Photo: Kia
The Kia Stinger burst onto the scene a little more than five years ago as a unique sports sedan, but it didn’t take long before rumours of its demise started flying around, some dating back to September 2019.
Today, the company made it official: production of the Stinger will soon come to an end with a new, ultra-exclusive Tribute Edition. It will be limited to 1,000 units worldwide, although market availability has yet to be announced.
Customers will be offered the choice of a new Moonscape matte grey paint. Further sophistication is provided by the black appearance that adorns the mirror caps, the Brembo brake callipers and the 19-inch wheels in a gloss finish. Nothing too wild, as you can see.
Photo: Kia
Inside, exclusive materials can be found throughout including Terracotta brown leather on the seats and door panels. Contrast stitching in that same colour highlights the steering wheel and dashboard. Kia designers have also applied a carbon finish to the centre console and part of the door panels.
While the pictures don’t show it, a newly introduced, wasp-shaped logo is embedded into the front headrests as a nod to the car’s name. And in true limited-edition fashion, a numbered door sill plate on the driver’s side provides authentication of exclusivity.
Photo: Kia
In Canada, Kia sold 1,229 Stingers in 2021, an increase of 9.2 percent from 2020, the year when all hell broke loose as a result of the pandemic. However, in the first half of 2022, only 491 units found takers, a drop of 29.1 percent. More Canadians (529) actually bought a Kia EV6, the new electric crossover that will indirectly replace the Stinger and its 368-horsepower, twin-turbocharged V6.
The EV6 is available in various configurations, with output ranging from 168 horsepower in standard-range RWD trim to 576 horsepower in the explosive EV6 GT. The latter happens to be the fastest and most powerful production model Kia has ever made (0-100 km/h in just 3.55 seconds). A Drift mode sends all the power to the rear wheels for big-time thrills.