Kia line-up (2016 SEMA)
Each of their four Kia SEMA concepts is meant to
spark the imagination while exploring active and diverse lifestyles that range
from sports entertainment to business travel.
The four cars Kia prepared
for SEMA are the Niro Triathlon, the School of Rock Sedona, the Sorento Ski
Gondola and the Soul First Class. They've also brought along the
Telluride full-size hybrid SUV concept that was unveiled earlier this year at
NAIAS.
Starting with the autonomous Niro Triathlon, we
notice a cabin designed to relax and recharge its occupants, while still providing
excellent training and safety equipment. The vehicle was custom built by
LGE-CTS Motorsports as they removed the roof from the D-pillars back in order
to create a small bed that allows for a custom bike rack, tool box and tablet
computer mount. There's a safety laser bike lane light mounted to
the rear which actually illuminates a laser LED road behind the vehicle so that
the athlete can monitor speed, time and distance with the help of the tablet as
the Niro autonomously keeps pace.
With the School of Rock Sedona, Kia went about
creating a mobile recording studio that doesn't even come with a driver-side
B-pillar, a steering assembly and a gear selector anymore. What this
accomplishes is that it makes room for the digital mixing board and dual
flat-screen monitors on which an artist can record tracks. There's even a
microphone hanging from the ceiling, which vocalists are sure to appreciate.
The roof however serves as storage for the guitars, bass guitars and a wide
array of other instruments.
The Sorento Ski Gondola on the other hand is all
about taking the idea of a sport utility vehicle to new heights, literally. The
car was built to tackle snow and ice, getting you easily up to the top of the
mountain for some more fun. It features a set of Dominator Rubber Tracks,
custom metal roof rack, LED bars, custom door panels, dash and console, plus
even a personalized tablet.
As for the Soul First Class, it's a self-driving
custom model from LUX Motorwerks, featuring rear-facing seats, no steering
wheel and plenty of luxury enhancements meant to optimize work and rest.
There's even a 40" Samsung LED TV connected to a Mac mini computer system
and premium audio speakers throughout the cabin - itself presenting lots of
white and gray leather with modern gray wood flooring to match. The exterior
comes with a bright PPG Lux Blue finish, modified upper and lower grilles with
LED lighting and 19" Rotiform Monoblock CCV wheels.
Finally, the Telluride concepts is making its first
SEMA appearance, boasting the same impressive technology it presented in
Detroit back in January. It comes with 7-seats, suicide rear doors, health
sensors, therapeutic lighting and quite a few more clever features like the
Swipe Command gesture-control system.
