KIA Teases Off-road Concept Vehicles Ahead of 2015 SEMA Show

Sorento, Forte get customized off-road accessories for Las Vegas specialty parts show

KIA will show off six highly customized vehicles that highlight different regions of the U.S. to go where few KIAs have gone before. When one thinks off-road adventure, perhaps an expedition vehicle or ATV can be seen traversing the desert or the lush forests of the Pacific Northwest. At the 2015 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, KIA wants to let others know that, even though they’re concepts, KIAs can join in on the fun too.

So far, KIA has given its fans a taste of two of the vehicles it will roll out on display at SEMA this year. From Nov. 3 to 6, those in attendance will get to see the imagination of KIA run wild. First up is the PacWest Adventure Sorento. The humble CUV certainly comes out of its shell with this unqiue concept.

This Sorento goes from CUV to utility vehicle as it takes on a tougher stance with a custom suspension. A snorkel intake and system makes it look like it belongs with the AEV Jeeps. The green exterior paintjob reflects the dense and beautiful forests of the Pacific Northwest. This Sorento would definitely feel at home in the garage of an explorer and in the rainy forests. While we probably won’t see a Sorento such as this at Jim Butler KIA, it is always fun to see what KIA can come up with.

While the Sorento can feel rugged with its available all-wheel drive, KIA took the improbable a step further with one of their vehicles you probably wouldn’t see in a desert environment: the Forte. While you could see a Forte in the suburbs of Chesterfield and St. Louis, it wouldn’t be the first vehicle on many minds when you ask for an off-road vehicle.

But the designers at KIA get to get their hands dirty with the Forte Koup Mud Bogger. The American South is represented by this truly one-of-a-kind Forte Koup. A four-inch body and suspension lift is paired with four 28-inch off-road tires. Though it might look out of its element, the Forte is anything but that. A panoramic roof with a vinyl pushback top was added, and the stripped-down interior where the carpet has been removed; the entire floor is lined with Line-X protective coating. The two Sparco Evo II Red Race Seats have replaced the seats you’d normally find in a Koup.

If you’d like to check out a Forte or Sorento of your own, call Jim Butler KIA at 636-256-9600 or contact us online. As your St. Louis KIA dealer, we invite you to check out our new Souls in-person at our Chesterfield dealership. If you’re in the St. Louis, Chesterfield Valley, Creve Coeur or Maryland Heights area, stop by our lot at 722 Long Road Crossing in Chesterfield.

A Place on the Podium: A Look at the World of KIA Motors Racing

Three racers from around the world drive KIA Optimas, Forte Koups on the track

KIAs are known for providing quality vehicles for daily use and outdoor adventurers. However, KIA also makes statements at the race track thanks to the KIA Motors Racing team!

Recently, KIA’s racing team earn podium finishes in back-to-back rounds in Elkhart Lake, Wis. These place the total number of podium finishes for five for KIA Motors Racing as the 2015 season reaches its halfway point.

But while the KIA racing team piles up the victories on the track, the team itself is a relatively recent development. KIA entered the world of motorsports in 2010 with the introduction of the Forte Koup. In order to show the change that the Koup would bring, it needed a place to demonstrate its prowess.

KIA teamed up with Kinetic Motorsports and its co-founder Nic Jonsson to race the then-new KIA Forte Koup. Jonsson won the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Street Tuner Driver Championship in 2011 behind the wheel of a Koup.

Since then, the sporty Optima, one of the best-selling cars in the country, became a mainstay on the KIA Motors Racing roster. The Optima’s racing highlights include besting brands like Forde, Porsche and Aston Martin with two pole positions, two victories and six podium finishes in 2012. In 2013, KIA was the first Korean brand to win the historic Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix, besting Honda, Mazda and BMW in its path.

The drivers behind the racing Optimas

Mark Wilkins

Two drivers take the wheel behind the Optimas in the racing circuit. Canadian Mark Wilkins and Englishman Ben Clucas pilot the turbocharged Optimas for KIA Motors Racing.

Since 2012, Wilkins has been racking up wins for KIA Motors Racing. His career highlights behind the wheel of an Optima include the win at the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix and a third-place finish in the Grand Touring Sport (GTS) Class Driver Championship.

Ben Clucas joined KIA Motors Racing in February of this year after racing Aston Martins for the past few years along with representing Kinetic Motorsports.

Ben Clucas

KIA Motors Racing will next take the track in Rounds 11 and 12 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, July 31 through August 2. KIA and racing fans can watch the previous race in Wisconsin on Wednesday, July 8 on CBS Sports Network at 8 p.m.

We at Jim Butler KIA hope you enjoyed this look at KIA Motors Racing, and good luck to Wilkins and Clucas!

To learn more about the KIA Forte and Optima, call Jim Butler KIA today at 636-256-9600 or contact us online. As your St. Louis KIA dealer, we invite you to check out our KIAs in-person at our Chesterfield dealership. If you’re in the St. Louis, Chesterfield Valley, Creve Coeur or Maryland Heights area, stop by our lot at 722 Long Road Crossing in Chesterfield. Here at Jim Butler KIA, you can make your new vehicle purchase with confidence. We are located in Chesterfield, MO, and serve as your St. Louis, Chesterfield Valley, Creve Coeur and Maryland Heights KIA dealer.

Take a look at our Optima inventory!

Check out our Forte Koup inventory!

Forte in Top 10 MSN best under $15k

KIA FORTE NAMED TO MSN AUTOS “TOP 10 CARS UNDER $15,000” LIST-Kia Compact Sedan Honored by Leading Online Automotive Resource

• Forte praised for offering advancements in style and performance
• Compact sedan heralded for overall value, style and comfort

IRVINE, Calif., June 9, 2010 – Recently announced as a top-rated sedan under $15,000 in the Edmunds.com Consumers’ Top Rated®1 vehicle awards for 2010, the Kia Forte has now been named to the “Top 10 Cars under $15,000” list by leading automotive Web site MSN Autos. Forte was recognized for its overall value, style, handling and functionality and utility.

"One of the first vehicles rolled out under Kia’s exciting new design direction, Forte offers consumers the whole package with sleek styling, standard safety features, an abundance of technology and immense value,” said Michael Sprague, vice president of marketing, KMA. “Receiving this recognition by such a well-respected outlet as MSN Autos further solidifies Forte as a leading contender in its segment and a viable choice among consumers.”

“No longer a second-class citizen, Kia's compact offering is a profound stylistic and mechanical advancement,” said Evan Griffey of MSN Autos.

Aiming to present consumers with a list of vehicles offering the best overall value, MSN Autos compared a number of new vehicles available in the market today based on style, comfort, standard features, safety and functionality and narrowed it down to their proposed 10 best.

Available in three trims, LX, EX and SX, pricing for the Forte sedan starts at $13,695 for the LX trim, while the EX begins at $15,995 and the SX starts at $17,4952. In addition to competitive pricing, Forte also comes well-stocked with a long list of standard amenities, starting with a AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio system outfitted with SIRIUS Satellite Radio capabilities with three months complimentary service3. Also standard on all models is an auxiliary audio input jack and USB port for connecting personal MP3 players as well as Bluetooth®4 wireless technology and connectivity with steering wheel-mounted controls, which enables hands-free operation for all compatible mobile phones.

All Forte models present an impressive combination of standard safety features with active front headrests, advanced two-stage airbags, front seat-mounted and side curtain airbags, four-wheel disc brakes with an antilock brake system (ABS), brake assist (BAS), electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), electronic stability control (ESC), a traction control system (TCS) and a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS).

[Source:Kia Media]