Peter Schreyer usually wears black. Many automotive designers and artists can do that, for whatever reason. But when you meet Peter Schreyer, it is in a black suit or black trousers and a black turtleneck sweater. Peter Schreyer was a successful designer in the VW Group for years. He is the man who designed the iconic first Audi TT generation, he gave the Golf 4 its shape and is one of the most important and, more importantly, one of the most renowned designers in the industry. Peter Schreyer has been working for Hyundai / KIA for a few years and has now also delivered a masterpiece there. The Kia Stinger GT.

Test of the KIA STINGER GT with V6 Turbo petrol engine

Korea blunder in review

The history of sporty Kia models is manageable. There was none. And then Kia shows the GT Concept at the IAA 2011 and car lovers kneel down. The trade press is in love. But would the Koreans really have the courage to build a Grand Coupe in a segment that is as far from Kia as Seoul from Stuttgart?

At the NAIAS 2017 debuted the series version of the KIA Stinger. At 2018 we were able to welcome the Stinger GT as 3.3 liter V6 Turbo with 276 kW to the test on the farm of AUTOHUB.

370 PS and the charm of a GT from the upper middle class surround the appearance of the Korean sting. But would he stab it? Bulls-Eye? In the middle of the heart of the car nerd?

Kia offers the Stinger in Germany with three different engines. A small four-cylinder turbo gasoline engine with 255 PS, a 2.2 liter diesel with 200 PS and the top dog of the program, the 3.3 liter V6 with two turbochargers and hefty 510 Nm. The eight-speed automat has been developed by KIA itself and passes its power to all four wheels.

Before it goes to 4.9 km / h in 100 seconds, the interior must be felt. As soon as you take a seat in the “GT”, you can feel the difference. This KIA is so completely different. Inevitably, one has to think of the Audi A7 or A5 Sportback, of the BMW 4 Series GT and also 6 Series. With a total length of just over 4.80 meters, the KIA GT is larger than an A5 Sportback and hardly shorter than the Audi A7. Nevertheless, KIA sees itself more in the upper middle class and not only in terms of price not in the upper class. But the comparisons are almost obvious. Because it feels so controversial, colleagues even try to compare it to the Panamera from Porsche. But it's too beautiful. The big GT from Korea fits, if you just look at the performance,  between the basic Panamera with its 330 hp and the 4s with 450 hp. And then there are these similarities in design. Long bonnet, massive bottom and cozy space for four people.

And indeed, in terms of performance, the Korean gives the Stuttgarter just one. Both in the top speed, as well as the important Stammtisch value of zero on 100 the Budget GT from Korea is suddenly ahead of the premium athlete from Zuffenhausen. And then the price. Why compare there only with 440i GT and Audi A5? The Kia GT wants to turn the automotive value world upside down.

The high-chroma-red paintwork seems to be grinning and shining in competition with the Stinger's cheeky radiator nozzle. In addition, as expected, the Kia Stinger GT does not show any nakedness in terms of equipment. It is available with everything that is beautiful, important and current today. At € 54.900 it is already almost fully equipped. Leather and GPS are just as normal as LED light. The fact that the navigation system does not differ from the system, which you get in the price range 25.000 € including from KIA, is free. This is a completely different discipline. It's about a vehicle class that vies for attractiveness through pure presence and potency. 

And technically everything else is right. The engine installed longitudinally, the four-wheel drive variable, the eight-speed automatic in handling compatible to jagged. At the sound, though, we miss a bit of culture and passion, but hey, it's the first serve of Koreans in this segment. The fact that the Kia drives away 270% of the usual suspects on the autobahn at 99 m / h is not decisive for the overall picture. Rather the fact that the not exactly easy GT with its almost 1.9 tons can be moved vehemently and convincingly on the country road.

Habby almost fell for the KIA Stinger GT. If the high praise had sung along with grandiose design and thrilling driving pleasure, the price would not have been there.

The Stinger GT is not worth 50.000 €.

What? How? The Panamera costs twice as much and the BMW 440i and Audi A5 cannot be bought with this equipment level and performance class if you do not pay € 20.000. So what's wrong with Habby and his perception?

Now. If you look at the list prices, the Kia Stinger GT is the better deal. Apart from the high consumption, it doesn't make any major blunders. And offers everything from all-wheel to eight-speed automatic, what the premium competitors also offer. Just no house bank. Just between us: Nobody pays a € 50.000 car in cash. We are in the leasing vehicle class here and it quickly becomes clear that the Stinger GT can be so fine, if the leasing rate of a 440i GT is around 50 € below that of the KIA with the same equipment and the same framework conditions, then you will always be the BMW grab. Its brilliant in-line six-cylinder turbo is not only acoustically cooler, it also easily undercuts the Koreans by 2-8 liters in terms of consumption, depending on the pace!

Too bad about the cool design of Peter Schreyer.