After a good 18 months, Kia has carefully upgraded its flagship. The pretty Stinger can now drift.
This car is probably one of the best known unknowns on German roads. Meeting the Kia Stinger in the wild requires patience. Because the Korean sister of Hyundai has sold just under 18 copies of their fine sports sedan in the last 2.000 months. In the process, the five-door model is sweeping away prizes and is regarded as the showpiece of Kia par excellence, as he created a completely new image of the otherwise otherwise rather dignified everyday models company.
The story of Stinger already began 2011 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. At that time Kia surprised with the study of a sporty sedan in the style of a classic Grand Turismo (GT). This abbreviation has always been synonymous for quite spacious sedans for the "big ride", but provided with high performance even on racetracks could cut a good figure. The then head of design Peter Schreyer remembers: "This car was a dream project for me and my colleagues, because we got the chance to design a real GT, a car in which you can travel in style." When the serial Stinger then six Years later actually came on the market. The Koreans wanted to prove above all: "Kia can`s". The young company (first car 1975) probably did not expect it.
Anyway, the numbers on paper prove that "Kia can do it". 3,3-liter gasoline engine with twin turbo, 269 kW / 366 horsepower, top 270 km / h, 5,5 seconds on Tempo 100 and all-wheel drive. And exactly the latter is the reason to take a closer look at the Korean high-flyer: At the rear axle, a mechanical limited-slip differential now intervenes when more grip is needed in fast bends. A completely new control electronics also makes it possible to distribute the motor power even more sensitively on the two axles.
The result: In the new extreme mode Sport + the front wheels are freed of any propulsion and the otherwise so helpful ESP is switched off. That's what we know about power miners like the AMG models from Mercedes or from Porsche. These "competitors" cost but almost twice. The Stinger update gives the bargain from Korea a capability that was previously largely denied him. The stinger can now "drift", ie on a smooth surface with the direction of travel turned in the direction of the steering and simultaneously accelerating while biting across bends.
Granted, this new property is not really needed. The previous customers of the strongest Kia, including many freelancers with a penchant for affordable special, will probably spend their spare time on water-soaked surfaces with a slippery surface. But with the PS whispers in the golf club or a party, the license to drift is certainly a welcome topic of conversation. Anyway, Kia thinks about offering organized sports and drift events for the customers. True to the motto: "We are the Stingers", which by the way stands for "sting" in English.
A sting in the fur of the established high priced, especially from Germany? Above all, the pricing of the Kia. For around 56.000 Euro you get powerful performance including all-wheel drive. Many other expensive delicacies are included in the price. Examples include nappa leather, a slightly older navigation system, head-up display, LED headlights, distance radar and an almost complete range of assistance systems. In the surcharge list are only a sliding glass roof and two other types of leather.
The often praised surprisingly sovereign driving characteristics of the Stinger have been preserved in the now starting to update. A fun car that can also be leisurely, where five adults can travel and let it rip. Everything packed in a refreshing look from the pen of design icon Peter Schreyer. Actually nothing stands in the way of the success of the Stinger, if exactly this kind of cars stands on the wish list.
But: Drivers in this class use their company-paid means of transportation usually professional, the models are usually determined by the company's policy. And there is a Kia in this country is not the first choice.