The Kia Forte Koup is one of those kinds of cars that just doesn’t make an impact on you when you think about it. Not that much in Kia’s lineup does, mind you, but where they shine is concept cars. The GT4 Stinger coupe they unveiled a couple of years back caught a lot of attention, and with a turbo V6 and a V8 option just sitting on the other side of the Hyundai-Kia partnership, there was plenty of room to make something happen that could have really boosted Kia’s low-rent image in the United States market. Instead we got the Koup…not a wholly bad car, far from it, in fact. Kia has come a long ways from the 1995 Sephia, the ultimate punchline of a car if there ever was one. But in a couple of days, the Koreans are going to unload a full assault on the SEMA show, including six Koups that reflect regions in North America. Raise your hand if you’re shocked to learn that the Koup sitting on custom mud tires is meant to represent the American South. Anyone?
Quoting Kia:
Bringing to life the various car cultures that help define America’s love of the automobile, here’s a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the Forte Koup Mud Bogger, representing the adventurous American South and the inexplicable joy of getting dirty on four wheels.
Giving this one-of-a-kind Koup the clearance to tackle extreme terrain started with a generous four-inch body and suspension lift along with meaty 28-in. off-road tires. To further accommodate the massive wheel and tire combo, the fenders and side skirts were modified and custom riveted fender flares added. A panoramic roof with a vinyl pushback top gives way to the stripped-down interior where the carpet has been removed and the entire floor is lined with Line-X protective coating. The stock seats of the Forte Koup have also been replaced with two Sparco Evo II Red Race Seats and the Forte Koup Mud Bogger incorporates a hand-built roll cage powder coated white to match the wheels. This Kia with a southern flare is purpose-built for off-road fun that takes you down the road less traveled.
Wow. We can’t wait to see the other five versions now…what’s your take on it?
4X4 or FWD?
manx inspired?
I bet it wouldn’t last more than 20 minutes with me beating it up off road, but it would be a fun 20 minutes.
If it’s still front wheel drive, not trying nearly hard enough.
Looks like something my grandkids watch on Saturday mornings.
It looks like an evil little critter and it needs 4WD to be effective off road – but it would be equally at home with a grass cutter slung underneath it driving up and down my lawn….
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