The Kia Stinger GT made quite the entrance at the 2017 North American International Auto Show this year. In a hall filled with crossovers, the Stinger GT offered solace for the enthusiast with rear-wheel drive, a twin-turbo V6 and sporting intentions.
While Americans no doubt will be intrigued by the prospect of a sport sedan from Kia, Australians have taken note, as the locally-produced Holden VF Commodore inches its way towards the end. The Stinger GT will arrive in Australia on September 1, 2017, and will compete directly with both the Commodore SV6 and SS before heading to the great automotive graveyard.
Ahead of the car’s launch, the brand had some fighting words for GM’s Australian subsidiary, reports Motoring.
“For the last 20 or 30 years Holden has been telling us if it’s not rear-wheel drive it’s not a proper car,” said Kia Australia media and corporate communications general manager, Kevin Hepworth.
“Well we’ve got one – have you?”
The 2018 Commodore will move to GM’s E2 platform, meaning rear-wheel drive will be a thing of the past regarding the Commodore. All-wheel drive is optional; front-wheel drive is standard.
Kia has high hopes for the Stinger GT, expecting to attract 6,000 Australians per year if it’s priced correctly, and maybe even break into the police vehicle market. The twin-turbo 3.3-liter V6 powered Stinger GT may be priced at under $50,000, AUD which would pin it square in the Commodore SS’ playing field.
Still, Commodore attracted 25,000 buyers in 2016, although, pent-up demand ahead of the VF Commodore’s demise may have something to do with the sales figure.
Comments
Good job by Kia to call out the knuckle heads at GM that decided to slap a Commodore badge on a Opel Insignia! Even after Holden Insignia was offered alongside Commodore for a while.
None of the comments below take any account of The Gimp of Warringah, Toxic Tony Abbott himself. Go look up the YT videos of him eating a raw onion as the head of state of Australia. This geebus-freak was so stupid he was famous for saying he wasn’t a misogynistic a-whole because he was parading his good-lookin’ daughters around while forcing journalists to never ask them a single question – as in – women are for looking not talking, that makes me pro-women!
This Gimp is responsible for the end of Holden, as as another notes below, the head of BMW-Oz predicted it out loud. The Gimp WANTED Holden to close so he could shout and yell and cringe. For no reason.
Meanwhile, the Aussie people showed their true colours, and they ain’t blue mate. GM imported a little DaeWoo hatch, nobody bought it. They slapped a Holden badge on it, then it sold. So the Brian troll is right, the Aussie people did it to ourselves. That DaeWoo hatch proved to GM that Aussies, who are mostly racist, are also mostly dumb and can’t figure out how to be racist when an American uses a badge. GM figured out us racists would buy Asian cars as long as the American badge made them feel all white about it.
I love it! And I hope more people give it to the people Australia! They don’t deserve anything rwd, anything kool, anything fun to drive.
They gave up on GM, gave up on their own auto industry, and they should have to pay for their decisions!
But I am sure the people of Australia will scream loud enough that in the future GM will send something to Australia the has rwd! But I personally think if GM does send something fun to drive to Australia then it should be a Chevy, Cadillac, or a Buick! Not a Holden! They don’t deserve one! Just my opinion!
I’m with you. Australia is an import country and doesn’t deserve a domestic industry, let alone a Holden. GM should had gotten rid of the Holden nameplate or sold it to Peugeot.
I agree with that also!
GET RID OF HOLDEN!
That should be next on GM’S to do list!
We, the people of Australia did not give up on GM(H), check your facts. GM gave up on us, along with Ford and Toyota.We don’t want Chevs etc. We are soon to see the last manufacturer of cars in Australia, Holden, shut it’s doors, forever, and along with that goes the last remaining V8 powered, RWD Holden, known as a Chevrolet SS in the US.
Pontiac, Saturn and other makes, gone from the US market, for good. Opel sold off. Doesn’t leave much, does it?
We have the Liberal Government in Australia to thank for the demise of the local Auto industry, as predicted by the boss of BMW prior to them being elected.
As a lifelong Holden owner, the sad end is inevitable. Bring on the KIA.
Wrong if the people of Australia took care of GM then GM would taken care of the people of Australia!
Most people, unless they are profoundly nationalistic, will buy whatever product they like best. If a company stops being competitive, their customers will begin to leave. This happened in America. Look at Cadillac and Lincoln, and indeed all American car brands, starting in the 1980’s. They pumped out a lot of poorly-performing, poor quality vehicles that really only appealed to the more nationalistic retirement home crowd. They bought Buicks and Cadillacs because of the good old days. It’s no coincidence that as the baby boomers died off and newer generations rose up, American brands lost sales to foreign brands. American brands stopped innovating, all while the Germans and Japanese kept releasing far superior alternatives. Compare a 1996 Cadillac Fleetwood to a 1996 Mercedes S-Class. There is no comparison. The Mercedes is superior in every sense, perhaps aside from running costs and long-term reliability due to far greater complexity and levels of technology. The Fleetwood had a vinyl top and fender skirts, by the way, perhaps the two least cool things imaginable on a car. These comparisons can be made between any American and foreign car from the time period, really. Seville vs. E-Class, etc. It only gets more damning as time progresses, i.e. 2007 Cadillac DTS vs. 2007 S-Class. My point here being the Americans weren’t even trying to compete with the foreign brands, they were only competing with each other. The DTS competed with the Lincoln Town Car. These are the products Americans had to choose from that were from their own country. Why wouldn’t they look at Mercedes or Lexus?
Over in Australia, a sort of similar story has occurred. They have the Commodore, but what does it compete with? It competed primarily with the Ford Falcon, which is now dead. Again two domestic brands were competing primarily with each other and seemingly forgot all about the foreign offerings. Now Holden is left with a car that rides on a heavy platform more than a decade old with a general design that’s equally as old. The blame here doesn’t go to Australians for buying what’s essentially a decade-old product that was refreshed a couple times, the blame goes to General Motors for improper product planning.
I mean jesus, look at Holden’s current lineup. It’s a MESS! Why are they selling a Cruze for $22,909 and an Astra, of equal size but a more premium choice, for just a thousand more at $23,990? Why are they going to sell a blatantly rebadged GMC Acadia as the Holden Acadia, which is the same size as the Captiva? Why does one brand have multiple design languages?
Why wouldn’t “true” Commodore fans opt for a Kia Stinger when it comes time to shop for a new car? Why would they downgrade to a FWD Opel? I’m sure the Insignia is a good car, but what does it offer to legacy Commodore buyers other than the Commodore name?
Bottom line: it’s ridiculous to blame the Australian people for not buying products they aren’t interested in. If you make products people like, they will buy them.
You are so correct. The Cruze, Captiva, Malibu, Colorodo (a couple of good Aussie names there), Astra to a lesser extent, when stacked up against the opposition, rate poorly. Little wonder that the only people buying the only real Holden, the Commodore, have become fewer and fewer over the last several years, due to petrol costs and other factors. What are we left with FWD shopping trolleys. Sad.
Dude your talking to the wrong person if you are looking for sympathy. I am 44 and I have only owned 1 type of car or truck. Yes you guessed it Chevy! You can support one company! I have, you could of too and I would of had respect for your decision. But I don’t! This is why I say the Australian people gave up on GM so GM in return owes them nothing in return!
I’m not looking for nor require any sympathy. The comment posted by camaroguy, succinctly tells the story, read it, it’s perfectly insightful on the world of GM, both in Australia and the US, and who gave up on whom.
I do indeed think your looking for sympathy! That’s why you are telling us why you think GM screwed you over. You want to win people over and get them to come to your side of the argument.
Well I am not buying it! If you and your fellow Australia’s would backed GM threw thick and thin you would still have a automotive industry today! Now you get cars built from half way around the world and shipped to you!
Do I need to say it again. Nah!
You are an idiot !! GM takes care of no one !!
Don’t forget Peter Hahnenberger who as president of the Australian automobile manufacturers association pushed for lower customs barriers for automobile import and export. Hahnenberger, who started to work for Opel at 16, became CEO of GM Holden after GM failed to make him the CEO of Opel because of resistance in the advisory council.
Agreed, Peter Hahnenberger did marvelous things at Holden, he even gave us suspensions that made Holden’s handle, RTS, and oversaw the introduction of Holden’s resurrection in the late 90s, the VT Commodore. Those lower tariffs you refer to are now responsible for the huge array of imports, unsustainable in a country with our small population, but great for competition.
In 1983, another politician, John Button, gave us the Button Car Plan, slashing tariffs and forcing local car builders to consolidate through rebadging. That worked well, not. Local tariffs continued to fall, the Libs dropping subsidies, giving us, as of October, no local auto industry. One door shuts, another opens. I certainly didn’t think I’d see the day that after more than 50 years of Holden ownership, I’d consider another brand, but here I am. They say that you never stop learning.
Which part of GM gave up on Australia, not vise versa, do you not understand?
Don’t tell me what I don’t understand! You don’t have a auto industry. If the people of Australia were buying cars in support of the local industry it would not have went away!
You blame politics, the people of Australia put those people in power to make those decisions. So who’s fault is it really?
It sounds to me like your part of the problem! You are a citizen of Australia aren’t you?
Let me give you a history lesson, sport. Holden was born with the assistance of a duly elected Government after WW2. Holden gave us fairly good cars for our unique country, but gave little in the way of options, until they were forced to with the introduction of the Ford Falcon and Chrysler Valiant in the early 60s. Then the Toyotas, Datsuns etc started to filter in, even more options. GMH executives at the time stated that we wouldn’t see a Toyota in an RSL carpark ( Returned Services Club). Close to the truth then, not even close any longer. Holden continued to build average to good cars, and some very average cars.The Camira is a shining example of a bright yellow lemon. As import tariffs continued to fall, more and more brands arrived, giving people more choice, with more options. Holden’s reign at the top came to a grinding halt, just as GM’s reign in the US did, toppled by Toyotas, Nissans, KIAs etc. After finally building a world class car in the VE/VF Commodore, the heat became too hot in the kitchen. Run, run, back to mother america, Give em Daewoos and stick a Holden badge on it. Did I mention lemons?
Me, proudly Australian, but after October this year, a sadder one.
What will GM shed next?
So I was right like I said the people of Australia gave up on GM!
Idiot.
So now are we allowed to call people names? Please let me know if the people at GM Authority have lifted the ban on bashing people! If so can someone please confirm this? Please let this be true!
If there was a burgeoning market for large RWD sedans then why did sales drop to where it was not worth the effort anymore?
GM hung on longer than the others but the larger RWD sedans just are not the to selling cars as they once were. It is like that globally.
Here we used to sell a ton of full size Chevys but people and the markets have changed.
Down under is no different. The people of you country have made the Imported Mazda 3 the sales leader as well as Toyota trucks.
Well you will get the next Camaro and a RWD Cadilkac at some point. Low volune higher priced models can make money there in RWD.
You can Blame GM all you like but it all comes down to what the market is buying as to what they will sell. They have to go to the money.
I agree. Market forces have had a huge impact, but if you read back through my comments, I say Governments of both colours have slowly strangled the local industry, with the complete lopping off of the head by the incumbent mob. How do you think GM, Ford and Chrysler would survive in the US if subsidies were to be removed? Who turned up to the emergency talks with your then President, all in their own Corporate jets, when they were facing catastrophic disaster during the GFC?
As far as we go here, we’ll see how KIA’s RWD goes when it’s introduced here later in the year, into a massive void
Here is what is going on goverment wise.
First off you have a small un self supporting market. Even today large markets like America have many models that need to be global to survive. In your country where you sell less cars than we do trucks in Texas just canno longer compete.
Add to it exports are not easy do to the fact you are so far away. You are twice as far as Japan and Korea.
Then you have a goverment that realizes to make this deal work you would need to subsidize it and if they do it will never end.
The truth is it is a combination of these issues and the fact the public has turned to smaller cheaper cars there just 20-30 years later than the rest of the world.
So the truth is you just caught up with the rest of us. It sucks but it is what it is.
Just wait as the CUV thing is coming and you will feel it too.
You guys think the company is responsible for the customers and I think the other way around. If you like or love a company the you as a individual and a local community need to stick by a company if you want them to survive!
But what happens is people can’t help themselves, they look over the fence and give in to temptation and start supporting the competition. Then they complain when that local company has to close it’s doors. Then get on their soap box and say how can you do this to the local community?
This would never have happened had the people stayed loyal to that company.
I am amazed how some people choose the path of least resistance, anytime they experience any difficulty they jump ship.
I say you find a company you like and stick with it threw good times and bad. I guess I just have a different set of values or morals that most people weren’t taught as a kid!
I walk a higher path!
I expect more from myself!
I wish people were held accountable for their choices!
I hope GM rules the automotive industry for the next 100 plus years! I will be doing my part!
Brian it is all about serving the market with products that people will buy and make a profit. The conditions there is what it is and they got what we what the rest of us got.or are getting.
I view this as a two way street and the customer has a responsibility to support the local company. If they don’t and that company leaves or closes it’s doors then the people in the local community shouldn’t be able to complain about it.
But this exact thing happens over and over again with the people blaming the company for not holding up there end of the deal. When the customers have just as much responsablity.
The company is in buisness to provide a product or service that earns the customers money and makes a profit from it.
The company only owes the consumer a quality product for the money that they feel is worth their hard earned money.
The people only should expect a product of good quality that brings them pleasure and satisfaction for the money spent.
Loyalty is earned not given.
This is buisness not counties, family or clubs.
I love loyalty as much as anyone but in this case it is all about competition and products.
After October Holden should change their slogan to Holden – Who cares. Seriously though, the Stinger offers much more for the driver than any of the limp offerings our good old friends at GM plan to dump on Australia.
The Kia will sell in small numbers as it will in most markets. You will find it offers much but will compromise in other areas as thing that should not fall apart will like seats, faded emblems and in many markets rust.
It will never sell in Holden numbers and when thing go bad it will be very expensive to repair and hold little resale.
Lowish sales in a number of markets will add up to enough, particularly if sold with a decent margin. Will it sell at Holden numbers? Don’t know, but if you are like me and can’t justify spending the money required to get in premium RWD (which will be the only RWD drive left), then your options are limited. It will do more than give the notta Commodore a run for it’s money, in our market anyway.
The Stinger will be what it is, a relatively affordable highish performance RWD sedan. Will it be perfect – nope, but faded emblems isn’t something I’ll cry over. You’d sell it before warranty was up (5yr / 7 yr??) anyway.
Wait till the turbo fades.
You get what you pay for and the low price sends a real signal.
What choice is there if not turbo 6? Dear Leader (Jacoby) tells us to forget V8 in sedans.
Yes Scott3 you’re right! I liken it to buying a printer for your computer. You pay $50 for a little laser printer nowadays and when it runs out of toner, it costs you $40 for a cartridge! These cars are the same. They are cheap and cheerful, but when they go wrong…. Look out!!
Article in Goauto today talks about Kia’s thoughts on things Stinger. Pricing for the interesting versions to be north of $50k. or similar to VF SSV redline. Expected sales 200-400 per month. I wonder how this compares to NG Commodore targets.
It’ll be on the list of possibles to replace my car (VF SSV) when the time comes, as would have been a 3.6TT NG Commodore, but sadly that doesn’t exist. Maybe GM will surprise us by then.