Kia Delivers Vehicles to 2018 Australian Open
For 17 years, Kia has partnered with the Australian Open, and this year the automaker is handing over 120 vehicles to be used during the tournament
Photo: Kia Media
Champion tennis player Lleyton Hewitt put aside his time on the court to spend some significant time behind the wheel of a Kia Stinger. After completing a journey from Brisbane to Melbourne, a distance of approximately 1,700 km, Hewitt along with Rafael Nadal, tennis champion and Kia global brand ambassador, relinquished the Stinger’s keys into the eager hands of the 2018 Australian Open coordinators.
Check Out: 2018 Kia Stinger
The handoff signified Kia’s 17-years running partnership with the tennis tournament, which runs from Jan. 15 – Jan. 28 this year, and the willingness of the automaker to supply tournament players, notable guests and officials with incredible transportation options. This year, tournament participants will get to experience the Kia Carnival SUV, Hewitt’s just-driven Stinger, and the Kia Sorento SUV; in total, Kia Motors will be unloading 120 of its finest vehicles for tournament purposes.
“The first sign of the Australian Open is the sight of Kia cars all over Melbourne, ferrying the world’s best tennis players between the city and Melbourne Park.” said Craig Tiley, Chief Executive Officer at Tennis Australia, “We are proud of our longstanding partnership with Kia, and thrilled once again to accept the fleet of Kia vehicles that are such a vital part of the successful running of the Australian Open.”
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The 2018 Kia Stinger is available at five trim levels: Stinger, Premium, GT, GT1, and GT2, and features two engine choices: a twin scroll turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder and a twin turbocharged 3.3-liter V6. Both engines are mated to Kia’s engineered eight-speed automatic transmission.
The 2018 Kia Sorento is available at seven trim levels: L, LX, LX V6, EX 2.0T, EX V6, SX, and SL Limited and features three engine options: a 2.4-liter DOHC 16-valve inline four-cylinder, a 3.3-liter DOHC 24-valve V6, and a turbocharged 2.0-liter DOHC 16-valve inline four-cylinder. The engines are mated to an electronically controlled six-speed automatic transmission with overdrive.
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