2018 Kia Stinger GT
Recently making its debut at the 2017 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, the 2018 Kia Stinger GT turned plenty of heads and made some serious waves. In fact, it could be argued that the five-passenger fastback sports sedan managed to steal the show.

That's right. Kia stole the show at the 2017 NAIAS. There was a time when this would have seemed like an impossible concept. But times have changed along with Kia Motors. The Korean brand that was once considered little more than a punch line in the auto industry has come a very long way.2018 Kia Stinger GT

The 2018 Kia Stinger GT

The automaker is still known for packing a lot of value into smaller, affordably priced cars. However, they've also shown us, with the Optima, that a luxurious driving experience doesn't have to come with a luxury price tag. And now, with the Stinger, it's very clear that there's a lot more to Kia than singing hamsters and bargain basement starter cars.Kia Stinger GT

How the 2018 Kia Stinger Takes the Brand to a Whole New Level

Kia first unveiled a GT concept back in 2011 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Promising to one day offer a production model of this concept, designers and engineers with the company embraced the vehicle as a kind of "dream car." And many experts believed that the intended vehicle would remain that: Just a dream. After all, a fast and sporty GT model seemed way out of Kia's league. But Kia has since proven the naysayers wrong by proudly introducing the world to the 2018 Stinger.
2018 Kia Stinger
The Stinger was designed in Frankfurt and developed on the "legendary" Nurburgring circuit. Heading up the design process, chief design officer for Kia Motors, Peter Schreyer had a tall order to fill. The new sedan needed to be fast and nimble like a racecar, but still offer plenty of room and an overall comfortable ride. To achieve the desired level of ride comfort and precision handling, Albert Biermann, head of Kia’s Vehicle Test and High Performance Development put the vehicle through its paces on the Nurburgring.2018 Kia Stinger GT

Appearance

All of the hard work that clearly went into designing, developing and building the Stinger seems to have paid off. The vehicle that premiered at the NAIAS in Detroit is bold, striking and sleek in appearance, bearing just a little resemblance to the Optima. The two cars are obviously related, but the Stinger is like the Optima's wild and glamorous cousin who quit school to join a successful rock band . . . and try out for the Olympics.2018 Kia Stinger GT

While obviously built with speed and performance in mind, the Stinger doesn't have an overly aggressive appearance. Instead, with its wide front and rear track, recessed contours and fastback silhouette, it exudes athleticism and good aerodynamics. These qualities are enhanced by the Stinger's front air curtains, wheel arch gills, smooth underbody and integrated rear diffuser. There are four oval exhaust pipes housed in the rear valance. And that "tiger-nose" grille that is unique to Kia is flanked by LED headlamps.

There's also some very good stuff going on underneath the hood and in the tech department.2018 Kia Stinger GT

Performance

The Stinger is the first sedan to be made available in either rear- or all-wheel drive. The all-wheel option comes with a new Dynamic Torque Vectoring Control system that can automatically apply braking force to the right wheels if road conditions are bad. The rear-drive system features a mechanical limited slip differential that allows for the even distribution of power through the rear wheels.

Two turbocharged engines, which are still under development, will be offered. Buyers can select a standard 2.0-liter four-cylinder Theta II engine. And if they do, they'll be able to expect the production of an estimated 255 horsepower at approximately 6,200 rpm and a max torque of 260 lb. per foot from 1,400-4,000 rpm.

The other engine option will be a 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 Lambda II engine which is expected to produce 365 horsepower at an estimated 6,000 rpm. It will most likely provide a max torque of 376 lb per foot from 1,300-4,500 rpm.2018 Kia Stinger GT

Technology

When it comes to tech features, Kia is notorious for offering the latest ones and lots of them. With the Stinger, this tradition continues. Multiple Advance Driver Assistance Systems are available, and they are all made to work together in order to produce the safest and most comfortable drive possible.

New for Kia is the Driver Attention Alert (DAA) system. This feature is designed to fight distracted or drowsy driving. It monitors data collected from other systems and sounds a warning chime when it seems that it is time for the driver to take a break. A graphic will also pop up on the instrument binnacle just in case the driver doesn't notice the auditory alert.

Other features available with the 2018 Stinger include: Forward Collision Assistance (FCA) with Integrated Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Advanced Smart Cruise Control (ASCC), Lane Keep Assist (LKA) and Rear Traffic Alert (RCTA).

The Stinger also comes with the latest in infotainment systems. A base model comes equipped with six speakers and a seven-inch haptic touchscreen programmed with the latest version of UVO, which is Kia's award-winning telematics system. The 3.3-liter twin turbo version features nine speakers and includes an external amplifier. All models are outfitted with a height-adjustable color Hear-Up Display (HUD) that allows the driver to view driving information reflected on the windshield glass. Also, a smartphone charging pad and Bluetooth capabilities come standard.2018 Kia Stinger GT

Pricing and Availability

The 2018 Kia Stinger GT is expected to arrive in dealerships nationwide in the summer of this year. Pricing and other details are not yet available, but will most likely be announced soon.