Kia enthusiasts in the UK will no longer be able to purchase the Kia Stinger as Kia withdraws it from the UK market. Its new predecessor, the Kia EV6 GT, has been slated to take its place as Kia’s new high-performance vehicle in the UK.
The Kia Stinger played an important role in the rebranding of the Kia brand when it first hit the market in 2017, and in 2021 when the Stinger received a range of updates. The Stinger is powered by a 3.3-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine that made it Kia’s fastest-accelerating car to date, achieving the 0-to-62 mph sprint in 4.7 seconds.
The high-performance, rear-wheel drive sports saloon served as a bold statement of intent for the brand, capable of covering great distances in comfort and style. The stinger introduced the brand to a whole different market of buyers with its ‘grand tourer’ vehicle.
While the Kia Stinger goes into retirement in the UK, the all-electric, zero-emissions Kia EV6 GT is ready to take its place with the first customer deliveries starting in the UK before the end of the year. The Kia Stinger was the most powerful and fastest-accelerating Kia ever made until the EV6 GT came around. Now that title goes to the EV6 GT, which does 0-to-62mph in 3.5 seconds and has a dual-motor electric powertrain producing 577 bhp (430kW) and 740 Nm (546lb-ft) torque.
The EV6 GT utilizes Kia’s Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) to accommodate all the car’s considerable electric power that is delivered by a powerful motor on each axle and the long-range 77.4kWh battery placed beneath the car’s flat cabin floor. Taking after the Stinger, the EV6 GT offers a generous level of interior space inside a sleek, coupe-inspired crossover design. The driving range is 265 miles (WLTP) with a powerful 800V charging capability, enabling it to recharge from 10 to 80% in 18 minutes from an ultra-rapid charger.
The EV6 GT has a few added features compared to the conventional EV6 variants, which include performance brakes, optimized steering, and reworked suspension for greater driver control and confidence. There is also an updated Drive Mode Select system that offers a new ‘GT Mode’, allowing drivers to customize their driving experience and unleash the car’s full performance capabilities.
Paul Philpott, President & CEO for Kia UK, commented: “The launch of the Stinger will go down as a transformative moment for Kia. Its driver-focused ‘grand tourer’ credentials, paired with Kia’s reputation for vehicle quality and design, made it an incredibly compelling car for drivers. At the same time, it also had a transformative effect on how people saw Kia.
“For the same reasons, the EV6 GT is the ideal car to take the baton from the Stinger in the UK. Our future product plan has a major focus on electrification, and globally Kia plans to offer a line-up of 14 EVs by 2027. Combining high-performance capabilities with an incredible design and a long-range electric powertrain, the EV6 GT is an important part of this plan, and a true new flagship for the Kia brand.”
At the moment, the Kia Stinger remains in production in South Korea and in the UK it plans to fulfill all existing customer orders for the model. Kia’s UK dealer network is already taking orders for the new EV6 GT with the first deliveries due to commence in the final quarter of 2022.
Source and photos: Kia Press Office
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