Kia is all set to showcase its models in India for the first time at the upcoming Auto Expo 2018. The carmaker has already announced that it will unveil its made-for-India SP concept SUV at the event. Along with the SP concept, the company is also bringing its popular Stinger sedan to the show, along with a few other models from its global line-up.
While some of the models that will be shown at the Auto Expo 2018 could make it to Kia showrooms in future, the Stinger sedan won’t be one of them. The Stinger sports sedan sits at the top of the Kia product pyramid and would have served as a halo model in India. However, company officials are not convinced of its sales potential here. Given that the Stinger would have to be brought in as a completely built-up unit and would be subject to the full bevy of Indian taxes, its price would cross the Rs 70-lakh mark. Finding takers at that price would have been a tough task for the carmaker. Also, Kia does not want to divert from its core area of focus in India – mass market cars.
In international markets, the Kia Stinger is pitched against the likes of the BMW 3-series and Jaguar XE and is available in rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive form. Engine options for the Stinger include a four-cylinder petrol engine, but it’s the 365hp, 3.3-litre V6 petrol-powered GT version that has the go to match the Stinger’s show – the claimed 0-100kph time of 4.7sec says it all.
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Talking design with Peter Schreyer, President and Chief Design Officer, Kia