Kia NZ’s Stinger details revealed
Kia New Zealand has added the facelift Stinger sports liftback to its lineup with a number of firsts for the car.
There are two models; the GT Line, which is powered by a turbocharged 2-litre engine and the twin-turbo, 3.3-litre V6 GT Sport.
Priced from $64,990 for the GT Line and $74,990 for the GT Sport, the Stinger liftback sports sedan was designed in Europe and honed on the famed Nurburgring race track.
It’s also the first modern era Kia built on a rear-wheel-drive platform; first to be powered by a twin-turbocharged V6 engine; and first to accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in under five seconds.
Exterior changes add a new touch of drama to the car’s styling including a bold front styling of Kia’s signature ‘tiger-nose’ grille sitting between LED front headlamps, paired with LED daytime running lights to give Stinger an assured road presence.
Inside is a more comfortable space in which to travel, featuring new, higher-quality materials and updates to the infotainment system. For the twin-turbocharged V6 GT Sport model there’s a small increase in power.
“Stinger has helped to raise awareness of Kia as a maker of exciting, performance-driven cars that are designed to engage with drivers,” says Todd McDonald, Managing Director of Kia Motors New Zealand.
“It’s a car that makes you smile when you get behind the wheel. New Stinger embodies the power, performance, handling and comfort of a true long-distance tourer, whilst adding more refinement and luxury.”
Both Stinger models wear new 19-inch aluminium alloy wheels featuring intricate, geometric designs that enhance the sporty, grand tourer nature of the car.
While the architecture of the cabin in the upgraded Stinger remains unchanged with a sweeping, driver-oriented dash and comfortable space for up to five occupants, it boasts a range of subtle enhancements. These visual and material upgrades are designed to build on the car’s prowess, creating a more luxurious ambience.
Kia has upgraded the Lambda II, twin-turbo, V6 engine in the 2021 Stinger by giving the 3.3-litre unit a new bi-modal electronic variable exhaust valve system. Designed to improve exhaust flow, the technology makes use of a small butterfly valve in the exhaust that opens and closes in response to throttle use.
The change has resulted in a small increase in power to 274kW while torque remains the same at 510Nm, accessible from 1,300-to-4,500rpm.
There are no changes to the Theta II 2.0 T-GDi engine that powers the GT Line model, which features a twin-scroll turbocharger to boost low-to-mid rev efficiency and advanced technologies to provide excellent combustion efficiency. This engine produces a maximum power of 182kW at 6200 rpm and maximum torque of 353Nm from 1400-to-4000 rpm.
Both engines are paired with a smooth-shifting, 8-speed automatic transmission driving through the rear wheels, matching the car’s long-legged gran turismo personality, with the GT Sport also retaining a limited slip differential.
