Kia reveals Stinger GT's 0-100km/h time
Upcoming Korean sports sedan anointed as fastest accelerating Kia ever, as Holden reveals its 2018 Commodore's performanceIt is official: Kia’s highly promising new Stinger GT performance car will be the fastest model to ever wear the South Korean car-maker’s badge.
Kia has confirmed the liftback will a claimed 0-100km/h acceleration time of 4.9 seconds.
Notably, that time matches the accelerative performance of Holden’s swansong homegrown Commodore SS – the car the Stinger is inadvertently charged with replacing in many buyers’ minds.
While the outgoing Commodore SS packs a 304kW/570Nm 6.2-litre naturally-aspirated V8, the Stinger GT employs a 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 that produces 272kW of power and 510Nm of torque.
The 4.9sec acceleration time applies to the rear-wheel drive version of the Stinger GT; the all-wheel drive version that will be sold in Europe but not Australia is expected to whittle acceleration times down even further.
The Stinger GT not only matches the outgoing Commodore SS for on-paper performance, but also puts some of Europe’s heavy-hitters on notice.
At 4.9 seconds, it is only slightly behind the Audi RS 3 hot hatch (4.1sec), Mercedes-AMG A 45 (4.2sec) and BMW M240i (4.7sec).
In addition, the Kia will feature modern performance features such as variable suspension damping.
The Stinger is already well advanced in its production schedule, having recently undertaken snow testing in the Northern Hemisphere as well as local tuning work here in Australia.
The new model goes on sale in Australia in September, a month before Holden ceases production of the Commodore for the first time since 1978.
The Stinger will be available in two (rear-drive) forms: the aforementioned V6 twin-turbo GT powerhouse priced around $52,000, and a lower-output 190kW/350Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder entry model likely to kick off proceedings at about $42,000.
Holden has just announced it is targeting a 7.0-7.5sec 0-100km/h time for the 2.0-litre turbo-petrol version of its first imported -- and first front-wheel drive -- Commodore, which is due on sale early next year and based on Opel's new Insignia.
The flagship V6 all-wheel drive version of the 2018 Commodore, which could continue the SS name, will be quicker -- but it's unlikely to challenge its V8 predecessor or the rear-drive Stinger GT.
Holden says that in FWD 2.0T form, the 2018 Commodore -- which has notched up 30,000km in Australian testing -- will match the acceleration and economy performance of dirct premium rivals like the Audi A6 1.8 TFSI, Jaguar XF 25t, Lexus GS 200t and Mercedes E 200.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
If the price does not contain the notation that it is "Drive Away", the price may not include additional costs, such as stamp duty and other government charges.
