The Kia Stinger has stepped up to fill the void left by the Commodore, Falcon and, more recently, the Chrysler 300, with the NSW Police Force to take on the Korean performance car as a part of its patrol fleet.
Chrysler has reportedly withdrawn support for its 300 SRT, leaving the NSW Police Force once again searching for a replacement. The answer is the Kia Stinger, with around 200 vehicles to take to the road in police colours.
And it's not alone. CarsGuide sources have confirmed the new-look police fleet will consist of the BMW 530d, the Kia Stinger, and the BMW X5. Early suggestions suggest the the total numbers will be around 700 units of the 530d, 200 units of the Kia Stinger, and 100 units of the BMW X5.
The news wasn't exactly unexpected. The Chrysler brand was withdrawn from private sale late last year, meaning the clock was ticking on the Police contract. FCA has reportedly said it will no longer support the vehicles already in action on the police fleet.
Australia was already the last right-hand drive market globally offering Chrysler.
“The global push towards electrification and focus on SUVs has resulted in a consolidation of the overall product line-up in Australia,” FCA told us last year.
"Chrysler has held a special place in the heart of many Australians and we are proud of its history here.”
Kia has long help police aspirations for its Stinger, dressing its vehicles in police livery in an effort to highlight its suitability. The model is already on official duties in Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
It makes the second time the Stinger has followed in the Commodore's footsteps, with the first model arriving in Australian dealerships in 2017 - just four weeks after the final Aussie-made Holden rolled off the production line.
It will make a formidable police vehicle, with the top of the range Stinger GT listing for around $64k, and arriving with a 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 that produces a considerable 274kW and 510Nm. That pales in comparison to the Chrysler 300's big Hemi V8, which churns out 350kW and 637Nm.
Despite the grunt mismatch, the Kia is actually faster, reporting a 4.9s sprint to 100km/h, compared to five seconds flat for the Chrysler.
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