Power to Surprise Archives

KIA Stinger Becomes Centre Of Attraction @ “Revolution By Time Kulture” Event

With its sleek fastback silhouette and rear-wheel-drive proportions, the newly introduced Kia Stinger was the centre of attraction at the Revolution by Time Kulture Kia Stinger Exclusive Night, an evening dedicated for Naza Kia Malaysia’s business partners and loyal customer as the Revolution by Time Kulture’s Official Auto Partner. Guests who attended the exclusive event could not help but to stop and stare at the stunning sporty sedan that Naza Kia Malaysia recently unveiled to Malaysians just last week.

“With its apt tagline ‘The Power to Surprise’, the Kia Stinger ushers in a new era of innovation for the Kia brand while preserving its DNA, and is nothing short of a revolutionary benchmark for the future of Kia vehicles. The Kia Stinger is the brand’s fastest car yet and is a true gran turismo. With its blend of high performance and supreme comfort, it perfectly complements the lifestyle of those who appreciate world-class luxurious watch brands and other finer things in life,” said Dato’ Samson Anand George, Group CEO, Automotive Group, Naza Corporation Holdings Sdn Bhd (below, centre).

Naza Kia Malaysia is the Official Auto Partner of the fifth edition signature Revolution by Time Kulture event. Organised by Valiram Group’s Swiss Watch Gallery, the premium watch showcase themed “Temple of Speed” has visual references to the world of motorsports which inspires many luxurious watchmakers in their pursuit of high precision and accuracy.

The Revolution by Time Kulture exhibition was held at Centre Court, Pavilion, Kuala Lumpur recently.

REVIEWED: Kia Optima GT 2.0 T-GDI [+Video]

Would you believe that the Kia Optima GT has air-conditioned seats? Hard to imagine a car in this segment having such a feature, but I guess it came part and parcel in its CBU form, which also boasts a heated steering-wheel. No, really, I tried it, and it works…

Now apart from the Kia Stinger, which we featured here taking on a Porsche and BMW, Kia isn’t really a brand known for making exciting cars, I mean seriously, can you remember back in the year 2000 when Kia debuted the Optima looking like this?

Fast-forward to 2018, and now it looks like this:

Quite an amazing transformation over the last couple of decades wouldn’t you say? You can thank Peter Schreyer for that. But you know what, it’s not just in the way the car looks that’s mind-blowing, it’s the whole package really…

Powering the Optima GT is a 2.0-litre turbocharged gasoline direct-injection engine (T-GDI) with three drive-modes (Normal, Eco & Sport) that churns out a whopping 252bhp and 350Nm of torque, sent to the front wheels via a torque-converter 6-speed auto-tranny with paddle-shifts. This allows the Optima GT to complete the 0-100kmh sprint in 7.4sec.

The icing on the cake though, is the ‘manufactured’ engine note, that comes off sounding more like an old-school burbling V8 than an in-line four. This raspy and rumbling sound, clearly audible from the cabin, can be suppressed by selecting the ‘Eco’ drive-mode, but becomes even more pronounced when ‘Sport’ mode is selected.

It’s a brilliant car to drive, and here’s a short video of my take on it:

Perhaps the only downside to this car is its price tag. Coming in at around RM175,000 on the road without insurance, it falls squarely in Teana, Camry and Accord territory, and those 3 have dominated D-seg sales for the longest time haven’t they? Rhetorical question.

The funny thing is though, I reckon Kia knew this full well; I mean who wouldn’t know the market they’re trying to penetrate right? And yet, here it is, the Optima GT. It’s a lot of money to pay for an Optima, or even a Kia for that matter, a brand that has nowhere near the presence and steadfast-solid reputation of the aforementioned Big Three.

But maybe it’s exactly that bravado, that unabashed gall to even think of taking on the Big Three that sets this car apart from the rest. It had to be different, and it is. Unapologetically so.

There’s no denying it looks very good, but it also goes really well and offers the kind of NVH suppression that’s right up there with the best of them. And it also has the plus point of being absolutely, unbelievably bonkers when it comes to sheer power.

I doubt it’ll sell in vast numbers, and maybe it shouldn’t, for it’s own sake.

Being exclusive and brilliantly, unabashedly different in a segment that’s bordering on staid, the Kia Optima GT certainly stands out head and shoulders above the rest. – Chris Wee.

Kia Optima GT 2.0 T-GDI Photo Gallery…

KIA Brand Value Increases Globally In 2017

Kia Motors has been ranked among the highest valued brands in the world once again, according to Interbrand’s 2017 ‘Best Global Brands’ report. The latest study, released recently, confirms Kia’s brand value has grown 6% in the last 12 months, to US $6.68 billion.

“Kia’s continued efforts to evolve and redefine itself are critical to the sustained growth in its brand value” commented Mike Rocha, Global Director of Brand Valuation at Interbrand. “The launch of the Stinger (top) – Kia’s new and exciting fastback sports sedan, and the opening of ‘Beat 360’ (above) – a new sensory brand experience center in Seoul, fill me with high expectations of a bright future for the company.”

For the second year running, Kia is named the world’s 69^th most valuable brand in the report, its latest valuation representing a 645% increase in the value of the Kia brand since 2007. Now the 11^th most valuable automotive brand, Kia is ranked ahead of dozens of ‘household name’ consumer brands, as well as a host of volume, premium and luxury car manufacturers.

“This welcome rise in Kia’s brand value is a clear reflection of Kia’s continuous dedication to our customers,” Charles Suh, Senior Vice President of the Corporate Marketing Division at Kia Motors said. “This result provides us with further motivation to continue our mission to become the most desirable automotive brand in the eyes of consumers.”

What is The Power to Surprise?

The sustained growth in the value of the Kia brand is the result of company-wide efforts to cultivate a more emotional attachment between the company’s products and consumers in every market.

Now a byword for quality and reliability in the automotive sector, Kia has achieved the coveted first-place ranking in the USA’s J.D. Power Initial Quality Study for two years running. Ahead of all other car manufacturers for quality, Kia was also the highest-ranked brand in J.D. Power’s Vehicle Dependability Study in Germany and UK in 2017.

With such momentum, Kia Motors Corporation recently launched its first-ever premium sports sedan, the Stinger (below) and its new hybrid crossover Niro, which are designed to boost the desirability and dynamism of the Kia brand. Portraying a modern, forward-looking image, Kia’s latest products speak loudly about the company’s efforts to prepare motorists for the future, with advanced powertrains, innovative technologies, and premium quality and design.

Digital technologies are at the heart of Kia’s efforts to engage with consumers in markets all around the world. In Korea, Kia broadcasted the anticipated launching show of its new Stinger model live, giving media and consumers the chance to witness the unveiling of the powerful new car first-hand. In the USA, Kia launched the ‘NiroBot’, a Facebook Messenger service allowing users of the social media platform to ask about the new Niro and get instant ‘live chat’ responses.

Also in China, the brand introduced a ‘Kia Surprising Lab’ YouTube service, featuring the technologies at the heart of its latest cars, the K5, KX5 and KX7, which you can see in the short video clip below. All of these efforts illustrate how Kia utilizes relevant and evolving technologies to enhance digital experience and to stay connected with consumers at all times.

To accompany the ongoing growth in the company’s product line-up, official partnerships with the world’s most high-profile sports events continue to aid the strength of the brand. Sponsorship arrangements with FIFA, UEFA, NBA, LPGA and the Australian Open tennis championship have provided Kia with a wealth of opportunities to engage with young-at-heart consumers around the globe.

Stay tuned for our upcoming feature on why Kia is catching up fast with the more established Japanese brands! – Chris Wee.

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