“The Foxhole” is a widely unsettling and demanding stretch of racetrack that lies on one of the most intimidating raceways in the world. The high-speed sections of the Nurburgring Nordschleife are built to handle supreme steel beings like the Stinger GT at speeds of 90 MPH +, and Wired Transportation writer Joe Resnick took Kia's front-running sports sedan on a spin through this esteemed track section. The twin-turbo, 365-horsepower 2018 Kia Stinger GT fared quite well during this tremendous test, and everyone knows that this is the location where brands go to prove that their latest sports car is the best-handling and attractive option out there.
The Stinger GT is actually a bit longer then models from the BMW 3-club, and some out there wonder if this could affect its performance on a demanding and curve-laden section of track such as this. When you first climb into the Stinger GT, you'll notice that the front seats are positioned very low, which helps greatly with the center of gravity and sense of stability. There are three levels of engine selection to choose from: the base 252-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbo 4 cylinder, the 365-horsepower 3.3-liter twin turbo V6, and a mid-range 2.2-liter turbo diesel 4-cylinder available in European and Korean markets only.
When Joe and his tech-savvy troupe from Wired got out on the track to prove themselves, the track's longest straight section had them reaching speeds of 135 to 140 MPH, and they enjoyed the overall performance of the rear-wheel drive Stinger the most. Hyundai's own patented 8-speed automatic is the medium for shifting sensibly in the Stinger GT, and many who have test driven it loved it right away. An overall stiff ride in a class that is similar to BMW's 3 and 4 series is another extreme highlight, and the Stinger GT handles bumps with a solid form that deserves high recognition.
This is admittedly a bit of new territory for Kia to pursue: going head to head with the sports-car coupe crowd may seem a bit of a lofty accomplishment. Motor Trend billed the Stinger as “confident and composed, while making the best use of the grip it affords”. When you are able to drive off the lot with a brand new Stinger, you are also getting behind the wheel of a vehicle that has the best power steering Kia has ever produced, which you notice at the go point right away.
This stacked wheel set will stay firmly planted no matter what type of speed or lunge is thrown at them, and the intense trail braking needed at Nurburgring is absolutely a ferocious proving ground. The Michelin Pilot Sport 3 tires are designed specifically for the fast and furious Stinger GT, and showed hardly any wear after a day of instructors trying to one-up their past records handed down abuse. For any model, the current time is the right time to spring a dusting of upper-level performance and speed, and the Stinger holds its own exceptionally well on the most legendary of locations.
