At this year's SEMA show, Kia proved they quite literally have game, by introducing a team of five custom models targeting surfers, basketball fans, hockey fans, golfers and track fans. Let's start with the Rio5 prepped for the forthcoming Sports Car Club of America B-spec racing series, shall we?
Designed to compete with the likes of the MAZDA2, the hatch features a quick-release steering wheel, lightweight wheels, an interior roll cage, a racing seat and harness... Keep an eye out for it taking a podium finish at upcoming grassroots race series.
For enthusiasts who prefer pucks and sticks to asphalt and shredded rubber, Kia presented the Hat Trick Forte five-door. Its icy looks are defined by a metallic gray exterior and 19-inch blue alloy wheels. Inside, the car has a seriously sharp edge with a custom hockey stick compartment and custom rear bucket seats. To top it all off, is an Xbox 360 with LCD TVs for backseat drivers who might just want to play the NHL12 video game.
Golf much? Kia knows there are a lot of people out there who do...many of which admire player Michelle Wie. It's this crowd to whom the 2012 Kia Soul Hole-In-One is dedicated. A little bolder than the aforementioned models, it features a brilliant So Blue exterior clad in graphics of Wie's golf bags and wears dramatic 20-inch wheels. Like the other custom-built sports models, the Hole-In-One comes with an Xbox. But, unlike the others, it also comes with two golf bags and a collection of speakers to optimize sound.
Even drivers who prefer to ride on their board rather than in their car, were treated to a custom car. Coined the Retro Surf Rio5, it wowed more than a few groovy spectators with is 17-inch, three-piece gold wheels, roof-mounted wood-grain board, wood front splitter, plaid board-short-inspired seat covering.
No one, however, can argue that the slam dunk of the event was the Blake Griffin Kia Optima. Designed to pay homage to the Optima-leaping champ himself, it features a basketball-inspired exterior paint job, basketball-court-inspired flooring, and a Pop-a-Shot basketball hoop setup in the trunk... It even comes with a flat-screen TV and Xbox, indulging drivers to the posh lifestyle of a real basketball star.
Interested in learning whether or not these five models make it to the production line? Be sure to stay tuned. Pence Kia promises to let you know as soon as any official verdicts are made. In the mean time, we invite you to explore our fast-growing 2012 Kia lineup online, or in person at 11901 Midlothian Turnpike, Midlothian, VA..