Can the Kia Stinger drift? Yes, yes it can.
Guys.. GUYS! I have never been so amped over a car as much as I have been with the new Kia Stinger. Solidifying my love for the masterpiece further, the fine folks at Kia had me out to this year’s Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show to live out the #StingerExperience. Here’s what went down:
West Coast Customs x Kia Collaboration at SEMA
In anticipation of the Stinger going on sale this December, Kia tapped West Coast Customs to modify both the Stinger GT and the current Cadenza premium sedan. The reveal drew quite the crowd at the Las Vegas Convention Center on the first day of SEMA, and I’m sure you can see why.
Special Kia Stinger GT Wide Body
Taking inspiration from the racing GT cars of the 1970s, the Stinger GT Wide Body is a work of art only West Coast Customs could think up. Its body shines in layers of pearl blue metallic paint, while its interior features a hand-stitched gray leather dash panel, an alcantara-wrapped steering wheel, and a gloss black center console trim. As for performance upgrades, the Stringer GT Wide Body cruises on 21-inch Keen forged wheels wrapped with high-performance tires, a lightweight carbon fiber aero kit and rear diffuser, and quad-port exhaust tips.
Special Kia Cadenza Obsidian
West Coast Customs did something really special with the Kia Cadenza that had all of SEMA drooling. Some modifications were more subtle than others, like the custom metallic black paint with ultra-dark ceramic window tint, while the stunning copper accents inside and out made the Cadenza pop like no other. Additionally, the West Coast Customs team lowered the suspension and added stiffened sport springs, 20-inch gloss-black Fittipaldi wheels with Cosmic Copper trim, and added a hand-stitched suede dashboard top panel, butter-soft brown leather seats, and custom brown suede door panels to the inside.
Stinger GT Federation
In addition to the West Coast Custom cars at SEMA 2017, Kia unveiled the Stinger GT Federation. This orange stunner is uniquely modified with parts and accessories from leading aftermarket suppliers. Its exterior body accent kits by Air Design USA features a rear spoiler, rear diffuser and redesigned hood vents. For an added 15 horsepower through the twin-turbo 3.3-liter engine, a K&N cold-air intake and a low-restriction quad-tipped Borla exhaust was installed. Finally, the addition of Eibach springs, thicker antiroll bars and a lowered ride height adds to the Stinger GT Federation’s overall drive experience.
Kia Stinger Drift Experience
Full disclosure: the Kia Stinger Drift Experience was performed by Formula Drift drivers using modified Kia Stingers. However, I should mention that they only tweaked a few things to the car, like the e-brake and tires. The live FB video you see below showcases the awesome performance the Kia Stinger can put out. What a ride!
I had the pleasure of drifting with Kyle Mohan, who you can see drive in the Formula Drift Pro Championship, while others got to ride with 2013 Formula Drift champion, Michael Essa.
“This year’s SEMA show demonstrates that Kia’s standout combination of performance and style is more than just a dream. Kia’s specially modified and aftermarket-accessorized Stinger GT and seat time in our all-new high-performance sports fastback make Kia’s 2017 SEMA experience the top auto enthusiast’s playground.”
– Saad Chehab, vice president, marketing communications, Kia Motors America
Well said, Saad.
In a few weeks from now I will be attending the first-ever press drive event for the Kia Stinger in Los Angeles. I’m eager to get behind the wheel of this exciting new ride and hope you are too. Keep an eye out for the Kia Stinger at your local Kia dealership this December.
Visit Kia.com to learn more.
