Kia’s premiere appearance at the world famous Goodwood Festival of Speed sets pulses racing with the first UK public outing of the EV6 electric car and track focused one-off special ‘Stinger GT420’.
Starting on Thursday 8 July and running for four days until Sunday 11 July, the Goodwood Festival of Speed is a true celebration of motoring greats. With over 600 cars and motorcycles spanning all decades of motoring and motorsport, the event is unlike any other and has firmly established itself as the must-see event of year for motoring fans all over the world. Since the inaugural event held in 1993, the Festival of Speed has borne witness to the rapidly evolving world of transport, culminating in this year’s new addition; the ‘Electric Avenue – The Road to 2030’ presented by Sky Zero.
This new exhibit offers visitors the chance to take a look at the exciting world of electric vehicles in a spectacular new structure situated between the ‘Future Lab presented by bp’ and ‘First Glance Paddock’. Kia’s EV6 takes pride of place within the exhibition, showcasing the company’s latest electric car and its advanced technologies.
The Kia EV6
Fitting for its first public outing, the EV6 not only ushers in a new era for Kia, but also for the Festival of Speed, showcasing the very latest technology available powered by electric energy alone.
The EV6 heralds the start of Kia’s ‘Plan S’ strategy, which includes the introduction of a range of eleven electric cars by 2026.
Available in four different trim levels, the EV6 benefits from a long-range 77.4kWh battery pack that powers it to up to 316 miles range from a single charge. Accompanied by its 400/800V electric architecture, the EV6 is designed to charge from 10-to-80 per cent in as little as 18 minutes, or to add 60 miles of range in under five minutes when plugged into a 350kW ultra-fast charger.
The EV6 is based on revolutionary E-GMP (Electric-Global Modular Platform) technology, which allows for a flat floor and class-leading internal dimensions, evoking a spacious and relaxing cabin.
The Kia EV6 on display at the event is representative of the entry-level UK specification rear-wheel drive model, powered by a 168kW (226bhp) electric motor on the rear axle, with prices starting from £40,895.
Highly specified as standard, the entry-level EV6 includes: dark grey 19-inch alloy wheels with diamond-cut finish; electrically folding, adjustable and heated door mirrors; LED lighting all around; vegan leather upholstery; ambient lighting; heated front seats and steering wheel; dual automatic air conditioning; rear parking sensors; rain-sensing front wipers; engine Start/Stop button with Smart Entry System; and navigation-based Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go. Advanced driving aid systems include: Forward Collision Avoidance Assist (FCA) with city, pedestrian, cyclist and junction-turning functionality; Highway Driving Assist; and Drive Mode Select.
The sports-inspired EV6 ‘GT-Line’ and ‘GT-Line S’ models further up the ante with yet more technology on-board plus the option of a more powerful twin-motor all-wheel drive powertrain. UK customer deliveries of the new Kia EV6 will commence from October 2021 for ‘EV6’, ‘GT-Line’ and ‘GT-Line S’ models.
A further range-topping and high-performance ‘GT’ model will join EV6 range in 2022, powered by twin motors producing an impressive combined 430kW (577bhp) and all-wheel drive as standard. This helps launch the EV6 ‘GT’ from 0-60mph in a physics-defying 3.5 seconds.*
The ‘Stinger GT420’
Developed in-house, the one-off ‘Stinger GT420’ is a tour-de-force on the track where it was designed to belong and is on display in the celebrated ‘First Glance Paddock’.
Features include an uprated 3,342cc V6 twin-turbocharged petrol engine pumping out a staggering 422bhp and 560Nm torque, which compares to the standard fastback’s already phenomenal 365bhp and 510Nm torque.
Rescued from simply being resigned to the history books, the ‘Stinger GT420’ was in fact the first Stinger to arrive in the UK for final testing and tuning, in 2017. Destined for the crusher shortly after its road-going purpose had concluded, Kia decided to save the car from imminent doom and reinvent it as a track-focused special.
The car was fettled by Kia Motors UK (now Kia UK Limited) with advice and engineering assistance from Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Centre in Rüsselsheim, Germany.
Everything from the spark plugs to the exhaust and the interior were modified. HKS M45il spark plugs were employed for their enhanced combustion, a K&N sports air filter and a lightweight Milltek Sport quad-exit exhaust system with catalysts deleted were fitted in place of the factory item. The transmission was refined with added cooling and updated race-ready software to quicken gear changes, while the car’s original track was widened using OZ Racing Leggera rims shod with Pirelli Trofeo R tyres. Suspension was lowered using Eibach Pro springs over the car’s original dampers. Uprated front brakes with added ducting for cooling were added to ensure the GT420 can be stopped as quickly as it starts.
Enhancing the mechanical improvements, the car was put through a comprehensive weight-reduction that saw Kia’s Press Garage in Chippenham strip out most of the interior while adding in necessary racing safety precautions including a custom roll cage and Sparco race seats and belts.
Finishing the job are a host of visual enhancements including a new front splitter and rear diffuser, as well as a new rear spoiler by Air Design. The final pièce de résistance is an eye-catching wrap that integrates with the car’s HiChroma Red paintwork, looking sensational from every angle.
