Kia pays tribute to the Stinger by marketing a final edition
The Kia Stinger is an important sports sedan in the history of the South Korean manufacturer. This car literally redefined Kia as an automobile brand capable of producing bold, sporty vehicles. It is therefore by producing a final edition of the Stinger bearing the Tribute name that Kia says goodbye to a sedan that has thwarted popular opinion.
A career filled with accolades and an exclusive final edition
Our team quickly appreciated the Kia Stinger in the manufacturer’s lineup. Throughout its short career, the Stinger has been an interesting vehicle to watch evolve. Renowned for its impressive performance and splendid looks, the Stinger was a breath of fresh air in the ranks of Kia.
The final edition will only be built in 1,000 copies worldwide, including 100 in Canada, which demonstrates the exclusive nature of the Stinger Tribute. To distinguish this edition from the others offered, Kia made a series of modifications. For starters, the Tribute will only be offered in matte Lunar Gray with 19-inch Gloss Black wheels.
Brembo brake calipers and black side mirrors also add to the exterior aesthetics of the vehicle to give it a unique look in the range. To wrap it all up, the Stinger Tribute will have a new Terracotta Brown colored interior, a numbered door plaque that proves the vehicle’s authenticity and a Tribute crest on the seat headrests. In terms of mechanics, this edition will be equipped with the only engine offered in Canada, the 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6. This engine develops 368 horsepower, produces 376 lb-ft of torque and is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.
The Kia EV6 GT as a successor
Kia’s strategy is clear; the manufacturer wants to make way for a new performance vehicle in the lineup, the Kia EV6 GT. It is moreover in a tribute video to the Stinger that Kia confirms this strategy. We can see the Kia Stinger Tribute passing the torch to the Kia EV6 GT on a race track. The manufacturer does not hide it, the EV6 GT embodies the new identity of the brand, and this identity does not seem to leave room for the Stinger.
Either way, the Kia EV6 GT outperforms the Stinger. This performance electric vehicle offers 2 motors that develop a combined power of 576 horsepower and produce 545 lb-ft of torque. As it does 0 to 100 km/h in 3 seconds, the Kia EV6 GT should be able to live up to the performance legacy of the Kia Stinger.
The Tribute Edition of the Stinger will retail for $59,409 including freight and delivery charges. The first editions will arrive in Canada this spring to mark the end of production of a sports sedan.
