Kia's Performance Stinger GT Shows What the Brand Has Become

Kia launches their first performance vehicle and their fastest model ever. Stinger GT shows how far the brand has come.

If you haven’t being paying attention to the Kia brand, you should. Kia is launching their fastest ever vehicle and first performance model called the Stinger GT. They bring the all-new 2018 four-door Kia Stinger Sports Fastback to SEMA where they will show where the brand is headed.

The Kia brand isn’t just about producing small economy cars anymore. The South Korean automaker is moving into new territory with the Stinger GT performance Sports Fastback. It will compete with the Audi S5 Sportback, BMW 440i Gran Coupe, and Infiniti Q50. The Stinger GT launches from 0-60 mph in 4.7 seconds and has a governed top speed of 167 mph.

At SEMA 2017, Kia unveiled a modified Stinger GT Federation outfitted with parts from leading aftermarket suppliers. Kia said the performance parts will be available for the Stinger GT when it makes its dealer launch in December.

Air Design USA will offer an exterior body accent kit for Stinger that includes a rear spoiler, rear diffuser and redesigned hood vents. A performance quad-tipped exhaust from Borla will give it a throaty exhaust note and pump an additional 15 hp through the twin-turbo 3.3-liter engine, bringing the vehicle’s power to an estimated 380hp.

Eibach will offer springs, thicker antiroll bars and a reduced ride height to bump up the driving experience beyond the factory specs. And 20-inch TSW wheels wrapped in Falken rubber round out the Stinger GT Federation’s upgrades over the stock model.

West Coast Customs took the Stinger GT to another level with their legendary mods bringing the Stinger GT Wide Body to SEMA. They lowered the suspension 1.4-inches up front and 1.2-inches in the rear, and it rides on 21-inch Keen forged wheels wrapped with high-performance tires. They added a lightweight carbon fiber aero kit and rear diffuser on the outside, and custom blue leather seat piping, hand-stitched gray leather dash panel, alcantara-wrapped steering wheel as well as gloss black center console trim inside.

You should pay attention to Kia because they are about building quality vehicles. Kia is now ranked #1 in quality for the second year in a row in JD Power’s Initial Quality Study, they are top three in Consumer Reports reliability, and they are recognized as one of the 100 Best Global Brands and 50 Best Global Green Brands by Interbrand. Their parent company Hyundai, is making huge strides in catching the Japanese competition, and they want Kia to be a major player in performance vehicles. The 2018 Kia Stinger Sports Fastback is scheduled to go on sale in the U.S. in December and shows what the brand has become.

Photo credit: Kia USA