Kia Stinger 2018: Detroit Auto Show Superstar! Affordable BMW 4-Series Rival?

Jan 21, 2017 07:00 AM EST | BC Tabotabo

The Kia Stinger 2018 was unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show. It was a real head turner and it even bagged the EyesOnDesign award for production car design excellence.

Detroit Auto Show. The Stinger was this year's surprise hit at the Detroit Auto Show. It is a four-door, rear-wheel-drive sedan that has an aggressive and upscale design.

This is the Korean automaker's first attempt at making a true performance vehicle. The automaker made it clear that this vehicle is more Gran Turismo than super sports sedan. However, it is impressive to note that it carries a Nurburgring-tuned chassis.

Stinger 2018. The 2018 Stinger is powered by a 2.0-liter turbo engine with 255 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. The Stinger GT has the brand's twin turbo 3.3-liter V6 engine with 365 horsepower and 376 lb-ft under its hood. Both engines have an eight-speed automatic transmission that allows for manual shifting via steering-wheel paddles. In addition, both engines will have the option to be either rear or all-wheel drive. The Korean automobile manufacturer announced that the Stinger GT will have a top speed of up to 167 mph and accelerate from 0-60 mph in about 5 seconds.

The Stinger is expected to rival the BMW 4-series. Kia wants to be able to offer the same things as BMW but at a lower price. While no definitive pricing has been announced, they are expecting it to start somewhere "in the low-$30,000s." This information was given by VP Orth Hedrick.

The four-cylinder BMW 430i Grand Coupe starts at almost $42,000. Its six-cylinder 440o Grand Coupe has a base price close to $50,000. This will make the Stinger a bargain compared to the Beemer it's meant to rival.

Regardless of whether or not they will be able to pull this off, this car is truly revolutionary for the Korean auto manufacturer. This car will have a 114-inch wheelbase which is longer than anything else in the market that's up against it. The Stinger's interior also carried over major elements of the GT concept from 2011. Top-tier materials were used to be able to achieve its beautiful interior.

In addition, the former head of BMW's M division also had a hand in the Stinger's engineering. Albert Biermann was involved with it from about halfway through development. He's very excited for the end product.

The Kia Stinger 2018 looks very promising! Will this be a new era for the Korean automobile manufacturer? How will it compare to the BMW 4-series?

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