We’ve written extensively about the Kia Stinger and its capabilities on this blog. Today we’re going to look at where the Stinger is made. This seems to be a straightforward question, but this car consists of many components (engine, transmission, tires, etc.) made in different parts of the world. Let’s start with a quick answer:
Kia Stinger manufactured from 2017 onwards are assembled in Gwangmyeong, South Korea, for the American market. Furthermore, the Smartstream engines it uses are made in Montgomery, Alabama. The 8-speed automatic transmission is made in Jigok, South Korea, or Rizhao City, China.
However, that certainly doesn’t answer the question entirely. Below, we’ll first dive into detail about the assembly location. After, that we’ll give you the complete rundown of where the engines are made, and we’ll do the same for all transmissions used in this vehicle. Finally, we’ll talk about how to identify which tires you have and where they are manufactured precisely. Read on!
Also read: 11 Common Problems Of The Kia Stinger
Assembly Locations
The first generation (2017 – present) of the Kia Stinger is assembled in Autoland Gwangmyeong in South Korea. This location was formerly also known as the Sohari plant. The factory has an output of 340,000 vehicles per year and is, therefore, one of the most important facilities of Kia. Besides the Kia Stinger, this plant also assembles the Carnival/Sedona, Rio, Stonic, and K9.
Besides the plant in Korea, the Stinger is also assembled in Kaliningrad, Russia, at a manufacturer that carries the name Avtotor. This company is one of the largest car assemblers in the world. Finally, the Stinger is also assembled in Ust-Kamenogorsk in Kazahkstan.
Engines
The engines of a Kia are always an exciting part to research. This is because Kia generally uses Hyundai engines for its cars. This is because Hyundai is the parent company of Kia. Hyundai designs and manufactures the engines, and Kia uses them in their cars. On the other hand, Hyundai does receive some transmissions from Kia whenever possible.
The Kia Stinger uses a 2.0L Theta II, a 2.5L Smartstream FR, and a 3.3L Lambda II petrol engine. Furthermore, it also has a 2.2L R II diesel engine.
The 2.0L Theta II engine is only manufactured in two places: Hyundai Motor Manufacturing in Montgomery, Alabama, or Kia Motors Slovakia in Zilina. The 3.3L Lambda II and 2.5L Smartstream FR engines are also made in Montgomery, Alabama. The 2.2L R II diesel engine is made in Gurugram, India, where Hyundai manufactures its diesel engines.
Also read: Types Of Gas A Kia Stinger Takes (Explained)
Transmissions
The transmission of the Kia Stinger is also designed and built by Hyundai. This is because Kia only started making transmissions at its plant in West Point, Georgia, in the past 5-8 years. Furthermore, they only have a limited selection (6-speed and 8-speed automatic) and a limited capacity to make them.
For the Stinger, Kia has therefore decided to go with an A8LR1 8-speed automatic transmission made by Hyundai TRANSYS. This company is a subsidiary of Hyundai and focuses on making transmissions and seating for Hyundai and Kia cars.
Since the Stinger is assembled in Korea, Russia, and Pakistan, likely, the transmissions aren’t made in the United States. This rules out the TRANSYS facility in West Point, Georgia. Instead, it’s much more likely that the transmission for the Stinger is made in Jigok, South Korea, or Rizhao City, China, since these facilities make automatic transmissions for Hyundai. R
Tires
By doing research online, we found out that the Kia Stinger has Michelin Pilot Sports 4 as its OEM tires. Michelin has dozens of facilities around the world, and, therefore, it’s difficult to say with certainty where they get their tires from for the Kia Stinger. However, we know that the Stinger is assembled in Korea for the American market.
For this reason, it’s logical that the tires are also produced in Korea. This is possible because Michelin has a facility in Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam, South Korea.
Who Designed The Kia Stinger?
The Kia Stinger was designed by Chief Design Officer Peter Schreyer and Gregory Guillaume.
Peter Schreyer became Chief Design Officer at KIA in 2006 after being an influential designer at the Volkswagen Group. At the Volkswagen Group, he designed several Audi’s and Volkswagens, including the first generation of the Audi TT.
At Kia, Schreyer has been responsible for designing 24 different generations of cars. Furthermore, he also created three generations of cars for Hyundai and three for Genesis.
Gregory Guillaume is Vice President of Design at Kia Motors Europe. Before this, he also worked at the Volkswagen Group, and he made the switch to Kia in 2005.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kia_Stinger
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Kia_design_and_manufacturing_facilities#Sohari_Plant
- https://www.motorreviewer.com/engine.php?engine_id=19
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyundai_Smartstream_engine
- https://stingerforum.org/threads/oem-gt-19-rims-and-tires-brand-new.15124/
- https://www.wfirm.com/complete-list-of-tire-dot-plant-codes/
Hi! My name is Stefan; I’m the owner and lead writer at TheDriverAdviser.com.
I’m an active writer on this blog myself, as well as a novice car mechanic. For the really technical stuff, I find writers with experience as a mechanic or who have studied mechanical engineering.
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