-       Niro, Carnival, Sorento and Soul ‘reimagined’ as self-driving machines

-       Bespoke models explore active and diverse lifestyles: sports, entertainment, and business travel

-       Telluride SUV concept makes first appearance at SEMA 2016

16 November 2016 – Kia Motors America (KMA) has unveiled four all-new customised vehicles at the 2016 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas, envisioning a future in which vehicles will not only drive autonomously, but are tailor-made to suit owners’ lifestyles. Also making its SEMA debut is the Telluride full-size hybrid SUV concept that was first unveiled earlier this year at the North American International Auto Show. 

“Over the course of our 22 years in the North American market we’ve watched with pride as our vehicles have helped to enrich active and diverse lifestyles,” said Michael Sprague, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, KMA. “This year’s SEMA show gives us the opportunity to take another step into the future and ponder the future of the autonomous driving lifestyle.

“A total of five custom vehicles were showcased on our SEMA booth, each reinterpreting how day-to-day driving needs can be met in a thought-provoking, imaginative and creative way.”

Niro Triathlon           

Any professional athlete will recognise that it can be a long and lonely road to success, and triathletes know this better than anyone else. All-night training, often alone in remote locations, makes for a challenging and isolating experience. Kia’s autonomous ‘Niro Triathlon’ offers refuge in a cabin designed to relax and recharge, while also providing cutting-edge training and safety equipment.

Custom built by the master craftsmen at LGE-CTS Motorsports, the 2017 Niro hybrid has been transformed into a true crossover-utility lifestyle vehicle. Removal of the roof from the D-pillars back creates a small bed and allows for the bespoke bike rack, tool box and computer tablet mounting. The Felt IA 2 road-racing bike can be easily removed or locked in place for efficient repair work. The ONEU safety-laser lane-light mounted to the rear illuminates a laser LED road behind the vehicle, allowing the athlete to easily monitor speed, time and distance covered via the tablet while the Niro autonomously keeps pace.

The tablet can also be attached inside the vehicle for entertainment or performance analysis while the Niro drives the athlete home or to the next competition. Riding on a two-inch lowered suspension, the ‘Niro Triathlon’ is equipped with 265/35R-18 Dunlop Direzza sport tyres and lightweight 18-inch Method Rally Race wheels.

Removal of the passenger side B-pillar facilitates easy entry into a cabin designed for comfort and efficiency. The back door has been modified to open on a rear-pivot hinge, while the front door has been redesigned to open wider than a stock Niro, to a full 90 degrees. Not required to focus attention on the drive, the athlete is cosseted in an ultra-comfortable Human Touch ‘zero-gravity’ ergonomic reclining chair. Numerous custom cabinets hold essential supplies, attire and parts, and a portable shower allows for a quick post-race wash.

School of Rock Sedona

One of the most intriguing aspects of the autonomous life is the safety aspects associated with eliminating human error while behind the wheel. This is especially true when children are involved, and Kia imagines a world in which vehicles will one day transport children autonomously and safely to accommodate their busy lives.

Partnering with School of Rock, a leading performance-based music education institution, Kia supplied LGE-CTS with a Carnival minivan (known as Sedona in the U.S.) for a creative session with all concerned, and the ‘School of Rock Sedona’ gig van was born. This rolling recording studio features everything aspiring musicians crave: a studio, a place to chill and a completely hands-free way of transporting the band to the next gig. The stunning hand-painted School of Rock imagery hides the strong bones of the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ and NHTSA 5-Star rated Carnival, so parents can be assured that their children arrive at the show safely.

Significant enhancements to the Carnival include the removal of the driver-side B-pillar, steering assembly and gear selector. This makes room for a digital mixing board and dual flat-screen monitors to record tracks. Front-mounted near-field speakers pump out the tunes and, when a track is being laid down, the ‘recording’ light mounted on the roof illuminates.

Vocalists will appreciate the boom mic that hangs from the ceiling, and studio quality acoustic foam panels line the interior to reduce exterior noise during intense recording sessions.

Should the band decide to host an impromptu roadside show, the Carnival’s lift-gate flips open to reveal an imposing stack of amplifiers. There is also storage on the roof for guitars, bass guitars and a myriad other instruments. Fun and comfortable custom bean bags allow the band members to relax or jam in style.

For its distinctive paintwork, the Carnival has a base of candy red, contrasting with white, tan and black accents, completed with hand painted School of Rock logos and music-inspired icons. While no modifications were made to the suspension, the ‘School of Rock Sedona’ rides on flat-black painted 20-inch Vossen VFS-6 wheels that are wrapped in aggressive Toyo Proxes 255/45R-20 tyres.

Sorento Ski Gondola

Taking the idea of a sport-utility vehicle to new heights, Kia teamed up with LUX Motorwerks to tackle snow and ice with a custom-built Kia Sorento. Allowing skiers to reach the top of the mountain for another off-piste run, the luxurious and self-driving ‘Sorento Ski Gondola’ is all about climbing to higher ground in style, comfort and warmth. 

Dominator Rubber Tracks, powder coated orange, make this gondola a limitless cold-weather machine. A custom metal roof-rack supplies ample storage for skis and poles, while the cargo area provides abundant space for boots, bags and other gear. This is all easily accessible as the B-pillars have been removed, and the rear doors have been converted to suicide-style doors. Up front, the Sorento’s headlights have been painted black, silver and orange, and LED light bars have been installed for increased visibility in all conditions.

The ‘Sorento Ski Gondola’s’ interior has been upgraded with custom door panels, dash and centre console, which houses a personalised tablet. The interior has also been given a reboot of black and orange leather to complement the orange and PPG Silver Metallic paint of the Sorento’s exterior. Throughout the interior the floor was given a durable waterproof Line-X treatment to protect against the ice and snow that may find its way inside.

Soul First Class

The ‘Soul First Class’ is an upscale inter-city chariot that lets business travellers work and relax as they journey to out-of-town meetings and destinations. This self-driving bespoke creation from LUX Motorwerks – with its rear-facing seats, absence of steering wheel and wide array of luxury enhancements – is about optimising work and rest amid the hectic schedule in one’s professional life.

Eliminating the need for a driver, the ‘Soul First Class’ has a revamped front dash which now houses two rear-facing front seats. The Soul’s passengers are then greeted by a 40-inch Samsung LED TV connected to an Apple Mac mini computer system with premium audio speakers. A custom motorised centre console reveals two tablets which control this futuristic Kia. To match the cutting-edge system is first-class comfort, with a white and grey, diamond stitched, leather-clad cabin, with modern grey-wood flooring to match.

The Soul’s exterior brings about the same level of luxury as the interior, with PPG Lux Blue paint and modified upper and lower grilles with LED lighting. The 19-inch Rotiform Monoblock CCV wheels bring a modern vibe to the car’s exterior and round out the complete

autonomous vehicle inspired overhaul.

Telluride Concept 
Glimpsing a future that is grounded in reality, the Telluride, a striking three-row, seven-passenger, luxury hybrid SUV concept, features a modern and upright shape, muscular stance, and state-of-the-art technology to care for its occupants. Purely conceptual, the Kia Telluride is based on an existing platform and reveals the brand’s interest in potentially offering a premium SUV positioned above the current Sorento.

The Telluride’s front doors and rear-hinged back doors swing open 90 degrees in opposing directions, creating an expansive and inviting portal into the panoramic interior space and revealing a technological showcase. Four black leather ‘captain’s seats’ appear to float within the spacious cabin in front of a folded third-row bench. The large cabin allows the middle seats to recline nearly flat and include large fold-away footrests for extra comfort.

All four seats include a series of precise diamond-cut openings in the seatback, each embedded with Smart Sensors to capture a passenger’s vital health information. These vitals are displayed on the interior door panel screens, which then systematically synchronise with a Light Emitted Rejuvenation (LER) system. The LER system utilises a massive, wing-shaped LED panel mounted beneath the oversized sunroof that displays a pattern of therapeutic light to treat desynchronosis (jetlag) and improve the passengers’ energy levels.

Telluride’s interior and exterior were penned at the brand’s California-based studio, Kia Design Center America (KDCA). Finished in Dark Pyrite green paint, the tall stance is amplified by the overall size of the vehicle. At 1,800 mm tall, 2,009 mm wide and 5,001 mm long, Telluride is 112 mm taller, 119 mm wider, and a sizable 241 mm longer than the current Sorento. Underpinning the Telluride is a modified Sorento chassis with a wheelbase stretched 302 mm to 3,081 mm, giving Telluride a dominating presence. Its modern and muscular appearance is accentuated by flared bumpers stretching around massive 22-inch five-spoke wheels wrapped in Hankook® Ventus ST 275/45R22 tyres.

Telluride’s front fascia incorporates a much larger version of Kia’s signature tiger-nose grille, and its menacing face brings an attitude all of its own with recessed quad-LED headlamps, pronounced horizontal LED indicator lights, and an aggressive polished-metal skid plate below the bumper. In the rear, thin vertical rear lights align with the modern design language of the SUV, while consistent styling cues across the front and rear door handles, bonnet scoops and dual exhaust tips enhance the vehicle’s solid appearance.

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About Kia Motors Europe

Kia Motors Europe is the European sales, marketing and service arm of the Kia Motors Corporation. With its headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, it covers 30 markets in Europe.

About Kia Motors Corporation

Kia Motors Corporation (www.kia.com) – a maker of quality vehicles for the young-at-heart – was founded in 1944 and is Korea's oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles. Over 3 million Kia vehicles a year are produced in 10 manufacturing and assembly operations in five countries which are then sold and serviced through a network of distributors and dealers covering around 180 countries. Kia today has over 50,000 employees worldwide and annual revenues of nearly US$44 billion. It is the major sponsor of the Australian Open and an official automotive partner of FIFA – the governing body of the FIFA World Cup™. Kia Motors Corporation's brand slogan – "The Power to Surprise" – represents the company's global commitment to surprise the world by providing exciting and inspiring experiences that go beyond expectations.

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