Motor Trend Best Driver's Car Week

[CaliSting]

You mean, Albert Biermann? Kia has stated from the getgo what they were doing with the Stinger, and it has never been focused on being a track car. A gran turismo it is, stock. And its high performance creds make it into a "project" waiting to happen. I like your switch from somewhat dissing the car to loving it. Funny! I am pretty sure the brakes used in Ring testing were not the brakes (pads and rotors) on the OEM cars we get in the US. But they can be swapped out in a trice for the "real" stuff if you are going to drive the car a la race fashion. We normal, touring drivers only need the brakes to keep us from slamming into idiots who suddenly appear out of nowhere. One solid emergency stop is all we need. The stock Brembo setup will do that. It has twice for me and I did not find them wanting. Still, it will warm my cockles to know that I have fully race worthy brakes, when it comes time to replace the stock pads. I'll probably put on slotted rotors at the same time.

I dont even know what a "touring" driver is. Let alone a Gran Turismo driver. You really need to get past the marketing speal Albert was fed by Hyundia/Kia PR department. Hell! Kia knew out the shoot they couldn't compete with best 4 door GTs from a handling and speed perspective so they came up with the "oh its not a track car but it will do fine if you drive on the track" line. ....uhhh yeah lets call it Gran Turismo like a 2 door Maserati? Argh. That way no direct comparisons to true GT sport sedans could ever be made even though it is clearly a sports GT sedan. As an FYI the BMW 5 series is a bigger and more luxurious " grand touring car" than Stinger and it made it around track far faster. So I dont see touring/Track cars being mutually exclusive. Neither did any of the MT test drivers - all said exactly same thing car transforms on track. I have always remarked at how surprised i have been with handling at AX. That wallowing that tail exhibits on the street goes away when you have car at full tilt. Something you cant do on the street. My biggest complaint is power delivery - again same comment from Pobst. Heres the ball breaker the 5000 lb Alfa SUV beat Stinger around Laguna Seca by few seconds. SUV track car? This whole concept that a track car is specific car is foreign to me. Most sanctioning bodies have car classes and Stinger is no exception. Its just a bit bigger but has bones to be a fine track car and why not have a car you can use comfortably drive as a daily and then head out to track and have some fun?

Again my assessment is still that Stinger to be fun on track needs some brake work and tranny cooling and a bit more rubber on all 4 corners to be a weapon. .... 1;46 on Laguna Seca in stock Stinger isnt anything to be sneezed at . Pobst is first credible guy I have seen drive the car on a track I understand to make good assessment. He is also good benchmark to other cars due to his consistency. But wow a 1:46 in stock stinger. Thats rocking! And he made mistakes on that lap so Id bet car has a 1:45 in it. Appropriate mods and stinger could be in low 1:40 range. That would put it in some pretty impressive company.

 

[CaliSting]

Anyone have access to the video of the whole thing?

MT isnt releasing it off their pay site.

 

[MerlintheMad]

I dont even know what a "touring" driver is. Let alone a Gran Turismo driver. You really need to get past the marketing speal Albert was fed by Hyundia/Kia PR department.

I see. Albert Biermann was given his lines. LOL! I choose to believe the man is honestly describing the car he helped create. The Stinger is not a track car by intent. But as with any high performance car, it has the potential to be. I like your "revelation". It interests me. Now I can look forward to some genuine track modified Stingers to come along, instead of people dissing the car compared to other more worthy and accepted types. My reading over the past little while has focused almost entirely on brakes. Change out the OEM pads and rotors and the car will become far more track worthy. Just that simple change alone.

A "touring driver" is someone like me. Long road trips in this car was the deliberate purpose for getting it in the first place. Everything else is secondary. So manual shifting is reserved for passing and such like foolery. The rest of the time it is an automatic. I'm not concerned about overheating the tranny. Only Launch Control would risk that and I don't go looking for opportunities to use the LC. And so it goes. You will track your Stinger. I will enjoy reading how that works out. And I will tour in my Stinger. That makes me a gran turismo driver.

 

[Paul32]

MT isnt releasing it off their pay site.

I would bet that 99% of Stingers never see a track........... Most are just daily drivers, and rank at the top of that category.

 

[CaliSting]

I see. Albert Biermann was given his lines. LOL! I choose to believe the man is honestly describing the car he helped create. The Stinger is not a track car by intent. But as with any high performance car, it has the potential to be. I like your "revelation". It interests me. Now I can look forward to some genuine track modified Stingers to come along, instead of people dissing the car compared to other more worthy and accepted types. My reading over the past little while has focused almost entirely on brakes. Change out the OEM pads and rotors and the car will become far more track worthy. Just that simple change alone.

A "touring driver" is someone like me. Long road trips in this car was the deliberate purpose for getting it in the first place. Everything else is secondary. So manual shifting is reserved for passing and such like foolery. The rest of the time it is an automatic. I'm not concerned about overheating the tranny. Only Launch Control would risk that and I don't go looking for opportunities to use the LC. And so it goes. You will track your Stinger. I will enjoy reading how that works out. And I will tour in my Stinger. That makes me a gran turismo driver.

So why would Albert put launch control in a touring car? Or a race bred and sometimes noisy mechanical lsd? Or darty fast ratio steering ? Low slung hard to enter doors like a sports car (frankly harder to get in and out of than my Cayman S), g meter? Lap timer! None fit your narrow definition. I have broader definition and see car fitting far broader group of people. I’m not only one driving car competitively . Just saying world of Stinger is far wider than this mythical Gran Turismo .

 

[Dan1028]

So why would Albert put launch control in a touring car?

He actually was rebuking the engineering staff because there was food all over the office. He yelled at them that they needed lunch control, stat!

Or a race bred and sometimes noisy mechanical LSD (Limited Slip Differential)?

Again, lost in translation. The man wanted a Light Salad Dressing for his afternoon lunch, but this order too was mistaken for something else, sparking further ire.

Or darty fast ratio steering ?

It's like the man couldn't catch a break. All he wanted was a good steak with good marbelizing.

Low slung hard to enter doors like a sports car (frankly harder to get in and out of than my Cayman S)

This was punishment for the insolent engineers.

g meter?

Naturally to go along with his G-G-G-G-Unit!

Lap timer!

Those insolent bastard engineers needed to be timed for their return trips to the supermarket. Seriously, the amount of aggravation Biermann was subject to is plain unthinkable.

Just saying world of Stinger is far wider than this mythical Gran Turismo .

Agreed . And if they ever offer a factory LSD upgrade for us AWD guys and programming upgrades, I'll be all over that. Life is so much better when you're seeing it head-on out of the side window .

 

[MerlintheMad]

So why would Albert put launch control in a touring car? Or a race bred and sometimes noisy mechanical LSD (Limited Slip Differential)? Or darty fast ratio steering ? Low slung hard to enter doors like a sports car (frankly harder to get in and out of than my Cayman S), g meter? Lap timer! None fit your narrow definition. I have broader definition and see car fitting far broader group of people. I’m not only one driving car competitively . Just saying world of Stinger is far wider than this mythical Gran Turismo .

I don't know why you separate high performance from luxury and comfort. All of those things are FUN and useful and can be used on the track. While I am touring my imagination takes me to those places where the car's high performance doodads actually have a purpose. Someday, maybe. But it is more likely that my car will never see a track. Does that mean it is missing its purpose? No. Because the luxury, quiet, convenience, utility, reliability, pleasure are all realized with each mile I drive, around town or on the highway. High performance features and luxury and comfort is a marriage. And that was the essence of Biermann's quotes that introduced the car to me. If it had been sold as another sports car I would still be driving my van (which I was in the perverse process of restorodding). But a gran turismo is sports car enough while being a lot more; and the more is the most important part, because any number of sports cars are with us, but nothing quite like the Stinger (for the money; I'd also never spend what it takes to ace the Stinger in the class; the cars you mention that are more or better also cost a prohibitive amount).

 

[CaliSting]

I would bet that 99% of Stingers never see a track........... Most are just daily drivers, and rank at the top of that category.

That could be said about most cars.

 

[CaliSting]

I don't know why you separate high performance from luxury and comfort. All of those things are FUN and useful and can be used on the track. While I am touring my imagination takes me to those places where the car's high performance doodads actually have a purpose. Someday, maybe. But it is more likely that my car will never see a track. Does that mean it is missing its purpose? No. Because the luxury, quiet, convenience, utility, reliability, pleasure are all realized with each mile I drive, around town or on the highway. High performance features and luxury and comfort is a marriage. And that was the essence of Biermann's quotes that introduced the car to me. If it had been sold as another sports car I would still be driving my van (which I was in the perverse process of restorodding). But a gran turismo is sports car enough while being a lot more; and the more is the most important part, because any number of sports cars are with us, but nothing quite like the Stinger (for the money; I'd also never spend what it takes to ace the Stinger in the class; the cars you mention that are more or better also cost a prohibitive amount).

Like I said you have narrow view of the car. I have been perfectly happy driving car 100% stock in Competitions no need to spend money on the car for AX. Many others head to drag strip for very fun take downs of muscle cars ( guess you haven’t seen all youtubes). Some of us head out to track days not to compete but to enjoy fun of driving on track. Some drift the car. Again to believe this is a single purpose unicorn grand touring car is strange. Now one of most respected race car drivers in US has said this car has all right bones to be driven on track and he enjoyed its characteristics over more track track cars like Corvette. Others driving on Luguna from MT gushed over how fun it is. Just saying no need to box car into single purpose. Even grand master Albert said. If people show interest we can make more track focused version of the same car. Hint some of us aren’t waiting!

 

[MerlintheMad]

Even grand master Albert said. If people show interest we can make more track focused version of the same car. Hint some of us aren’t waiting!

The last thing I would do is put limits on the Stinger. It can be both gran turismo and fun modding project; and it will not disappoint either type of driver. Have at it! As I said, it will be fun reading your future exploits here.