Kia Motors today revealed the brand's most aggressive concept car ever, the GT4 Stinger, at its European debut during the Geneva Motor Show.

The eye-catching GT4 Stinger concept - a rear-wheel drive, 2+2 sportscar - takes Kia's design language in a bold new direction and echoes the glory days of purebred, affordable sportscars.

"Driving enjoyment was the number one priority in designing the Kia GT4 Stinger," said Tom Kearns, Chief Designer, Kia Design Center America (KDCA). "It's a 2+2 sportscar that can turn heads as a daily driver, while also being right at home on the track. Kia GT4 Stinger is about purity, simplicity and timelessness. The Kia GT4 Stinger is a throwback to days when driving a car was a visceral experience that wasn't muted by electronic gimmickry."

The Kia GT4 Stinger was designed and engineered to focus on weight reduction, functionality and driver enjoyment, disregarding the luxury accessories of a traditional grand tourer to deliver instead a truly engaging drive.

Kia GT4 Stinger rear

Beneath the Kia GT4 Stinger's low bonnet is a tuned version of Kia's proven 2.0-litre turbocharged gasoline direct injected (T-GDI) four-cylinder engine, putting out an impressive 315 ps.

Power is applied to the road via a close-ratio six-speed manual transmission driving the 20-inch rear wheels, which are wrapped in 275/35 R20 Pirelli P-Zero performance tyres. The front wheels get slightly smaller 235/35 R20 Pirelli P-Zeros to ensure a high level of cornering grip.

The special aluminium wheels feature carbon fibre inserts for strength and visibility. Similar to the all-new Kia Soul, the roof of the Kia GT4 Stinger appears to 'float' from the C-pillars. The side of the car features satin black accent pieces with integrated cooling ducts to enhance air flow to the rear brakes.

At the rear of the Kia, the body widens to cover the larger tyres, while the glass hatchback opens to reveal a built-in storage compartment and rear bracing strut to improve torsional rigidity and cornering stability. The LED taillights are housed inside a blacked-out panel just above the dual exhausts in the rear bumper.

The interior of the Kia GT4 Stinger is purposeful in design and practical in nature, with wide, light weight aluminium doors making it easy to get into the leather race-inspired bucket seats. There is no carpet in the cabin either, only a rubber floor mat beneath the billet-aluminium pedals.


Kia GT4 Stinger side

The simple, uncluttered dashboard features a thick flat-bottomed steering wheel and a red LED-illuminated instrument panel with large tachometer and gear indicator. Following the motorsport theme and taking inspiration from sports and competition cars of the past, the interior door handles have been replaced by red-stitched pull straps, while the Kia GT4 Stinger does without the luxury of a stereo.

While there are currently no plans to bring the concept to production, Kia has a history of delivering production vehicles that bear a strong resemblance to the concept that preceded them, and the Kia GT4 Stinger provides a possible and highly provocative glimpse into Kia's future.

Kia GT4 Stinger interior

Kia Motors Europe
Kia Motors Europe is the European sales, marketing, and service arm of Kia Motors Corporation. With its headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, it covers 30 markets in Europe.

About Kia Motors Corporation
Kia Motors Corporation (www.kia.com) - a maker of quality vehicles for the young-at-heart - was founded in 1944 and is Korea's oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles. Over 2.7 million weight reduction, and house 380 mm Brembo Gran Turismo two-piece, cross-drilled disc brakes with four-piston calipers. The GT4 Stinger also features a quick-ratio steering rack for direct driver feedback and uncompromised control.

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