Kia Stinger has been discontinued in the United Kingdom, five years after it went on sale in the country. This was expected as the South Korean automaker is putting an end to the production of Stinger fastback sports car.
Related: No More Kia Stinger After 2022
Earlier in July 2022, Kia shared its production plans for all of its South Korean plants, and revealed that it will cease the production of Stinger by the second quarter of 2022 due to continued sluggish sales. The all-electric Kia EV6 GT will replace the Stinger as the brand’s high-performance product in most markets around the world, including the UK.
According to Kia UK CEO Paul Philpott:
“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. The EV6 GT is an important part of this plan, and a true new flagship for the Kia brand.”
Philpott added that Kia’s focus on electrification will see it offer 14 EVs in its global line-up by 2027. The EV6 GT that will replace the Stinger will pack considerably greater output figures, which a combined output of 585 hp and 740 Nm from its 160 kW front motor and 270 kW rear motor. The EV6 GT can go from 0-100 km/h in just 3.5 seconds and can achieve a top speed of 260 km/h.
In comparison, the Stinger with its most potent 3.3L internal combustion V6 twin-turbo petrol engine makes 373 hp and 510 Nm with power transmitted to the rear or all four wheels via an 8-speed automatic gearbox. The V6 Stinger needs 4.7 seconds to go from 0-100 km/h which makes it 1.2 seconds slower to do the same job than the EV6 GT.
While Kia is about to pull the plugs off the Stinger, the automaker should consider introducing it in Pakistan. Since our market is considered a paradise for globally retired cars with not less than 17 obsolete models (labeled as ‘new’) currently on sale in the country. Do you think the Stinger will be a worthy addition to this list [no pun intended], let us know with your comments.
A computer animation professional with over 23 years of industry experience having served in leading organizations, TV channels & production facilities in Pakistan. An avid car enthusiast and petrolhead with an affection to deliver quality content to help shape opinions. Formerly written for PakWheels as well as major publications including Dawn. Founder of CarSpiritPK.com
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