The updated 2021 Kia Stinger has officially made its debut in the UK, this time as the sole GT S flagship variant. With a base price of £ 42,595, it’s almost kitted to the brim, and comes with a seven-year/160,000 km warranty.
At the heart of the Stinger GT S is the
same Lambda II 3.3 litre twin-turbo V6 engine that produces 373 PS at 6,000 rpm
and 510 Nm from 1,300 to 4,500 rpm. No increase in output there and the smaller 2.5 litre and 2.0 litre four-cylinder engines are
not offered for the UK market.
The range-topping GT S gets an eight-speed
automatic gearbox, sending drive to the rear wheels. Performance figures
include a 0-96 km/h sprint time of 4.7 seconds, and the top speed is
270 km/h (where permitted). In terms of design, it features a revised pair of
LED headlights with LED DRLs, reprofiled rear end with new tail light clusters,
a more muscular rear apron with integrated diffuser and quad exhaust tips, as
well as new 19-inch twin five-spoke aluminium alloy wheels.
For the cabin, the overall architecture
remains untouched, but there are nifty upgrades such as the new instrument
cluster with a larger 7.0-inch LCD display, larger 10.25-inch touchscreen
infotainment display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as the full
European mapping for the onboard GPS navigation.
Other conveniences include a Qi wireless
charging tray, a “concert hall quality” 15-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound
system with Clari-Fi and QuantumLogic Surround Sound, plus a subwoofer and
external amplifier. Also on is the remote engine start system, a 360-degree
surround view camera, and smart power tailgate.
Safety-wise, the 2021 Stinger GT S gets
the same suite of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems as before, but with added
features. The list includes Blind-Spot View Monitor, lane keeping and centring assist, highway
driving assist, safe exit warning, rear occupant alert, autonomous emergency
braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind-spot collision-avoidance
assist, intelligent speed limit assist, and smart cruise control.
