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The Korea Herald
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THE INVESTOR
March 19, 2024

Automobiles

[Q&A] Details of Kia Stinger’s sales target, rivals, global launch

  • PUBLISHED :May 23, 2017 - 16:44
  • UPDATED :May 23, 2017 - 16:45
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[THE INVESTOR] Kia Motors, the nation’s No. 2 carmaker, on May 23 started selling its first premium sports sedan Stinger in Korea, setting the sale target at 8,000 units this year.

“We plan to sell 8,000 units of Stinger in Korea this year,” Kia Motors Vice President Kim Chang-sik told reporters at a press event held in Seoul. “From 2018, we hope to sell 1,000 units every month.”




The coupe-like-sedan earned rave reviews from foreign media when it was first released at this year’s Detroit Auto Show -- followed by its Asian debut at the Seoul Motor Show in March -- for its high performance along with dramatic design changes.

With the sales pitch, the carmaker has pinned high hopes on its fastback Stinger to bolster Kia’s global image, while reviving sales in the domestic and overseas markets.

“Following the Korean launch, Kia plans to start selling the cars in the US and Europe in the second half of this year,” Seo Bo-won, Kia’s domestic marketing director, told The Investor after the press event.

The rear-wheel drive Stinger comes with three engine types -- a 2.0-liter turbo, a 3.3-liter twin-turbo and a 2.2-liter diesel engine. The price starts at 35 million won (US$31,133) and goes up to 48.8 million won depending on the engine and added features.

Below are key questions on the new car and answers by Kia executives at the press conference.

Q: Who are the target customers? 

A: Young professional males in their 30s and 40s who have their own style and aim for adventure.

Q: Which are the rival car models in the market? 

A: BMW 4 Series Grand Coupe and Audi A5. In overseas markets, we are targeting the near-luxury segment.

Q: What are key characteristics of the 3.3-liter twin turbo engine – the first high-performance engine fitted in a Kia car?

A: The 370-horsepower engine can accelerate from zero to 100 kilometers per hour in 4.9 seconds, the fastest among Kia cars. We plan to feature the engine in the upcoming new K9 as well as other luxury models.

Q: When is the global launch? 

A: The car will hit the US and European markets in the second half of this year. We plan to launch the car in other markets in phases next year.

Q: Does Kia have any plans to have a separate brand name for high-end models like Hyundai’s Genesis? 

A: No. But we will pour more resources into launching more premium cars.

By Ahn Sung-mi (sahn@heraldcorp.com)

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