Kia Stinger GT420: a Korean athlete

The Kia Stinger GT420 is a version created exclusively for the track, with more power, less weight and competition-grade materials to turn it into the perfect weapon for attacking corners.

The Kia Stinger GT hit the market in 2018 as proof that the South Korean brand is capable of competing at the highest level, showing that this saloon is a premium car at a mainstream price.

Its main assets were a completely spectacular design, a finish quality worthy of the premium segment and a 3.3-litre V6 engine with no less than 370 CV. All of this for a price much more reasonable than that of any premium saloon. In fact, our road test of the Kia Stinger GT left us with a very good impression.

However, the brand has now launched a homologated pre-production version of the Kia Stinger S called GT420. As its name suggests, power has been raised from 370 to 428 CV, so torque has increased from 510 Nm to 560 Nm.

The Kia Stinger GT420 has revived a version that had no future

Therefore, Kia has given a chance to the Kia Stinger S, a variant that was pre-production and was destined to end up forgotten. This very unit is the one used to test and develop the model, although there is also a press unit that was used in major motoring settings such as Top Gear or The Grand Tour.

After gathering a good amount of praise over more than 15,000 kilometres of testing, the brand asked the performance department of Hyundai for help. This is the same department that tuned the fantastic Hyundai i30N, so they began developing this imposing Kia Stinger GT420, a car specially created for the track.

A good handful of competition elements

Therefore, the V6 engine has been reworked with elements such as HKS spark plugs, a K&N performance air filter and a Miltek exhaust system without catalytic converters, which would probably not go down well at a Spanish ITV roadworthiness test.

The automatic gearbox has also been developed to better withstand the punishment of frequent track driving. In addition, its software has been optimised for faster gear changes in both Sport and Sport+ modes.

To achieve the goal of turning a Gran Turismo of the size of the Kia Stinger into a competition car, everything that is not strictly necessary for track driving has been removed. This means that all the seats, seatbelts, airbags, sound system, interior trim or rear electric windows have been eliminated. Elements such as the engine cover or parking sensors have also been removed.

This variant weighs 150 kilos less

The sunroof added too much weight, so the engineers replaced it with a lightweight aluminium panel. This diet the Kia Stinger GT420 has undergone has helped it shed 150 kilos on the scales compared with the standard model. In addition, it has been fitted with a roll cage, Sparco bucket seats with five-point harnesses and a fire extinguisher.

To improve its cornering, the Kia Stinger GT420 features Eibach anti-roll bars and OZ Racing Leggera wheels fitted with Pirelli Trofeo R tyres. In addition, the front brakes have been upgraded with a Brembo system for better optimised braking.

Furthermore, there are some cosmetic changes (apart from the wheels), including a new front lip and a rear diffuser as well as a rear spoiler for greater aerodynamic downforce.

The Kia Stinger GT420 is a track tool, although we do not know whether the Korean brand will eventually launch an even spicier version of its flagship: the Germans had better get ready, because the Korean navy is pressing harder and harder on the accelerator.