Detroit Auto Show 2014: Is Kia Entering The Sports Car Market With The GT4 Stinger?

DETROIT -- Kia Motors America unveiled its new sports car, the GT4 Stinger, as a concept car at the North American International Auto Show on Monday afternoon.

Under the hood, the Stinger has a 2.0-liter, turbo-charged, gasoline direct-injected, four-cylinder engine putting out 315 horsepower.

“It’s about purity, simplicity and timelessness,” said Tom Kearns, chief designer at Kia Design Center America. “The GT4 Stinger is a throwback to days when driving a car was a visceral experience that wasn’t muted by electronic gimmickry.”

Kearns also said that if anyone were to ask if Kia has the credibility to build a car like the GT4 Stinger, he would point out that Kia races and wins against some of the world’s most legendary performance brands. Kia Racing and partner Kinetic Motorsports won the Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge and Team Championships in 2012 and are now gearing up for the Optimas in the Pirelli World Challenge in 2014.

The Stinger uses the same engine as Kia’s Optima race cars. On the Stinger, a close-ratio six-speed manual transmission drives the rear wheels, wrapped in Pirelli performance tires and framed with custom 20-inch aluminum and carbon fiber inserts for strength and weight reduction. The interior features leather bucket seats, a rubber mat floor and red-stitched pull straps for handles.

Although there are currently no plans to bring the concept to production, Kia has a history of delivering vehicles that closely resemble its concept cars.