AD #2238 – Kia Hopes the Stinger Can Change Perceptions, Aston Martin Up for Sale, Toyota Reveals New Robot
November 21st, 2017 at 11:53am
Runtime: 8:13
0:31 Volvo To Supply Uber With AVs
1:04 Aston Martin Up for Sale
2:23 Chinese OEMs Improve Safety
3:03 Lincoln Refreshes the MKC
3:33 Toyota Reveals New Robot
4:47 Kia Hopes the Stinger Can Change Perceptions
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On today’s show…Aston Martin wants the world to know it’s up for sale…Chinese cars used to have the worst crash ratings, now they’re getting 5-stars…and Kia wants the Stinger to change perceptions about the brand. All that and more coming right up on Autoline Daily.
This is Autoline Daily the show for enthusiasts of the automotive industry.
VOLVO TO SUPPLY UBER WITH AVs
Volvo and Uber just put a big stamp of approval on autonomous technology. Uber will buy up to 24,000 self-driving vehicles from Volvo between 2019 and 2021. They will be outfitted with Uber’s self-driving technology, even though Volvo is developing its own autonomous tech, which won’t show up in a vehicle until 2021. Even though a lot of people think that self-driving cars are years away, this development shows that AVs are right around the corner.
ASTON MARTIN UP FOR SALE
Aston Martin is having one of its best years in nearly a decade and it hopes to keep the momentum going with the introduction of an all-new Vantage model. Note the exterior changes. The signature grille was shoved all the way down to the lower part of the fascia and is larger. The headlights are more aggressive-looking. The rear end tapers more to the bottom of the back glass, which really accentuates the width of the rear, which is aided by a light bar that extends all the way across and wraps into the side fenders. Andy Palmer, Aston’s CEO says the company’s main shareholders may sell the company or do an IPO. Palmer said it makes sense for them to consider this while the company is on a roll. It’s coming out with an SUV in two years.
Toyota has been developing humanoid robots for a dozen years and coming up next, we’ll show you what its latest model can do.
CHINESE OEMs IMPROVE SAFETY
Chinese cars used to have horrific safety problems. Look at this Land Wind video from a decade ago, where the airbag deploys, but then the steering column almost takes the crash dummy’s head off. But the Chinese have learned a thing or two over the last decade. SAICs LDV T60 truck, and the Haval H2, a small SUV, just received 5-star safety ratings from the Australian crash test program. Haval says its next round of SUVs will have new technology, like autonomous emergency braking and lane assist systems.
LINCOLN REFRESHES THE MKC
Lincoln is in the process of putting the front-end styling of the Continental on its entire lineup and now it’s the MKC’s turn. And it gave a few other minor tweaks to the front and rear to help enhance the CUVs styling. For an extra dab of luxury, Lincoln has created 3 Black Label themes for the new MKC, which include a host of premium materials. Look for it to go on sale in the summer of 2018.
TOYOTA REVEALS NEW ROBOT
Toyota really believes that robots will turn into a big business someday. It just revealed the third-generation of its humanoid robot, called T-HR3. It features controls that a human operator wears that allows the robot to mimic movements made by the operator. It also comes with goggles that allow the user to see what the robot sees in 3D and real-time. The goal is to research how robots can interact with humans and assist people at home, in medical facilities, construction sites, or even outer space.
Coming up next, we’ll tell you why Kia thinks the Stinger will change people’s perceptions of the brand.
KIA HOPES THE STINGER CAN CHANGE PERCEPTIONS
You all know who Kia is. But amazingly, something like 40% of Americans are unfamiliar with the brand. With brand ambassadors like LeBron James and the hamsters, maybe that number has come down. But this is a key reason why Kia is introducing the Stinger.
Michael Sprague, COO & Exec. Vice President, Kia Motors America
“We believe that the Stinger is really kind of the inflection point for the brand. Particularly if you look at Kia’s history, we came in 1994. From ’94 through 2008 we developed kind of low cost, good fuel economy, safe vehicles that were kind of nondescript. In 2009 with the launch of the Soul it was the beginning of the transformation. Great design, great technology, great quality, great safety, but people kept telling us they wanted more… So, why are we doing the Stinger? One is, we introduced it at the Frankfurt auto show as a concept in 2011. The media told us to build the car. Consumers told us to build the car. Our dealers told us to build the car. Everybody said you have to build this car. We had a great designer in Peter Schreyer, but we really needed the performance aspects because we wanted the car to drive as good as it looks. We brought Albert Biermann (former BMW M executive) on and he had his hands on the vehicle. And now it truly is a phenomenally driving vehicle, it’s great fun to drive. So, I think it really will transform the brand. I think people will look at us very differently than how they looked at us before. They’ve looked at us really well from 2009 to the current product offerings, but this really sets us apart.”
Let’s see, a rear-drive based performance sedan that handles pretty darn well and has the option for a 365-horsepower twin-turbo V6 with all-wheel drive. Yeah, I’d say you’re setting yourselves apart and can change people’s perception of the brand. The real question is will the Stinger sell?
Orth Hedrick, VP of Planning & Strategy, Kia Motors America
“Kia really does the best when we do things a little bit different. I think for us, we really see Stinger as a segment of one. It’s positioned very similar to a premium mid-size sedan, starting at $32,000, for a fully loaded model up to about $52,000. So, it spreads a wide range. But in addition to that, because of its size, the price and the performance profile there’s really nothing else out like that in the marketplace. And I think for us that’s going to give us an attraction for those folks who are in a mainstream brand, but perhaps also some of those folks who are in premium brands who are just sick and tired of making $800 – $900 a month payments. But they still love the look and feel of a sports performance sedan. So, we’re interested in seeing a broad appeal, which we think we’re going to have.”
Now that you’ve got the “why” and the “who,” let’s get to the “when.” Kia expects Stingers to start arriving on dealer lots in December. And stay tuned for our driving impressions of the all-new Stinger. Those will be coming soon.
And that brings us to the end of today’s show. Thanks for watching and please join us again tomorrow.
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November 21st, 2017 at 12:08 pm
Good luck to Kia. I mean really the K900 was a big success. And that starting price in the low 30′s will be pig plus when competing against BMW 3 series. And I’m certain that it will compete well against say a Dodge Charger.
November 21st, 2017 at 12:10 pm
Oh and I neglected to mention it is sure to beat the pants off a Cadillac ATS.
November 21st, 2017 at 12:18 pm
It’s hard to shake a corporate image. Kia entered the market as a cheap alternative and that’s still how they are viewed by most. I know around here residual values for Kia/Hyundai isn’t great, they are though of as throw away cars.
November 21st, 2017 at 12:19 pm
Kia is just catching up; looks like a nice platform for good money. The ATS (and the CTS) are going away; it will be replaced by probably a CT4 or CT5 (then it might be fair to make comparisons).
November 21st, 2017 at 12:23 pm
What is with those 70′s style shirts the Kia Guys were wearing?
November 21st, 2017 at 12:43 pm
I’m no expert but the Stinger reminds me of the Chevrolet SS which did poorly. Might be a good car but so was the Chevy.
November 21st, 2017 at 12:58 pm
Glad to see Lincoln is integrating the new grill across the board as I always thought the fish gill grills were so ugly.
So is the Stinger the same platform as the Hyundai Genesis?
November 21st, 2017 at 1:18 pm
The Aston looks good with its bigger grill; wonder, if as with the Corvette, it needed extra cooling (for what’s under the hood). Looks good none the less (the whole car for that matter).
November 21st, 2017 at 1:46 pm
Aston needed to change the grill to make it look less like the Fusion, which copied their grill a few years ago. I think it looks good.
It looks like the Stinger is based on the Genesis G80 platform, but uses a turbo 4 rather than a NA V6 as standard engine, and will be less well equipped. $32K seems kind of high for a Kia sedan, unless it is well equipped in base form.
November 21st, 2017 at 1:48 pm
@Lex – The whole Kia Stinger event had a 70′s theme to it, including the hotel we stayed in. The Kia folks decided to carry this theme over to their shirts as well.
November 21st, 2017 at 1:49 pm
@Lambo2015 – From what I can find, the Stinger is built on a shortened version of the Genesis platform with some additional steel reinforcement.
November 21st, 2017 at 3:55 pm
A 50k Kia?! I would have a hard time paying 30k for one. Kia came to the market building absolute garbage. The name is soiled and sounds like something cheap anyway. If they want to succeed, change the name. Styling is kinda boring too.
November 21st, 2017 at 5:41 pm
Drove a 2018 Sportage SX,not impressed. Significant turbo lag, disappointing materials inside but rode nice and very quiet. Comparable Escape Titanium w/2.0 turbo much nicer and not much more.
November 21st, 2017 at 6:31 pm
Unless I’m forgetting, the only Kia I’ve ridden in or driven, was a Ford Aspire. They have come a long way since then.
November 22nd, 2017 at 2:18 am
Toyota robots look to be a good answer for: Fukushima Daiichi; Chernobyl, and; Hanford.
Bob Wilson
November 22nd, 2017 at 10:50 am
#15 Good point Bob. Robots would be great for those tasks that put humans at risk like around radioactive material bomb squad or extreme heat or cold assuming the robot can handle it.
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:49 am
Robots have been used for years in dangerous environments, but generally wheel or track vehicles, not humanoid.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jul/23/fukushima-images-show-massive-deposits-thought-to-be-melted-nuclear-fuel
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:54 am
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/robots/g795/3-robots-that-braved-fukushima-7223185/