Previewed by the 2011 Kia GT and the 2014 Kia GT4 Stinger concepts, the series-production Stinger arrived in dealer showrooms for the 2018 model year. Recently discontinued over poor demand, the liftback-style sedan is expected to come back in the form of a rear-/all-wheel-drive electric vehicle.
Although no chassis mules or prototypes have been spied thus far, the pixel artist known as Digimods DESIGN has rendered the yet-unconfirmed successor with forward-looking design cues. Obviously based on the combustion-engined Stinger, the design study is the very opposite of a clean-sheet makeover.
But under the skin, things will never be the same again. Hearsay suggests both single- and dual-motor setups. According to South Korean publication ET News, the electric successor is codenamed GT1. Supposedly based on the eM platform as opposed to the e-GMP of the Kia EV6 and EV9 crossovers, the GT1 is believed to drop as early as 2025.
This platform has already been confirmed by the Hyundai Motor Group, yet Hyundai hasn't confirmed whether the GT1 is a thing or not. The eM electric vehicle architecture reportedly takes a 113.2-kWh battery. This capacity dwarfs the 99.8-kW Kia EV9 and 107.8-kWh Mercedes EQS, which says a lot about the automaker's ambitions in the EV space.
Due no later than the first half of 2026, the GT1 should top 700 to 800 kilometers (435 to 497 miles) on a full charge. This rough estimate seems plausible because Merc advertises the EQS with up to 770 kilometers (478 miles) under the WLTP, a testing procedure that's more optimistic than the EPA's procedure.
Photo: Digimods DESIGN on YouTube
What about muscle, though? As per the cited publication, the rear-drive GT1 is good for 160 kW (215 horsepower) at full charge. The dual-power powertrain allegedly packs 320 kW (almost 430 horsepower), whereas the performance-oriented version levels up to a 250-kW front motor and a 250-kW rear motor (450 kW or 603 horsepower).
The rumor mill suggests that Genesis will leverage this platform for at least one model, that vehicle being the second-generation G70. The speculation does hold water, though, especially if you remember that the outgoing G70 is joined at the hip to the Stinger. Even though the Stinger has been discontinued, Genesis decided to breathe new life into the G70 for 2024 with a larger base engine. Instead of the previous 2.0 liters, the premium-oriented sports sedan now comes with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder.
Power has obviously gone up, with Genesis quoting 300 horsepower as opposed to 252 for 2023 and earlier models. The four-pot lump is joined by the 3.3-liter V6 we all know and love. Both engines are shared with the Stinger, which retails at $36,690 and $51,890 in the United States at press time. Pricing information for the MY24 G70 isn't available.
On the other hand, we do know the 2023 model starts at $39,400 for the 2.5er or $44,900 for the 3.3er. Both come standard with rear-wheel drive. The all-wheel-drive versions start at $41,500 and $47,000.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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