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Kia Motors recently held a test drive for its Stinger GT sedan, a highly anticipated model the carmaker hopes will spearhead the nation's sports sedan market that has seen a long-standing duopoly between BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
The Stinger GT can accelerate to 100 kilometers per hour in 4.9 seconds, the fastest among locally produced models.
And a few hours were enough to recognize its darting nature throughout the test drive. It is mounted with a 3.3-liter V6 twin-turbo GDi engine that produces a maximum 370 horsepower with a 52.0 kgf.m torque.
This reporter drove the sports sedan from the Sheraton Walkerhill Hotel in Seoul, to Wonju, Gangwon Province _ a distance of about 100 kilometers.
The Stinger GT's initial response in acceleration was surprisingly punchy enough for a driver to perceive reverse gravity under full-throttle acceleration with a growling exhaust sound.
The Stinger GT's explosive acceleration didn't feel tired even at very high speeds while the automatic eight-speed transmission responded promptly both with upshifts and downshifts.
All model levels, including not only the Stinger GT but also its lower versions, feature a dual Macpherson strut in the front and a five-way multilink suspension in the rear, a similar structure to the BMW sports sedans.
Featuring powerful Brembo brake calipers as well as 19-inch Michelin Summer tires guaranteed an immediate brake response even at high speed, luring a driver to step on the gas pedal down to the floor during the test drive.
It also features a rack-mounted motor driven power steering system in which the electric motor module controlling the steering is mounted directly on the steering rack. The Stinger GT's steering was light at low speed but became heavy and precise at high speed.
The vehicle has five driving modes -- eco, comfort, smart, sport and custom -- boasting its all-round nature of a daily car and a darting road machine.
In custom mode, it allows a driver to choose suspension, virtual exhaust sound and steering settings in accordance with the driver's preference.
The Stinger GT is also a great daily car in eco mode. Although the model is a sports sedan, it has a complex drive range of 9.2 kilometers per liter in that mode.
Its bucket seats provided unparalleled comfort compared to other domestically produced sedans. This reporter drove the model for about three hours at high speed, but didn't feel tired.
The Stinger GT is priced at 48.8 million won ($43,455), similar to BMW's 3-Series sedans.
Kia Motors has focused mainly on producing volume models for better sales performance, but a Kia official said the Stinger GT exclusively targets the nation's motorsports fans.
The official said sales of the Stinger sedan have reached 2,700 and the number is expected to easily exceed this year's target of 8,000.
Read more on Korea Times.
