Driving the Justice League
Originally published at The Preternatural Post. Please leave any comments there.
If vampires drive Volvos, ever wonder what superheros (or their secret identities) drive? Turns out, the superheros that make up the Justice League drive Kias. Of course, these aren’t just your everyday Kias. These are five radical, one-of-a-kind rides inspired by superheros, built by West Coast Customs, RIDES and Super Street and featuring custom artwork by DC Entertainment co-publisher and legendary comic book artist Jim Lee. They debuted at the SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) Show this past weekend in Las Vegas, NV, USA.
“It was a thrill to see custom cars based upon my Justice League artwork and sketches revealed at SEMA,” said Lee. “I have to tip my hat to the teams at West Coast Customs, RIDES and Super Street on their innovative work creating cars that represent iconic characters like Green Lantern, Cyborg, Aquaman and The Flash - all to benefit a great cause We Can Be Heroes, and I’d like to thank Kia Motors America for supporting We Can BeHeroes.”
Each Justice League Character was assigned a specific Kia vehicle based on personality and key attributes to create these five Iconic Works of art on wheels. The Flash Forte Coupe, Aquaman Rio 5-door, Cyborg Forte 5-door, Green Lantern Soul and Batman Optima are intended to raise awareness for DC Entertainment’s We Can Be Heroes giving campaign to help fight the hunger crisis int he Horn of Africa.
The Flash Forte Koup
The Flash is known for his speed, drive and commitment to fighting crime, so it’s fitting that he’s been paired with the sleek and speedy Forte Koup, a vehicle that’s actually shown it’s mettle and demonstrated some serious speed in the Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge. This speedster was built by West Coast Customs with an orange, red and yellow airbrushed exterior matching The Flash’s signature costume. The Scarlet Speedster’s logo has been incorporated into the hood cutouts, giving fans a chance to observe the inner workings of this speed machine…if they look fast! West Coast Customs also installed two ten-inch subwoofers and two sets of coaxial component speakers with a Quart four-channel amp and a pair of Rosen Entertainment seven-inch monitors plays a We Can Be Heroes video in the front headrests assuring occupants they will be heard.
Aquaman Rio 5-Door
No, this isn’t a car that turns into a submarine. It is, however one of the most eco-friendly vehicles on the road today, making it an ideal choice for Aquaman, the superhero protector of the environment. West Coast Customs went to town with special gold, green and orange exterior paint and custom-fabricated fins (hey, it is the car for Aquaman, you know there had to be fins somewhere!).
The Aquaman logo is stitched into the back seats from which occupants can also watch the We Can Be Heroes video on two seven-inch Rosen Entertainment monitors. Meanwhile, a very special surprise awaits in the Rio’s trunk. The customized enclosure features Aquaman comic book art and a unique polycast cutout lit with Oracle LED lighting that creates an amazing underwater scene so even if you can drive on the ocean floor, you can fell like you are.
Green Lantern Soul
Super Street magazine takes on the transportation challenges of intergalactic peacekeeper known as the Green Lantern. What they came up with was a wide-body Soul with welded shut rear doors and a green and black two tone exterior. Blacked out headlights featuring glowing green projection beams coupled with customized Green Lantern fog lights and green LED lighting only add to the mystery and other-worldliness of this unique vehicle. For those who haven’t memorized the Green Lantern oath, you’ll find it etched into a clear panel lit by LEDs in the custom-built rear compartment.
Cyborg Forte 5-Door
Cyborg was already a half human/half machine superhero so it might seem like RIDES magazine didn’t have far to go to develop his dream machine. The 5-door Kia Forte they created however embodies not just Cyborg’s mechanical nature but also his communications prowess, power and endurance in one agile and athletic package. This robotic road monster features coilover suspension and widened custom metal fenders inspired by Cyborg’s ability to mechanically morph to face any challenge. The Aztec silver paint job enhances fluid lines while the vented air scoop on the hood and side ports grab attention with red LED lights. Inside the tablet in the center console satisfies this superhero’s need to stay plugged in and be a hub for communication and information.
Batman Optima
Move over Batmobile, the caped crusader has a new ride. DC Entertainment, Kia Motors and RIDES magazine worked together to transform this Optima with a matte- and piano-black exterior paint scheme, muscular ground effects kit and custom-designed 20-inch black wheels with one-of-a-kind Batman-logo center caps. The custom batwing-shaped front grill took over 40 hours to create. Oh, and Gotham won’t need to rely on the rooftop bat signal anymore, this beauty has it etched into the HID headlamps.
”Working together with DC Entertainment, West Coast Customs, RIDES and Super Street to create a fleet of superhero-inspired machines has been an incredible collaboration and the end result is five one-of-a-kind Justice League cars that bring each of these legendary comic book superheroes to life,” said Michael Sprague, executive vice-president, marketing and communications, KMA. “We are proud to be raising awareness for the We Ca Be Heroes giving campaign and look forward to unveiling three more crime-fighting Kias at future auto shows and comic conventions as our ten-month partnership with DC Entertainment continues.”
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