First Look at a North American Pre-Production 2018 Kia Stinger GT

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by guybo

Instead, it's just a car.

Link to your review? Or just talking out of your ass?

I agree that everything shown has been lackluster, but I want it to succeed. No reason to shit on it without having any first hand experience.

[mazeroni]

Originally Posted by TylerLieberman

Kia stealing Mercedes Benz's homework though...

Why not steal from the best? I'd love to get the chance to sit in the new C-Class, or even the S-Class, cuz their interiors look dope in photographs.

To bad big sedans aren't doing so great right now. I'm not super hopeful for the sales numbers, unless they plan on doing a Crossover... I hope it sticks around because I applaud Kia for doing something cool; Ford had that opportunity with Lincoln to do a RWD, Coyote powder super-sedan, but they can't be bothered. The Chevy SS is dead.

Of course I'm not in the market for something like this... I'm still pulling for Kia, but I have my doubts.

[TylerLieberman]

Originally Posted by mazeroni

Why not steal from the best? I'd love to get the chance to sit in the new C-Class, or even the S-Class, cuz their interiors look dope in photographs.

"Best" is entirely subjective.

The C class is dull inside and out. It's just like the 3 series. The S Class is entirely different and can't really be compared to the entry level C class.

Visually it looks similar at a glance, though I'm sure the button quality and functionality in the Kia aren't anywhere near as refined as the german examples.

[Zaku]

If you have Motortrend on Demand you can watch Randy Review it in Ignition. He has good things to say, but at the same time I can't tell if he's excited or not. Again it's a great concept, and I've been in 3 of them and yes they are just like Optima in interior quality, but it is affordable and it's nice to have this car exist.

However, it is 4000lbs....and at 41K fully optioned....it makes you think a bit, if it's worth it.

[Cole]

Originally Posted by Zaku

If you have Motortrend on Demand you can watch Randy Review it in Ignition. He has good things to say, but at the same time I can't tell if he's excited or not. Again it's a great concept, and I've been in 3 of them and yes they are just like Optima in interior quality, but it is affordable and it's nice to have this car exist.

However, it is 4000lbs....and at 41K fully optioned....it makes you think a bit, if it's worth it.

Probably will depreciate like mad. Worth looking into used, I'm willing to bet.

[unhappymeal]

Originally Posted by Cole

Probably will depreciate like mad. Worth looking into used, I'm willing to bet.

This. It'll be just like the Genesis 3.8 / 5.0 sedans: you'd have to be crazy (or get a great deal ) to purchase it new, but used? Oh baby, that depreciation.

[unhappymeal]

Canadian pricing was announced: http://www.kia.ca/stinger2018.

$47,000 CAD gets you into the base Stinger with torque vectoring AWD, TTV6, mechanical LSD, quad piston Brembos, Michelin PSS and quite a few amenities. Stepping up to the GT Limited ($52,000 CAD) nets you more luxury and tech features (ventilated seats, nappa leather, HUD, LCD instrument cluster, etc.).

In contrast, $47,000 of Canadian monopoly money will buy you:

-A loaded hot hatch de jours (Golf R, WRX STi, Civic Type-R and a discounted Focus RS)
-A poverty spec C-segment "performance luxury" sedan (330xi, A4, IS300 AWD F-sport, C300 4MATIC)
-The nicest Accord or Camry that money can buy (TLX V6 SH-AWD or ES Hybrid)
-A soon to be completely revamped Swedish money pit (base Volvo S60 or V60)
-A loaded V6 mullet mobile (Camaro 2LT) or base push rod M3 killer (Camaro 2SS)

Keep in mind that the Stinger is almost as large as a Panamera with a usable hatch. If this thing is truly tuned by the ex-BMW M VP with a good exhaust note and the slushbox isn't garbage, colour me excited. I will definitely take a look when the Golf R lease is up.

[funwheeldrive]

I'm not really understanding why this 40k Kia is any more special than a used G8 GT that you can buy for 15k. The only cool thing is the hatch I guess.

[unhappymeal]

Originally Posted by funwheeldrive

I'm not really understanding why this 40k Kia is any more special than a used G8 GT that you can buy for 15k. The only cool thing is the hatch I guess.

That's a great question. I think the answer is because you can get one new with all the modern bells and whistles while the G8 GT/GXP and Chevy SS are dead. If GM will move the next gen Impala to the Omega 2 platform with the LT1 and less dowdy styling, I don't think anyone would give this car a second thought.

Plus, these will depreciate like rocks, whereas the G8 and Chevy SS are holding/will hold their value due to cult classic status.

Edit: I will also add, it's been close to a decade since the General gave Canadians a powerful, affordable, RWD sports sedan. This thing will be a global release, which gets some of us up north excited.

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by funwheeldrive

I'm not really understanding why this 40k Kia is any more special than a used G8 GT that you can buy for 15k. The only cool thing is the hatch I guess.

Baby Panamera with a cheap interior?

Originally Posted by unhappymeal

Edit: I will also add, it's been close to a decade since the General gave Canadians a powerful, affordable, RWD sports sedan.

Huh, TIL
Looks like you could import the SS if you wanted one bad enough.
http://www.ssforums.com/forum/new-me...-question.html

[funwheeldrive]

Originally Posted by unhappymeal

That's a great question. I think the answer is because you can get one new with all the modern bells and whistles while the G8 GT/GXP and Chevy SS are dead. If GM will move the next gen Impala to the Omega 2 platform with the LT1 and less dowdy styling, I don't think anyone would give this car a second thought.

Plus, these will depreciate like rocks, whereas the G8 and Chevy SS are holding/will hold their value due to cult classic status.

Edit: I will also add, it's been close to a decade since the General gave Canadians a powerful, affordable, RWD sports sedan. This thing will be a global release, which gets some of us up north excited.

IIRC, the G8 GT is relatively cheap in today's market. Plus you get a solid V8, and I bet the aftermarket for the platform is pretty large also.

Also, another competitor would be the Taurus SHO I guess. Does Ford still make those?

From what I read, the Stinger will only have the TT V6 with an AWD drivetrain. The RWD version will have a 4 cylinder that puts out 255hp. Not exactly powerful considering it's weight. You guys don't get the ATS up there???

[unhappymeal]

Originally Posted by funwheeldrive

IIRC, the G8 GT is relatively cheap in today's market. Plus you get a solid V8, and I bet the aftermarket for the platform is pretty large also.

Also, another competitor would be the Taurus SHO I guess. Does Ford still make those?

From what I read, the Stinger will only have the TT V6 with an AWD drivetrain. The RWD version will have a 4 cylinder that puts out 255hp. Not exactly powerful considering it's weight. You guys don't get the ATS up there???

In the US, the TT V6 comes in both RWD and AWD configurations (http://www.kiamedia.com/us/en/models...specifications).

Yes, we do get the ATS in Canada (my wife drives one--it's great!), but it is in a completely different size class.

ATS
Wheelbase: 109.3 in
Length: 182.8 in
Height: 55.9 in
Width: 71.1 in

Stinger GT
Wheelbase: 114.4 in
Length: 190.2 in
Height: 55.1 in
Width: 73.6 in

The Stinger is substantially longer and a bit wider than the ATS. It will likely have the same interior space, but with an actual usable trunk. Trust me, the ATS trunk (with the upgraded sound system) is awful. A few fun comparisons for context:

A7
Wheelbase: 114.7 in
Length: 195.8 in
Height: 55.9 in
Width: 75.2 in

Panamera
Wheelbase: 114.2 in
Length: 195.7 in
Height: 55.8 in
Width: 76.0 in

So yeah. Baby Panamera.

Edit: Oh and Pontiac G8 GTs are stupidly expensive here. There are 10 within a 500 km radius of me. Of those 10, four have some combination of "built", "aftermarket", "cold air" or "cam" in the description. The other 6 have over 150,000 km. Lowest price is $19,000.

[unhappymeal]

Originally Posted by mazeroni

To bad big sedans aren't doing so great right now. I'm not super hopeful for the sales numbers, unless they plan on doing a Crossover... I hope it sticks around because I applaud Kia for doing something cool; Ford had that opportunity with Lincoln to do a RWD, Coyote powder super-sedan, but they can't be bothered. The Chevy SS is dead.

Of course I'm not in the market for something like this... I'm still pulling for Kia, but I have my doubts.

The KIA might survive because it is sharing the same platform as the Genesis G70, the Korean 3-series fighter. There is also the possibility that Genesis may do an X3 fighter on the same platform, so fingers crossed.

As for Lincoln and the Coyote super-sedan...yeah, that was a missed opportunity. They're both manufactured at the same plant and if I recall correctly, Flat Rocks was idled due to low demand in 2016. Maybe they are anticipating needing to use the entire plant for Mustang output for the next refresh? Or maybe it was they didn't want to spend money stretching the S550 and setting up AWD for that chassis? The Continental is essentially a super stretched Fusion/MKS which already was setup for AWD, so perhaps that was just a cheaper exercise.

[Teseo]

The cheap version of Audi s6