By now, everybody seems to be onboard the notion that Kia hit a homerun over the fence with the Stinger. The Korean automaker bet big on a premium performance sedan that could take on BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi and the early returns about the car are very encouraging. Of course, it’s still hard to make any judgments on the Stinger until we get to see what it’s actually like on the road, but given the overwhelmingly positive response surrounding its Detroit Auto Show debut, it wouldn’t be too presumptuous to think of how Kia’s going to build around the Stinger in order for the sedan to reach its full potential.
First of all, here’s what we already know about the Stinger’s status moving forward. the initial version will come with two variants: an entry-level sedan and a performance sedan called the Stinger GT. There’s no definite timetable yet on when the model will go on sale, but all signs seem to point to a launch sometime within the year with the U.S. scheduled to get the Stinger in the last quarter of 2017, maybe even sooner.
Here’s the question though: is Kia already thinking of adding on to the two variants that have already been announced?
It’s a legitimate question to ask and to Kia’s credit, it’s already indicated as much, telling Autocar that a diesel version is already in the works with a tentative schedule to make its debut at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show this March. Details are still scarce on how a diesel Stinger is going to be packaged, but a look at the automaker’s engine lineup points to the 197-horsepower, 2.2-liter four-cylinder diesel that the company already uses on some of its models, including the Kia Sorento.
Beyond the growing possibility of seeing a diesel version of the Stinger, there have also been talks of going the electrified route. Granted, an EV Stinger is unlikely to arrive in the foreseeable future, but according to Spencer Cho, Kia’s overseas product marketing boss, the company has the capability to venture down that road in the event that there’s demand for one.
The speculation surrounding Kia’s growth plans for the Stinger is likely going to continue now that the model has made such a positive first impression. It’s a great problem for Kia to solve and one that I’m sure the company is looking forward to solve.
Continue after the jump to read the full story.
from Top Speed http://ift.tt/2iA08DG
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