Rumors Suggest Kia Head of Design Wants to Kill the Kia Stinger and Replace With the Kia EV6 GT
Can the Kia Stinger be on the way out? Rumors of the Kia Stinger’s death are circling the automotive world, even though Kia still gave its sporty sedan a facelift in 2020. This news surely has the Kia Stinger’s biggest rival, the BMW 4-Series, celebrating the thought of the Stinger biting the dust. But if the Kia EV6 GT is so much better than the Kia Stinger, the 4-Series may find no quarter.
Is there a 2022 Kia Stinger?
The 2022 Kia Stinger got a 71/100 on Consumer Reports. This lands it firmly on CR’s “recommended” list. The Stinger is a well-equipped and thrilling sports sedan that many customers and critics seem to enjoy. But if that’s true, why aren’t enough people buying them? Customers love Kia for the sensable daily driver, but far fewer customers look to Kia for their sporty rides. The Stinger falls into a strange category of car that isn’t exciting enough to warrant the cost and not sensible enough to pick as one’s only car. Let’s be honest; who’s picking a Kia as their weekend ride?
Why do people think the Kia Stinger is on the way out?
According to Motor1, a reporter from Autocar spoke with Kia’s design chief Karim Habib at the LA Autoshow and asked if there would be a second-gen Stinger. Habib responded with a less-than hopeful remark; “The spirit of Stinger remains and will remain. I like to think that the EV6 has the genes of the GT. We’re doing to do a GT of that, and it has the Stinger in it.”
Comments like this come on the heels of a massive rework of the Sohari Plant in Gwangmyeong, where the GT is made. This factory overhaul is to accommodate the ramped-up production of Hybrids and EVs.
Habib ended his answer with some pleasantries about the Stinger that still ultimately lead to the conclusion that the Kia EV6 is meant to replace it. “The Stinger has been a transformational car and opened a whole new perspective as to what Kia can be, sporty and a precision driving tool. EV6 is now doing similar.”
When does the Kia EV6 GT come out?
The EV6 GT isn’t slated to hit dealer lots in America until late next year. Kia also hasn’t released much pricing info, to boot.
The Kia EV6 GT employs dual electric motors with a combined output of 577 horsepower and a massive instant torque of 546 pound-feet. The all-wheel drive electric crossover sprints to 62 mph in only three and a half seconds and tops out at 162 mph. However, Kia says these are “preliminary development targets,” but if the South Koreans are serious about killing the Stinger, the EV6 will likely deliver on these numbers in the production model.
Everything about the EV6 GT looks like it is meant to kill the Stinger, even from the press release photos. It takes the aggressiveness and beauty of the outdated Stinger and adds power, torque, and EV finesse that many buyers are hungry for these days.
Of course, we won’t know the true fate of the Stinger until Kia gives the final word. If Kia does kill their first sports sedan, it may be the perfect recipe for a future collectible classic. Only time will tell.
