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Kia Motors Corp.'s much-awaited Stinger sports car on Tuesday went on sale in the domestic market, with preorders hitting the 2,000 mark.
The country's second-biggest carmaker by sales has added the sports sedan to its lineup to help enhance its brand image and better compete with rivals in the global markets.
The Stinger comes in three engines -- a 2.0 turbo, a 3.3 twin-turbo, and a 2.2 diesel engine -- all mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox. The 3.3 turbo with 370 horsepower on tap and 52.0 kilogram-force meters of torque can push the car from naught to 100 kilometers per hour in 4.9 seconds, Kia said in a statement.
Kia's first real sports car starts at 35 million won (US$31,000) in the domestic market and the prices rise to 49 million won depending on features such as the all-wheel-drive function, it said.
The Stinger will carry an independent Stinger badge without the KIA logo domestically. But it will be sold overseas with the KIA logo, which is expected to boost sales, a company spokesman said.
The company has yet to decide on the Stinger's time frame for export.
The Stinger carries seven airbags in all models and a launch control function, an electric aid to assist drivers in accelerating rapidly from a standing start.
Customers can selectively choose safety features such as highway driving assist, forward collision-avoidance assist, lane keeping assist and driver attention warnings.
Kia, an affiliate of Hyundai Motor Co., introduced its Audi A4 challenger at motor shows held in Geneva, Detroit and Seoul from January to March.
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