Photo: Kia
Rafael Nadal isn’t your average tennis player. He’s the ATP #1 and fans refer to him as “The King of Clay” for his domination in clay-court matches. And with great results, great partnerships are a given.
The sportsman and Kia go back to 2004, when Rafael became the South Korean automaker’s brand ambassador in Spain. Two years later, Nadal was appointed global ambassador, and the rest is history in the making. The latest chapter of the lucrative partnership comes in the form of the Stinger GT, which Nadal will use as his company car whenever he fancies.
The handover took place at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Manacor, the tennis player’s hometown. “Rafa represents consistency, effort, modesty, and passion. These are values we have in common. We are honored to hand him the keys to a new Stinger, the most surprising and thrilling of our models,” declared Emilio Herrera, managing director of Kia España.
The mid-size liftback sedan Nadal received is the range-topping GT, finished in red and equipped with the performance-oriented V6 engine. Displacing 3.3 liters and augmented by a pair of turbochargers, the GT develops 370 PS (365 horsepower) and 510 Nm (376 pound-feet). In other words, it’s the most powerful and fastest Kia there’s ever been on sale.
Now on sale globally, the Kia Stinger is also available with a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine and a 2.2-liter turbo diesel. Despite the fact the oil-chugging engine isn’t available in the United States, it’s torquier than the 2.0-liter turbo, boasting 440 Nm (325 pound-feet) from 1,750 to 2,750 rpm.
The big question is, will Rafa lock up the Mercedes-AMG GT S in his garage to rack up the miles in the Stinger GT? At the handover ceremony two years ago, Nadal made it clear how he feels about the GT S with a rather tongue-in-cheek remark: “It’s not a Kia, but it’s still good.”
The handover took place at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Manacor, the tennis player’s hometown. “Rafa represents consistency, effort, modesty, and passion. These are values we have in common. We are honored to hand him the keys to a new Stinger, the most surprising and thrilling of our models,” declared Emilio Herrera, managing director of Kia España.
The mid-size liftback sedan Nadal received is the range-topping GT, finished in red and equipped with the performance-oriented V6 engine. Displacing 3.3 liters and augmented by a pair of turbochargers, the GT develops 370 PS (365 horsepower) and 510 Nm (376 pound-feet). In other words, it’s the most powerful and fastest Kia there’s ever been on sale.
Now on sale globally, the Kia Stinger is also available with a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine and a 2.2-liter turbo diesel. Despite the fact the oil-chugging engine isn’t available in the United States, it’s torquier than the 2.0-liter turbo, boasting 440 Nm (325 pound-feet) from 1,750 to 2,750 rpm.
The big question is, will Rafa lock up the Mercedes-AMG GT S in his garage to rack up the miles in the Stinger GT? At the handover ceremony two years ago, Nadal made it clear how he feels about the GT S with a rather tongue-in-cheek remark: “It’s not a Kia, but it’s still good.”
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