Previewed back in 2011 by the GT Concept, the Kia Stinger managed to stun the crowd at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show in January where the five-door fastback made its world premiere. The car is now being exhibited on its home turf at the Seoul Motor Show where it's sitting pretty next to the concept from six years ago.
That's not what you would call newsworthy, but Kia's press release about the Stinger's debut in South Korea is hiding a little gem: 4.9 seconds. That's the time the most powerful production car the automaker has ever made needs from a standstill until it reaches 62 mph (100 kph). Needless to say, that performance is attainable only if you go for the range-topping version fitted with a biturbo 3.3-liter V6 producing 365 horsepower (272 kilowatts) and 376 pound-feet (510 Newton-meters) of torque.
It's the fastest-accelerating Kia ever and is actually two tenths of a second quicker in the sprint than the estimation made by the company when the car broke cover in Detroit almost three months ago. At that point, Kia's target for the 2018 Stinger was a 0-62 mph run in 5.1 seconds and a top speed of 167 mph (270 kph). The exact maximum velocity is not being disclosed in the new press release, but that estimation is good enough for us.
To put that 4.9-second acceleration figure into perspective, the Audi S5 Sportback completes the task in 4.7 seconds, just like a Mercedes-AMG C43 Sedan. The Stinger is quicker if we compare it to the 4 Series Gran Coupe in the 440i guise as the BMW does the job in 5.1 seconds.
Arguably the most exciting car ever made by Kia, the Stinger will also be available in lesser flavors for those not willing to fork out the premium that comes with getting the meaty V6. A smaller four-cylinder 2.0-liter will power the entry-level version in United States and will have 255 hp (190 kW) and 260 lb-ft (352 Nm).
In certain markets, such as Europe and South Korea, the car is also going to be offered with a thrifty turbodiesel 2.2-liter engine producing 197 hp (147 kW) and 325 lb-ft (440 Nm). Buyers will get to pick from both rear- and all-wheel-drive configurations, with the RWD models set to boast a mechanical limited-slip differential. Regardless of version, all vehicles will come exclusively with an eight-speed automatic gearbox fitted with paddle shifters.
Besides these three engines, Kia is said to be analyzing the prospects of coming out with hybrid and full electric versions of the Stinger. Even if green-lighted for production, these greener derivatives are unlikely to come out in the foreseeable future considering the regular models aren't even out yet.
