Kia’s RWD Stinger performance sedan confirmed for Australia

After numerous teasers and spy shots, Kia has finally taken the wraps off its new sports sedan, the Kia Stinger. The good news is Kia has confirmed the new model is headed to Australia in the third quarter of this year.

“This is a car you cannot help but be excited by,” Kia Motors Australia Chief Operating Officer Damien Meredith said.

“It has all the attributes to appeal to the Australian enthusiast _ exciting design, a high-tech performance engine and gearbox combination and rear-wheel drive.

“The Stinger is the right car to take Kia, and the brand’s perception, to the next level in Australia. It is the type of car to add desire and excitement to Kia’s core values of style, reliability and value.”

The Stinger will arrive in Australia with the 3.3-litre V6 twin turbo driving the rear wheels through an eight-speed transmission, the same drivetrain under the next-generation Genesis G80 also destined for Australia.

While final specifications are still to be settled, the Stinger is expected to produce 272kW of power at 6000rpm and an impressive 510Nm of torque from 1,300rpm through to 4,500rpm. There is an expected 0-100km/h sprint of 5.1 seconds, which puts in the ballpark of the soon to be discontinued Holden Commodore SS Redline.

Designed in Kia’s European studio in Frankfurt under the hand of Kia’s head of design, Peter Schreyer and developed over extensive testing on the gruelling Nürburgring under the watchful eye of KMC’s performance and engineering guru, Albert Biermann, the Stinger is claimed to be an uncompromising rendition of the true gran turismo ethos – nimble and fast, luxurious and quiet with the perfect balance of ride and handling.

“I think for the Kia brand, the Stinger is like a special event,” Biermann said. “Because nobody expects such a car, not just the way it looks, but also the way it drives. It’s a whole different animal.”

To further define the car for Australia, the Kia Australia’s ride and handling team will refine the suspension and tuning to ensure Australian buyers are presented with a local tuning package which best suits Australia’s testing roads.