2018 Kia Stinger GT

[Payman]

Holy shit, cool car with a cool name. Poor man's Alfa Giulia? 


From Jalopnik:

The Kia GT4 Stinger concept from 2014 was the concept car you wished was real, and it lives—it lives quite wonderfully. The production version naturally isn't as wild as that concept looked, but it does have a bit more power. Say hello to the Kia Stinger GT, Kia's new rear-wheel-drive sedan with 365 horsepower.

There were teases of the new Stinger GT in the month or so before this week's Detroit Auto Show, but it'll finally be on the floor for everyone to get a good look on Monday. The sauce will come from a 3.3 liter, twin-turbo V6, and it'll also have 376 lb-ft of torque. Its zero-to-60 time will also apparently be 5.1 seconds.

What's hard to believe here is that this thing is a Kia. The styling and power behind this thing are reminiscent of higher-end manufacturers like BMW or Audi, but here we are, dropping our jaws over a Kia.

But let's get to the sad part here. The car will have an eight-speed automatic transmission, with no manual option. Granted, fewer and fewer new sport sedans these days have those, but it's still a bummer.

To help you move on from that hit, here are photos of the Stinger GT in all of its wonderful glory:

[2o6]

Sexy, but I don't see it succeeding in any sort of scale.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Not with the Kia name. 'Murricans still think Kias are little shit boxes, and the people who know better still want to impress the people who don't know better. Also, autotragic.

[Payman]

Sexy, but I don't see it succeeding in any sort of scale.

Obviously that'll depend on price, which we don't know yet.

Edit: Looks like high 30's-mid 40's. That's a lot of good looking and reliable RWD sport sedan for those who can accept it's a Kia. I'm definitely checking one out.

[cawimmer430]

This is beautiful inside and out. It actually looks very British (Jaguarish) 

[Payman]

This is beautiful inside and out. It actually looks very British (Jaguarish) 

Definitely Jag in profile.

[Payman]

[cawimmer430]

Kia and Hyundai have really impressed me in the last few years.

I stumbled upon a Kia dealership during one of my fitness walks and saw a fully-loaded Kia Optima Wagon Diesel for sale for less than 20,000 Euros. The value-for-money is incredible, and it's not a bad looking car at all. If someone gave me one I wouldn't say no to it.





Before clicking on this thread I assumed the Stinger GT would be Kia Pro C'eed GT that had been federalized for the US. This is a Kia Pro C'eed GT below. And yeah, they look amazing. 

[Northlands]

Kia and Hyundai have really impressed me in the last few years.

I stumbled upon a Kia dealership during one of my fitness walks and saw a fully-loaded Kia Optima Wagon Diesel for sale for less than 20,000 Euros. The value-for-money is incredible, and it's not a bad looking car at all. If someone gave me one I wouldn't say no to it.





Before clicking on this thread I assumed the Stinger GT would be Kia Pro C'eed GT that had been federalized for the US. This is a Kia Pro C'eed GT below. And yeah, they look amazing. 

Wow.

I would have bought an Optima wagon last year, had I the choice. I ended up getting a 2015 Sonata last March and have been happy with it since. A Kia/Hyundai wagon offering in the size would have been a no brainer for me.

[Galaxy]

That is indeed sharp looking

[FoMoJo]

Holy shit, cool car with a cool name. Poor man's Alfa Giulia? 

Nice profile.

Never liked the grille design of Kia; though the similar design of the Skoda grille looks very nice.

[cawimmer430]

Wow.

I would have bought an Optima wagon last year, had I the choice. I ended up getting a 2015 Sonata last March and have been happy with it since. A Kia/Hyundai wagon offering in the size would have been a no brainer for me.

Wait, they sell the Optima Wagon in North America!?

[Payman]

Wait, they sell the Optima Wagon in North America!?

Sadly no.

[Cookie Monster]

Damn, that is a sharp looking car.

[Northlands]

Wait, they sell the Optima Wagon in North America!?

Nope. If the choice was there, I would have went for it though.

[cawimmer430]

I liked the Optima Wagon as well. Great value-for-money and you get a fully-loaded BMW 5-Series / MB E-Class sized car for little money. Although I wouldn't need all the features - hence my theoretical Kia Optima Wagon would be even cheaper! 

[Eye of the Tiger]

I liked the Optima Wagon as well. Great value-for-money and you get a fully-loaded BMW 5-Series / MB E-Class sized car for little money. Although I wouldn't need all the features - hence my theoretical Kia Optima Wagon would be even cheaper! 

You want Value For Money™? Look at Versa S™. Full-sized-wagon-esque space in a subcompact sedan™. Now with a standard four speaker stereo and power mirrors.

[cawimmer430]

You want Value For Money™? Look at Versa S™. Full-sized-wagon-esque space in a subcompact sedan™. Now with a standard four speaker stereo and power mirrors.

OMG. Hot.

[Payman]

OMG. Hot.

Looks like a dog dragging its arse across the carpet.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Looks like a dog dragging its arse across the carpet.

[cawimmer430]

Looks like a dog dragging its arse across the carpet.

As with most Japanese brands, I feel their design heydays were in the '60s and '70s, and some in the early/late '80s. You guys know me, I like weird cars which nobody likes. 

My favorite Nissan of all time isn't a GT-R or a Skyline, it's the Cedric sedans which I feel are elegant and simple. 







I also have a thing for the first and second generation Toyota Celica, but my true love is the 1987-1991 Toyota Crown Royal Saloon Hardtop (GS131). Very elegant car. IMO it would have made interesting Lexus LS.

[12,000 RPM]

Looks really good, though it looks a LOT like an Optima. Maybe a little too much. I think that's what's going to kill it more than anything else. Price is a little high too. Chargers start at $28K, and they might be moving to the Giulia platform next go round.

If that 3.3T is the base engine though it's a pretty good deal.

[Payman]

Looks really good, though it looks a LOT like an Optima. Maybe a little too much. I think that's what's going to kill it more than anything else. Price is a little high too. Chargers start at $28K, and they might be moving to the Giulia platform next go round.

If that 3.3T is the base engine though it's a pretty good deal.

The Optima's strongest suit is its styling, and the only cues they share is the grille and C-pillar design. Maybe you mean it looks too much like a lower priced car? Like a 7 series resembles a 3 series? 

[MX793]

I, for one, am disappointed.  When I saw Stinger GT, I thought Kia was building this:



The sedan is cool and all, but they should have called it something else.

[12,000 RPM]

The Optima's strongest suit is its styling, and the only cues they share is the grille and C-pillar design. Maybe you mean it looks too much like a lower priced car? Like a 7 series resembles a 3 series? 

Brah, come on.





I don't think it's unreasonable for automotive civilians to confuse these two cars. It goes well beyond the C-pillar. This is a similar situation to the Chevy SS/last gen Malibu. Too close for comfort.

[MrH]

A $40k Kia sports sedan? Yeah, hard pass.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Brah, come on.





I don't think it's unreasonable for automotive civilians to confuse these two cars. It goes well beyond the C-pillar. This is a similar situation to the Chevy SS/last gen Malibu. Too close for comfort.

Yeah! 99% of non car guys won't be able to tell them apart....

[Payman]

A $40k Kia sports sedan? Yeah, hard pass.

Legit comment, given your Genesis experience. Still want to check one out though.

[Payman]

Brah, come on.





I don't think it's unreasonable for automotive civilians to confuse these two cars. It goes well beyond the C-pillar. This is a similar situation to the Chevy SS/last gen Malibu. Too close for comfort.

Familial similarities, to be expected. It's hard to tell an A4 from an A6 to the untrained eye. Same with the Bimmers.

[MX793]

Yeah! 99% of non car guys won't be able to tell them apart....

Even some car guys will likely need a double take to tell the difference if they pass one on the street.