As you'll review, Kia's GT4 Stinger appeared at the Detroit auto expo just about eighteen months prior. From that point, it went on visit far and wide, all over from Russia to Brazil to Philadelphia. Everybody, we are told by Kia, adored it. So why are we expounding on it now, this time later? Since we just drove it. Yes, Kia rang and inquired as to whether we could come down to Kia Motors America in sunny Irvine, Calif., to their configuration studios and drive the GT4 Stinger around on California lane street.
Obviously we said yes. However, being suspicious of basically everybody's inspiration about essentially everything, we needed to ask ourselves for what reason this ginormous corporate element would abruptly need to get reputation on 18 months old idea auto. Maybe on the grounds that Kia Motors America needed to arm itself with some positive press to show to the high llamas back in Seoul to persuade them there truly is a business sector and not only excitement for Stinger? Maybe. It is safe to say that we are in this manner being utilized as insignificant pawns as a part of this item arranging chess diversion? Potentially. However, pawns just wanna have some good times, and in this rate, we wouldn't fret being utilized. So off we dove into LA expressway confusion down to the OC to drive it.
When we saw it at Kia Design Center America, it looked really cool and not care for whatever else in the class. The main and most clear examination is to the Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ, yet that is just in the auto's fundamental extents and reason. Aside from those qualities, the Stinger remains on its own. Kia’s chief designer Tom Kearns was there the day we drove the Stinger. Even though he and the staff at Kia Design America built the car, he hadn’t driven it yet. So we invited him to ride along.
“I think we made a pretty good case for something that really speaks to the brand,” Kearns said. “We wanted to make something that was very simple and pure. Our intent was to make it stunning.”
It certainly looks stunning, perhaps more so when you’re about to drive it.
If you’re ever going to hotwire the Stinger, the key is way, way up under the dash on the right side. Just grab the shackle, twist the key and it starts with a blap. The six-speed is pretty straightforward. The steering wheel is even connected to the front wheels, making it much easier to drive.Granted,it's a concept car , the drivetrains of which are just intended to take care of business workmanship off the truck and up onto the show stand. Yet, you can utilize a little creative ability and see that this could be an execution symbol, the sportiest auto to originate from Korea since the Genesis Coupe. It may even be sportier.
How can it drive? It drives like an idea auto. The Stinger is said to have a 2.0-liter turbo mounted longitudinally in front and driving the back wheels. We weren't permitted to pop the hood, however we could hear the wastegate opening and shutting when we lifted off the gas pedal to move the six-rate. Kia has recently such a motor in its lineup, a 274-hp 2.0-liter fuel direct infused turbo four from the Optima (260 hp in the Sportage). It wouldn't be excessively troublesome, making it impossible to take that motor and tune it to the Stinger idea's asserted 315 hp. The Optima Kia races in the World Challenge is said to make 400 hp. So a sorted-out powertrain could truly fly in a little, lightweight car like this.
Similarly, the Stinger idea's suspension is simply something put in there to hold the body off the ground and perhaps get it up onto and off of the show stand. However, a sorted suspension on a creation auto could positively be made sense of and would be spectacular fun. Perhaps shrivel a Genesis Coupe stage or something, Car companies have guys who figure these things out. You can also sit in it and see out of it just fine. So the basic body shape and pillars could work as-is. Unless those big, long rear corner pillars block some of the view, which they might. The A-pillars have really cool see-through slots in them that we’d love to see in production. The rear hatch promises a little practicality, while the rear +2 seats could even fit people for short stretches, adding to a production Stinger’s appeal.
“We wanted something that was really sporty but still had a 2+2 (configuration) so if you had to take someone in the back seat you could still do it,” Kearns said. “But the emphasis is really on the front two seats.”
In spite of the fact that an unadulterated two-seater would be the perfect,The rear hatch opens up to reveal practical storage space, another selling point, Kia execs ,it wouldn't bode well similarly as deals go, which is something all planners need to consider.
"We need to," said Kearns. "Else it'd simply be craftsmanship and not plan."
The idea was to make it simple and affordable to appeal to a wider, younger audience.
"A considerable measure of autos have such a large number of driver guides nowadays and are so convoluted, so brimming with innovation," Kearns regretted. "Clearly innovation's great yet (the Stinger) was practically sort of like a back-to-nuts and bolts, driver-association kind of vehicle that we were attempting to make. It appears as though there are a few lovers out there who might truly acknowledge returning to fundamentals, an auto that is not lavish, its truly clear, it has awesome feel and taking care of, associated quality to the street. So that is somewhat the thought."
What's more, has anybody in Korea concurred with that?
"The response (to the auto on its open visit) was super magnificent," Kearns said. "I think our administration understands that."
In any case, a year ago, Kia's abroad promoting boss Lee Soon-nam was cited in our sister production Automotive News nixing the thought of the Stinger. Kia's first need should be reinforcing brand picture and mindfulness, the article asserts Soon-nam said.
"From a promoting point, another auto dispatch ought to be useful to upgrading the brand picture," Lee said then.
Interestingly, Soon-nam hasn't been gotten notification from in Automotive News for around a year. So perhaps the powers of good have triumphed. Then again perhaps executives concur that a Stinger in showrooms would drive activity. Also, be incredible enjoyable to drive. We can trust.
While Kearns couldn't be particular, we inquired as to whether the undertaking was murdered off.
"Certainly not," he said. So there. Consideration Seoul: construct this thing!
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