2018 Kia Stinger Does 0-62 MPH in 4.9 Seconds

Previewed back in 2011 by the GT Concept, the Kia Stinger managed to stun the crowd at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show in January where the five-door fastback made its world premiere. The car is now being exhibited on its home turf at the Seoul Motor Show where it’s sitting pretty next to the concept from six years ago.

That’s not what you would call newsworthy, but Kia’s press release about the Stinger’s debut in South Korea is hiding a little gem: 4.9 seconds. That’s the time the most powerful production car the carmaker has ever made needs from a standstill until it reaches 62 mph. Needless to say, that performance is attainable only if you go for the range-topping version fitted with a biturbo 3.3-litre V6 producing 365 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque.

It’s the fastest-accelerating Kia ever and is actually two tenths of a second quicker in the sprint than the estimation made by the company when the car broke cover in Detroit almost three months ago. At that point, Kia’s target for the 2018 Stinger was a 0-62 mph run in 5.1 seconds and a top speed of 167 mph. The exact maximum velocity is not being disclosed in the new press release, but that estimation is good enough for us.

To put that 4.9-second acceleration figure into perspective, the Audi S5 Sportback completes the task in 4.7 seconds, just like a Mercedes-AMG C43 saloon. The Stinger is quicker if we compare it to the 4 Series Gran Coupe in the 440i guise as the BMW does the job in 5.1 seconds.

Arguably the most exciting car ever made by Kia, the Stinger will also be available in lesser flavours for those not willing to fork out the premium that comes with getting the meaty V6. A smaller four-cylinder 2.0-litre petrol will also be offered, with 255 hp and 260 lb-ft.

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A turbodiesel 2.2-litre engine producing 197 hp and 325 lb-ft will be available as well. Buyers will get to pick from both rear- and all-wheel-drive configurations, with the RWD models set to boast a mechanical limited-slip differential. Regardless of version, all vehicles will come exclusively with an eight-speed automatic gearbox fitted with paddle shifters.

Besides these three engines, Kia is said to be analysing the prospects of coming out with hybrid and full electric versions of the Stinger. Even if green-lighted for production, these greener derivatives are unlikely to come out in the foreseeable future considering the regular models aren’t even out yet.

Source: Kia