KIA builds its own 'Batmobile'

Published October 13, 2012 9:20pm

Holy set of wheels, Batman! South Korean carmaker Kia has teamed up with DC Entertainment and Rides Magazine to soup up a Kia Optima SX Limited vehicle that could be the Caped Crusader's next set of wheels.

^{Photo: Kia Motors/RIDES Magazine}

A report on tech site CNET said Kia heavily modified the Optima to be a prospective next version of the iconic Batmobile - and help a real-life heroic cause.

"The Batman-inspired Optima was built to raise awareness of DC Entertainment's 'We Can Be Heroes' giving campaign, a relief effort to fight hunger in the Horn of Africa and will be displayed at New York's Time Warner Center," it said.

The Batman-themed Optima sports a matte- and piano-black paint scheme, a dramatically lowered coilover suspension and muscular ground effects kit, huge Ksport performance brakes for extreme stopping power, custom-designed 20-inch black wheels and a performance exhaust system, CNET said.

Other modifications include a "custom front grille shaped like a batwing that took over 40 hours to create, yellow LED lighting accents throughout the vehicle and the iconic bat signal etched into the HID headlights."

Also, the Kia Batmobile comes with custom black leather and suede seats with yellow accent stitching —and a complete Batman costume, including cape and cowl tucked in the trunk.

Bad news for weapons enthusiasts, however: CNET said the upgrades are more visual effects than high-tech gadgets and weapons.

"So, no machine guns, remote voice control, or blast shields," it said.

CNET quoted Kia as saying the Optima Batmobile "signals the beginning of a 10-month partnership based on the iconic characters that make up the Justice League."

It said this may signal more superhero-themed cars from Kia in the coming months. — TJD, GMA News

Tags: kia, automobile, batmobile, motoring