under the watchful eye of a former BMW M boss.
In most potent 365bhp 3.3 turbo V6 form (there’s also a 255bhp 2.0-litre turbo four-pot) the fastest Kia ever does 0-62mph in 5.1 seconds and tops out at 167mph. It’s rear-wheel drive, but there will also be an all-wheel-drive version. Another Kia first is that it will come with adjustable damping control and different driving modes.
Think of the Stinger as a rival for the 3-series, A4 and Merc C-Class models in their mid-sportiest forms, although the Kia is quite a bit larger than those cars. Kia says the Stinger’s extended wheelbase provides plenty of room inside a luxuriously trimmed cabin for five, along with a big boot.
Kia has been promising us this car since 2011 when design boss Peter Schreyer unveiled the Kia GT concept, an attempt to add a passionate sporty side to what the world knew as cooking models for the masses. We’d say that on looks and spec at least, mission accomplished.
Shown in Detroit in production-ready form, the Stinger will be in UK showrooms later this year. Prices are yet to be confirmed.

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