The Dark Knight can now add a cool looking Kia to his vehicle lineup. Now, we know that is an odd sentence given the fact that Kia has a range of passenger cars and the Batman chases bad guys in a large tank-like Toyota through the mean streets of Gotham. But bear with us, this new machine from the Hyundai subsidiary is uber cool and looks quite sinister.
Kia has teamed up with DC comics and Rides magazine to create this sinister looking Batman-inspired Optima as a part of its “We Can Be Heroes” campaign, an initiative to fight hunger in the Horn of Africa (WeCanBeHeroes.org). This is the first in a series of eight superhero themed cars that Kia will release as a part of the campaign.
To make it Batman ‘friendly’, the car (a top-end Optima SX Limited) has been given a matte and piano black paint job, lowered coilover suspension, body kit, performance exhaust and brakes along with massive 20 inch wheels. The visual list further includes a custom designed batwing-shaped grille, yellow LED light accents covering the whole underbody and Bat-signal shaped etched yellow HID lights in front. Under the hood, the Optima SX will still be powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine producing 274bhp.
Inside, along with all the usual features of the Optima SX, the seats have been trimmed in a custom black leather and suede with yellow stitching. Keeping with the crime fighting theme, Kia has included a Bat suit, cowl and throwing stars as a part of the package.
Speaking on the special edition Michael Sprague, executive vice president, marketing and communications Kia America said, "Batman is one of the most popular super heroes of all time, and showcasing in a fun and creative way Kia's top-of-the-line Optima SX Limited as a Batman-themed custom ride underscores this car's potent combination of premium features and turbocharged performance." This special edition will on display at the Time Warner Centre in New York as a part of the campaign.
