Could Batman be trading in the Tumbler and his collection of Lamborghinis for a sensible Kia Optima? Not likely, but that hasn't stopped Kia from collaborating with DC Entertainment andRidesto create a Batman-inspired Kia Optima SX Limited Batmobile for charity.
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Based on the new top-trim turbocharged Optima SX Limited, this slammed Optima sits on 20-inch five-spoke black wheels with the Batman logo imbedded on the center caps. The Optima then gets big Ksport brakes, a ground effects kit, yellow underglow, and a matte-black paint job with a piano-black Batman logo splayed out over the front door and quarter panel. The Optima Batmobile is finished off with a sport exhaust system, and a custom front grille shaped like the batwing that Kia says took over 40 hours to create.
Inside, the Optima Limited's Nappa leather has been replaced for yellow-accented black leather and suede. Each seat is upgraded with a batman logo on the seatback. Throwing stars can also be found mounted in the center console, and Kia says the Bat suit fits perfectly in the trunk.
The Kia Optima SX Limited Batmobile was created for DC's "We Can Be Heroes" campaign, which is a charity that fights hunger in the Horn of Africa. Kia says that this Optima, which goes on display at the Time Warner Center in New York starting this week, is the first in a series of eight Kias that pay tribute to the Justice League.
Source: Kia
I generally like writing—especially when it’s about cars—but I hate writing about myself. So instead of blathering on about where I was born (New York City, in case you were wondering) or what type of cars I like (all of ’em, as long as it has a certain sense of soul or purpose), I’ll answer the one question I probably get most, right after what’s your favorite car (see above): How’d you get that job? Luck. Well, mostly. Hard work, too. Lots of it. I sort of fell into my major of journalism/mass communication at St. Bonaventure University and generally liked it a lot. In order to complete my degree senior year, we had to spend our last two semesters on some sort of project. Seeing as I loved cars and already spent a good portion of my time reading about cars on sites such as Motor Trend, I opted to create a car blog. I started a Tumblr, came up with a car-related name (The Stig’s American Cousin), signed up for media access on a bunch of manufacturer’s websites, and started writing. I did everything from cover new trim levels to reviewing my friends’ cars. I even wrote a really bad April Fool’s Day post about the next Subaru Impreza WRX being Toyota-Corolla-based. It was fun, and because it was fun, it never felt like work. Sometime after my blog had gotten off the ground, I noticed that Motor Trend was hiring for what’s now our Daily News Team. I sent in my résumé and a link to my blog. I got the job, and two weeks after graduation I made the move from New York to California. I’ve been happily plugging away at a keyboard—and driving some seriously awesome hardware—ever since.
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