RIP: the Kia Stinger is dead

Sad news to bring you this Thursday morning – the Kia Stinger has been withdrawn from sale in the UK.

Yep, the 3.3-litre twin-turbo, V6-engined rear-wheel drive sports saloon is dead. Excuse us for a moment while we mourn its loss.

The Stinger was never the most sophisticated saloon, but it was a big, soft grand tourer with an eight-speed auto gearbox and a proper chunk of torque that meant it didn’t mind a bit of sideways action. It was a proper halo car for Kia.

“The launch of the Stinger will go down as a transformative moment for Kia,” said Kia's UK boss Paul Philpott after its death was announced. “Its driver-focused 'grand tourer' credentials, paired with Kia's reputation for vehicle quality and design, made it an incredibly compelling car for drivers. At the same time, it also had a transformative effect on how people saw Kia.”

We’re assured that all existing orders for the Stinger (if there were any, boo) will be fulfilled by Kia UK, though the car will remain in production in South Korea. On our shores we’re told that the new flagship will be the 577bhp EV6 GT. 

First deliveries of that car will begin at the end of this year, and you can read our full review by clicking these blue words. It might be good, but it’s not a V6-engined sports saloon...