One of the surprising highlights of the 2019 New York International Auto Show has turned out to be a limited edition of the Kia Stinger.

Branded as the Stinger GTS, just 800 units are planned to be built – and it looks like only North American buyers will get to join in the fun.

That’s despite the Stinger proving popular internationally, with everyone from English cricket players, to Australian police forces, finding love for them.

The reason Brits are not getting it? Our Stingers are rear-wheel drive only… and drift mode is only available on all-wheel drive Stingers. In the UK, it seems, drifting a Stinger is a manual affair.

Power to the chosen people

Those 800 lucky Stinger drift mode buyers are going to be rather excited, as this is not simply a case of Kia just slapping a coat of the exclusive bright orange ‘Federation’ paint on the Stinger GTS.

The GTS retains the same 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 engine as the GT, producing 365hp (272kW) and 376 lb-ft of torque (510Nm). An eight-speed automatic gearbox is standard.

With a choice of rear-wheel or all-wheel drive, the fun really begins by choosing an AWD GTS. A mechanical limited-slip differential is added to the rear axle, and the the Drive Mode Select gains a brand-new option.

Engage Drift Mode!

Just like the infamous Ford Focus RS, the Stinger GTS has a special ‘Drift Mode’ setting, which sends 100% of torque to the rear wheels.

It also holds the chosen gear without shifting up, allowing for ridiculous slides and the potential to attract attention from the local constabulary.

We imagine Kia would advise that Drift Mode is only ever used on a closed circuit, although some GTS buyers will undoubtedly try to gain social media clicks by doing it on the road.

Carbon captured

Along with the ferocious orange paint scheme, Kia has also fitted the Stinger GTS with a wealth of parts made from real carbon fibre. The lightweight material is used for the front grille surround, side mirror caps, and also the rear badges.

Alcantara is used to cover the steering wheel and the centre console, whilst imitation suede material makes an appearance on the black headlining. A panoramic sunroof is also standard, along with 720-watt Harman/Kardon sound system and wireless charging for compatible smartphones.

Kia has not yet released pricing for the GTS in the United States. Demand, we’re sure, is certain to be high.

With millions of video gamers getting behind the wheel of a virtual vehicle each day, Ford is now getting involved with the esports world. 

The company is looking to recruit the best gamers from across Europe, bringing them together to compete for its brand-new Fordzilla team. 

An official launch at the Gamescom video games trade fair in Cologne, Germany demonstrates how seriously Ford is taking the virtual world. 

Initial recruits will come together to form national Fordzilla teams in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain. The top players from each national team will then form an overarching European team.

These teams will compete in a number of different racing games, with Microsoft’s Forza Motorsport series primed to be top of the playlist. 

Ford notes that millions of players get involved with Forza each month. Significantly, 1 million of them pick to play with vehicles wearing the Blue Oval badge. The classic 1965 Ford Transit was recently added to Forza Horizon 4. 

Last year, Ford became the first manufacturer to launch a vehicle at the Gamescom show. The Ranger Raptor pickup truck made a virtual debut in a trailer for the Forza Horizon 4 game, months before the real version hit the dirt. 

Ford’s interest in esports is clearly not just to find a way to get access to the latest video games. The global audience for esports has reached almost 460 million people, making it a prime marketing opportunity. 

With the average video gamer in their early thirties, this represents a substantial potential customer base for Ford. Video games can offer an effective virtual test drive experience for new cars.

Manufacturers have used real-world motorsport to demonstrate the abilities of their products since the earliest days of the automobile. Entering esports is simply doing the same, but in a virtual world.

Roelant de Waard, vice president of Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford of Europe said: “We at Ford have a racing pedigree that others can only envy.

“Now is the time to take that know-how and apply it to the world of esports – capturing the imagination of a new generation of virtual racing drivers, inspiring them to take a ride in one of our Ford Performance vehicles”.

The world of esports has already gained substantial recognition in 2019. A recent announcement from the FIA noted that esports would be included in the first-ever Motorsports Games. Global revenues from virtual racing are also expected to exceed $1.1 billion for this year. 

Nissan’s successful Juke crossover has been on sale since 2010 and is ripe for a replacement. The firm has now told us to save the date of September 3rd: the all-new 2020 Nissan Juke will be revealed. 

The current Juke remains a head-turner on the road, thanks to its distinctive styling that borrows more than a little from Nissan’s Z-badged sports cars.

At launch, it was the world’s first modern small crossover, and its characterful lines have kept it competitive in an increasingly crowded sector.

The new car should build on this, while bringing in some other more contemporary Nissan styling elements, such as the ‘V-Motion’ grille. Imagine classic Juke tropes in combination with elements from some of the marque’s latest concepts, such as the GT-R 2020 Vision Gran Turismo and Gripz. 

It was one of the first cars of this type to scatter its lighting across the front end, with the day-running lights living up top. On the new car, while the shape is classic Juke, the lighting will be as zany as the rest of the design.

The Clio’s Japanese crossover cousin?

The previous Juke shared much of its underpinnings with the fourth-generation Renault Clio that followed it. The hot Nismo version got the Renault Sport Clio’s engine, and even a manual gearbox (when the Clio sadly went without). 

The new car will share the latest Clio and Captur’s CMF-B (common module family) platform. The new car will gain 106 mm in its wheelbase, which should make for a near class-leading cabin for roominess. Expect better legroom in the back, a bigger boot, plus higher quality materials and an impressive arsenal of tech. 

Given how long-lived the current Juke has been, the new one should be geared up to the gills. Reports from those that have driven early prototypes suggest that Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be available on an 8-inch touch screen. Wifi will also be available via an embedded 4G SIM.

The only engine at launch will be the Micra’s 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol with 117hp, while manual and dual-clutch automatic gearboxes will be available.

As for electrified variants? We’d bet folding money that a plug-in variant will be out before long, not dissimilar to the imminent Captur PHEV. An all-electric variant is also possible.