Major car brand discontinues ‘totemic’ motor which changed the game as sporty EV ‘takes the baton’
A MAJOR car brand has discontinued one of it's "totemic" motors in the UK and replaced it with a new "powerful" electric vehicle.
Kia's Stinger GT sports saloon has been taken off sale after just five years following a poor run of low volume sales.
Since its launch in 2017, the South Korean car manufacturer has sold just 2,300 models on British soil.
However, it has been described as "totemic" for the Korean brand and served as a "bold statement of intent" for its performance car aspirations.
Commenting on the Stinger's exit, Kia's UK CEO, Paul Philpott, hailed it as "an incredibly compelling car."
As reported by , he said: “The launch of the Stinger will go down as a transformative moment for Kia.
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"Its driver-focused ‘grand tourer’ credentials, paired with Kia’s reputation for vehicle quality and design, made it an incredibly compelling car for drivers.
"At the same time, it also had a transformative effect on how people saw Kia."
However, the electric Kia EV6 GT is the next step in the evolution of the brand's GT line and ready to "take the baton" from the Stinger, according to Mr Philpott.
He claims it will also help to change perceptions on the Kia brand.
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“The EV6 GT is the ideal car to take the baton from the Stinger in the UK," Paul said.
"Our future product plan has a major focus on electrification, and globally Kia plans to offer a line-up of 14 EVs by 2027.
"Combining high-performance capabilities with an incredible design and a long-range electric powertrain, the EV6 GT is an important part of this plan, and a true new flagship for the Kia brand.”
The EV6 GT is not designed to be a direct replacement for the Stinger, but in its positioning and conception, it is a logical spiritual successor.
Kia design boss Karim Habib said: "The spirit of Stinger remains and will remain.
"I like to think that the EV6 has the genes of the GT. We’re doing to do a GT of that, and it has the Stinger in it."
Kia's new EV model takes its power from a 3.3-litre V6, sending 365bhp to the rear axle for a 0-62mph time of 4.7sec - which at launch made it comfortably Kia's fastest car yet.
However, the EV6 GT, with 577bhp and all-wheel drive, slashes the sprint to just 3.5sec and introduces a dedicated Drift mode.
It is the most powerful car Kia has put into production to date - and also its most expesnive.
Customers wishing to get their hands on the new model will have to do so at a starting price of £60,895.
The EV6 is also commanding a circa £18,000 premium over the most recent iteration of the Stinger.
Kia says it will still deliver any outstanding Stingers on order in the UK, with production continuing in South Korea until an unspecified time.
Earlier this month, however, Kia recalled more than 18,000 of its 2018-2021 Stinger model over injury fears.
The potential valve plunger defect, causing the vehicle to lose drive, ups the chances of a crash and injury.
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And the shocking moment one of its £25,000 models burst into flames while being driven down a busy road was caught on tape.
The white SUV was cruising along steadily when a jet of flame suddenly shot out from underneath it and left the driver scrambling to get their bags out.
