Kia’s Stinger ‘won’t make a profit’ for the South Korean manufacturer

[Kia Stinger]

Basically to me what KIA has decided in getting rid of the 360 camera, wireless charging, nicer headliner, etc, is that they dont want to compete for buyers that would otherwise actually be looking at Audi & BMW. They're happy just getting the people that were maybe looking at Acura or Lexus, or the people who currently own a Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, or Optima and are in the next stage in life and are able to afford a slightly nicer car. They arent actually serious about pulling buyers away from the name brands, or they dont believe they can do it. With this move they have basically made it so that I cannot really justify buying that car for over 50k, and I dont want the cheaper versions so Ill just have to wait for a car that suits me.

That very well could be the case. Perhaps they prefer to have customers who are extremely impressed with their upgrade from the Optima, Sonata, or one of those type competitors --- as opposed to having customers who are less impressed with their horizontal move (or perhaps even downgrade) from one of the top tier brands. I think this could be a very good possibility...

 

[ralzod]

Basically to me what KIA has decided in getting rid of the 360 camera, wireless charging, nicer headliner, etc, is that they dont want to compete for buyers that would otherwise actually be looking at Audi & BMW.

James Bell responded in a Facebook posting to complaints about the missing 360 camera with something to the effect of "just wait until you drive it." To me, it seemed very tone deaf, especially coming from a director of corporate communications, but also suggests that they think this car will be so popular because of it's performance that everyone will overlook the decontenting. Ironically, I think that overemphasis on raw performance is the opposite of what Biermann was actually going for in a Grand Touring model. Then again, marketing is all about the spin: KMA apparently lost the battle with the bean counters, so they set up a bunch of track & drift events, and are spinning it to be a hot rod. My biggest fear for the car, regardless of whether I ever get one, is that it will become so popular with the tuner and body-modding types that it turns off the grown-up buyers, and ends up with a shorter production lifespan. (No disrespect intended toward tuners; it's just that the boy-racer vehicle style does not typically make for high sales volume.)

 

[Bamm1]

James Bell responded in a Facebook posting to complaints about the missing 360 camera with something to the effect of "just wait until you drive it." To me, it seemed very tone deaf, especially coming from a director of corporate communications, but also suggests that they think this car will be so popular because of it's performance that everyone will overlook the decontenting. Ironically, I think that overemphasis on raw performance is the opposite of what Biermann was actually going for in a Grand Touring model. Then again, marketing is all about the spin: KMA apparently lost the battle with the bean counters, so they set up a bunch of track & drift events, and are spinning it to be a hot rod. My biggest fear for the car, regardless of whether I ever get one, is that it will become so popular with the tuner and body modding types that turns off the grown-up buyers, and ends up with a shorter production lifespan. (No disrespect intended toward tuners; it's just that the boy-racer vehicle style does not typically make for high sales volume.)

That would also explain the 5% allocation of GT2 trim models. They expect to sell the GT and GT1 trims to the "bang for the buck" performance demographic. But that group of customers is very small. They are not going to sustain a model with that target audience alone.

 

[Kia Stinger]

My biggest fear for the car, regardless of whether I ever get one, is that it will become so popular with the tuner and body-modding types that it turns off the grown-up buyers, and ends up with a shorter production lifespan.

The tuner and body-modding types are two very different crowds. I really don't believe the tuner crowd turns off more mature buyers - but the body-modding does... Most older people don't want to be associated with a car that's often seen with huge wings/spoilers and ground-effects/side skirts that bring the car lower to the ground after the suspension is "dropped" to the floor... Tuning isn't something you see. At least not nearly as much...

 

[Bamm1]

The tuner and body-modding types are two very different crowds. I really don't believe the tuner crowd turns off more mature buyers - but the body-modding does... Most older people don't want to be associated with a car that's often seen with huge wings/spoilers and ground-effects/side skirts that bring the car lower to the ground after the suspension is "dropped" to the floor... Tuning isn't something you see. At least not nearly as much...

I think the performance/driving dynamics crowd and the performance mod/tuner crowd overlap a good bit. The fart can exhaust droning at idle with a primer 3-foot high wing are not the same folks.

I am not so sure the "Acura RLX, Lexus IS350 et al" cost less but are slower, so buy a Stinger" approach is going to make for a hot seller. Also, possibly targeting mid-size sedans after calling out BMWs, etc, in their initial marketing seems like a big shift as well. Unless they where trying to subliminally tell Accord buyers the Stinger is as good as BMW for less so come get one? That is some second-order type thinking there.

 

[Charly]

Kia created a damn fine car but now, at least in the US, can't figure out what to do with it. I suspect that their own ineptitude will keep the Stinger from turning a profit

 

[Kia Stinger]

If you'd consider buying a Stinger from Canada, take a look at what's being discussed HERE...

 

[Kia Stinger]

The fart can exhaust droning at idle with a primer 3-foot high wing are not the same folks.

Okay, that's what I thought you were referring to. What types of exterior/body-modes are we talking about with the tuners?

 

[Bamm1]

Okay, that's what I thought you were referring to. What types of exterior/body-modes are we talking about with the tuners?

I usually do light weight wheels/tires. I will even drop a size or two to get the least amount of unsprung weight (as long as they clear the brakes). I actually don't really care what it looks like (sort of lime green or the like) or if the "stance" is nice/wheel wells are filled up. Larger rotors (slotted, vented, drilled) /calipers (colored). Light weight body panels (sometimes in carbon fiber). Sometimes additional vents to cool brakes, supply a relocated intake or intercooler, etc.

Anything to increase performance.........

 

[Kia Stinger]

I usually do light weight wheels/tires. I will even drop a size or two to get the least amount of unsprung weight (as long as they clear the brakes). I actually don't really care what it looks like (sort of lime green or the like) or if the "stance" is nice/wheel wells are filled up. Larger rotors (slotted, vented, drilled) /calipers (colored). Light weight body panels (sometimes in carbon fiber). Sometimes additional vents to cool brakes, supply a relocated intake or intercooler, etc.

Anything to increase performance.........

Okay. Yeah, I guess some of the older crowd would have a hard time appreciating cars that had these modifications. I've always thought they looked mostly tasteful, depending on the application. But to each their own...

 

[Bamm1]

Okay. Yeah, I guess some of the older crowd would have a hard time appreciating cars that had these modifications. I've always thought they looked mostly tasteful, depending on the application. But to each their own...

Yea, the folks who buy the nesting doll Audi's in S, M, L, XL are probably not going to go for a carbon fiber hood with wheels 3 inches smaller than stock (looking like someone took Honda Fit wheels and threw them on a mid-size car).