Stinger, South Korea’s second largest automaker Kia Motors Corp.’s latest high-performance sedan, has hit the Korean market on Tuesday.

The company said on Tuesday that it held an official launch event for the much-hyped high-performance sedan at Grand Intercontinental Hotel in Seoul. It pins high hopes on the new sleek sports sedan to help it improve its brand image and sales.

The fastback sports sedan with a length of 4,830 millimeters (mm), width of 1,870 mm and height of 1,400 mm and wheelbase of 2,905 mm offers ample headroom with its low seating position in the rear and a 406-liter cargo capacity.

The premium sedan Stinger comes in three engines - 3.3 turbo gasoline, 2.0 turbo gasoline and 2.2 diesel engine. The 3.3 turbo engine delivers a maximum 370 horsepower and 52.0 kilogram-force meter (kgf·ｍ) torque. The engine can get 8.8 kilometers (5.47 miles) per liter on a two-wheel drive (2WD) mode with a 19-inch wheels and reach the zero to 100 kilometers per hour in just 4.9 seconds, according to Kia Motors.

The 2.0 turbo engine sports a maximum of 255 horsepower with a 36.0 kgf·ｍ torque and combined fuel economy of 10.4 km per liter. The 2.2 diesel engine provides a maximum horsepower of 202 andtorque of 45.0kgf·ｍ, and combined fuel efficiency of 14.8 km per liter.

The rear-wheel drive sports sedan with an eight-speed automatic transmission delivers high-performance driving and smooth gear changes. All-wheel drive (AWD) is also available for the first time for Kia’s sedans. The Stinger has also become Kia’s first car equipped with brake cooling ducts that enhance brake performance by funneling cool air.

The price tag starts from 35 million won ($31,186) for the 2.0 turbo prime model and 37.8 million won for the 2.0 turbo platinum model. The price for the 3.3 turbo masters is set at 44.6 million won, the 3.3 turbo GT at 48.8 million won, the 2.2 diesel prime at 37.2 million and the 2.2 diesel platinum model at 40.3 million won.

By Woo Je-yoon

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