The Kia Stinger is indeed a bold departure from the Korean carmaker that brought us cars like the Kia Soul and the Kia Carens.
That's to say this isn't just another mainstream model that's targeted at the likes of the Hyundai Elantra and the Toyota Altis or the Ford Mondeo and the Volkswagen Passat, even if it should rightfully be so.
Instead, the slender five-door coupe with a razor-sharp name that you see here is a prim and proper Grand Turismo (GT) that charges into a more prestigious and desirable realm that's governed by cars like the Audi A5 Sportback and the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe.
You, thus, could say that the Kia Stinger is somewhat a car that comes from the most unlikely of carmakers in the business. But that doesn't mean it's putting on a pair of sneakers that's a couple of sizes too big for its own good. After all, one of the most gratifying phenomena in the car business is when a super group of engineers and designers of an underdog of a carmaker comes together and makes a car that's super enough to blow our minds.
In this slightly exaggerated illustration, the Kia Stinger could well fit into it flawlessly. By looks alone, the GT possesses a dynamic mixture that's pummeling, harmonious and giddily frantic all at once, with its low stance, long hood and wide bodied posture that appears like it will gobble up kilometres of tarmac within seconds.
The instantly recognisable 'tiger-nose' grille, sharp LED headlamps, and air intake up front give the Stinger a distinct aesthetic, while quad tailpipes at the back summarise the Stinger's strong and confidence appearance.
Speaking of strong and confident, the cabin, as we've seen during the launch, clearly shows just how much more luxurious and engaging the Stinger really is compared to the rest of the cars in its stable.
With the vibrant 7.0-inch or 8.0-inch infotainment display (depending on variant) taking centre stage and generous room to spare for the average Asian adults at the back, the car is clearly a fork in a world of spoons, where it stands out positively proud.
At launch, there are three variants available - the 3.3-litre and 2.0-litre petrol as well as the 2.2-litre diesel. The top-of-the-line 3.3-litre twin-turbocharged V6 variant will smash the century sprint within 4.9 seconds while the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-pot will do the same in a respectable six seconds flat. To put this into a clearer perspective, the figure from the 2.0-litre model is as fast as the Audi A5 Sportback while the juicer 3.3-litre is faster than the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe 440i.
The said 3.3-litre powerplant will serve up a generous dose of 370bhp and 510Nm of torque to its rear wheels. The 2.0-litre variant, on the other hand, is capable of a saucy 247 beefy Korean horses and 353Nm of twisting force.
However, the 3.3-litre will only be available on an indent basis for Singapore. Cycle & Carriage - Kia's official distributor - will be focusing on the smaller but no less feisty 2.0-litre variant when it's being shown to the public at next year's Singapore Motor Show on the second week of January. Both variants are happily married to an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
