SEPTEMBER 20, 2017

Saad Chehab. The new chief of marketing for Kia was asked the following question by David Undercoffler, of Automotive News: "The Stinger is perhaps the greatest jump to date from Kia's heritage as an econobox-maker. How do you handle that from a marketing perspective?" His response? "You're talking about rear-wheel drive, twin-turbocharged, Brembo brakes, gran turismo styling, 0 to 60 faster than a Porsche Panamera [V-6], top speed braking faster than an Audi A7, looks that crush everything. When you look at this vehicle, you get the sense of the looks: the stance of Grace Kelly, the timeless elegance of a Sophia Loren and then the athletics of a gazelle. When you have all that put together, heck, yeah, I'm excited about advertising a car like this. It gives me the chills about the attitude of this brand, that it can do anything, anytime for anyone. And you should expect even more from this brand." Editor-in-Chief's Note: Does the ridiculous, over-the-top hype sound familiar? It should. This guy plied his trade at FCA under Olivier "I'm a genius, just ask me" Francois. And excuse me, a "stance of Grace Kelly," "elegance of Sophia Loren" and "looks that crush everything." Are you frickin' kidding me? Are we talking about the same monument to derivative design that borrows everything that wasn't tied down from about three other cars? That Stinger? Ah well, delusional thinking and unbridled hubris are always a blast to write about. -PMD

(McLaren Automotive)
This McLaren GT racing car has been confirmed as an exclusive choice for gamers in the highly anticipated PlayStation 4 title, Gran Turismo Sport, which will be available starting October 17, 2017. Read more about it and see more images in The Line.