Johannesburg - Although Kia South Africa has always had a “we’d love to bring it here” kind of attitude towards the brand’s Stinger sports saloon, it has now been officially (as in no ifs or buts) confirmed for local introduction.
Due to arrive in August, the Stinger is positioned as a “gran turismo” designed for both driver enjoyment and long-distance comfort. Though it looks like a sedan, it’s actually a three-box hatchback like Audi’s A7 Sportback. In size terms, it fits somewhere between the latter and its smaller A5 Sportback sibling, the Kia measuring 4830mm in length and 1870mm in width.
South Africa will be getting the GT model, which is powered by a 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine that produces 272kW at 6000rpm and 510Nm between 1300 and 4500rpm. Power goes to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic gearbox and according to Kia, the GT will run from 0-100km/h in 4.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 270km/h.
Local pricing and specifications will be announced nearer the time, and local volumes will be limited.
Billed as the most adventurous model in Kia’s history, the Stinger is based on the GT Concept of 2011 and was designed in Europe under the watch of the well-known Peter Schreyer and European design head Gregory Guillaume.
It is available abroad with a wider range of engines, including a 182kW 2-litre turbopetrol and a 147kW 2.2-litre turbodiesel. The aforementioned V6-powered GT sits at the top of the range, and is also set apart by adaptive suspension and Brembo-designed brakes. Certain markets also get the option of all-wheel-drive.