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2018 Kia Stinger GT Long-Term Review Update | It's an ideal grand touring car

When you think GT car, you probably conjure up images of European sports coupes. Aston Martin DB11s, Ferrari Portofinos and the like. Surely you think of the Maserati Gran Turismo, its name literally being the long form of GT. They all share some key features. They're incredibly beautiful and stylish, they're very fast and they're actually reasonably comfortable and practical. You know what else fits that description? Our 2018 Kia Stinger GT. It nails all those criteria, and for a heck of a lot less money than those exotic coupes. First off, the Stinger GT is arguably the most distinct and exciting car in its small-to-midsize luxury sport sedan segment. It looks hunkered down over its massive 19-inch wheels. The proportions are proper with a long nose, short deck, and plenty of space between the front wheels and the base of the windshield. Its fastback shape both evokes classic coupes while also disguising its practical hatchback. It's a car with real presence wherever it goes, and the fact that it isn't selling in Camry numbers means that it's still rather cool to see one in the wild. In fact, when I came back from one of my press trips and was on the airport shuttle back to the parking lot, the driver became really excited when he saw I was driving our Stinger. He started asking me questions about it and how much he loved it when he saw it at the last Detroit Auto Show. So that's style nailed down. As for performance, the Stinger GT has plenty of that, too. Even though it's been in our fleet a few months, the twin-turbo V6 still impresses with its 365 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque. After just a minute delay when hitting the skinny pedal, boosted power hits with a rush, and of course that power is available throughout the rev band, meaning you never have to work the engine hard to go fast. It's coupled with an extremely composed chassis that doesn't lean too much, and is happy to leap into action at the behest of the very quick steering wheel. This all-wheel-drive model does feel a little less quick to turn in than the rear-drive model we had earlier this year, but it does also provide a certain feeling of security if the rear gets loose. Its big Brembo brakes bring the Stinger to a halt in a hurry, too, and with solid brake feel. It's all good enough that senior editor Alex Kierstein took one to a racetrack. The biggest issue I have with the car is the transmission.

2021 Kia Sedona's new look revealed as Korean-market Carnival

Last week, Kia showed teaser sketches of the next-generation Carnival, which we'll get as the 2021 Kia Sedona. Now the company has released actual photos of the minivan with the Carnival nameplate. No other information about powertrains or features have been announced, but there's plenty in the design to take a look at. Overall, the Sedona has a boxy, upright design seemingly more inspired by crossovers than traditional minivans. The low ride height and tall body do give it away as a van, though. Other crossover design cues include the faux skid plate panels on the front and rear bumpers. Look closer, and you find some really fascinating details across the van. At the front, you find an intricate variation on the Kia "Tiger Nose" grille with intersecting chrome diamonds. You'll also find that the LED running lights run out from the headlights and down the lower section of the grille surround. Hidden just inside the grille are the high beams for the headlights, and the lights each have chrome eyebrows. Along the side, a strong shoulder line blends into the door sliders, and the C-pillar is the most prominent of any modern Kia. It has a sort of chrome or aluminum finish with a light diamond cross-hatched pattern molded into it. At the back, there's a full-width taillight housing with LED elements. In the middle section, there are little chrome highlights just behind the red plastic adding another fine detail to admire. As previously mentioned, Kia only revealed photos of the new van, and no information on what's powering it or what other features it will have. It could continue using the 276-horsepower 3.3-liter V6 in the current Sedona, or it could upgrade to the 291-horsepower 3.8-liter V6 from the Telluride. There's also the possibility of using a turbocharged four-cylinder or possibly both a four-cylinder and a V6 depending on trim levels. We should know more closer to the on-sale date. It goes on sale first in South Korea at the end of the year's third quarter and other markets some time after. Related Video:    

How automakers stand to benefit from Iran

The big global news of late is a deal that sees a number of major powers easing some sanctions on Iran in return for the Middle Eastern nation scaling back its nuclear program. This thawing of relations between Iran and the West could have far-reaching impacts in both the near and long term, particularly on the auto industry.
As Bloomberg points out, foreign manufacturers, especially Kia and Peugeot, stand to win big by this short-term easing of sanctions. But the impact of opening up the Iranian market to larger-scale sales cannot be underestimated - Peugeot, for example, sold 457,900 units to Iran in 2011 as spare parts kits alone. Opening the Iranian market could also have a huge impact on the cost of oil, as the country was one of the largest producers in the OPEC consortium before firmer sanctions took effect in 2012. Still, as David Cohen, US undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence said, it's "not open season now for business in Iran."
Bloomberg has an excellent report of all the near-term effects an easing of sanctions has across a number of industries. Hop over and give it a look.