Kia Does the Unthinkable With a Jacked-Up Forte Koup for SEMA

Jason Siu
by Jason Siu

Kia is celebrating the spirit of adventure for the 2015 SEMA Show and has fully revealed one of its projects.

Having already teased an off-road themed Sorento SUV, it appears that the Korean automaker is embracing the wilderness for this year’s SEMA Show. In total, Kia will bring six highly customized, hand-built concepts to Las Vegas, each of which will showcase unique geographic regions found throughout the country. Although we didn’t get a complete look at the Sorento, Kia did fully reveal the Forte Koup Mud Bogger, and it’s quite possibly the strangest thing we’ve ever seen, even for SEMA standards.

SEE ALSO: Kia Sorento Goes Off-Road for 2015 SEMA Show

The Forte Koup received a generous four-inch body and suspension lift along with beefy 28-inch off-road tires. The fenders and side skirts had to be modified to accommodate the larger wheels and tires, while the panoramic roof with a vinyl pushback top exposes a stripped-down interior with a pair of Sparco Evo II red race seats. The Mud Bogger also incorporates a hand-built roll cage that has been powdercoated white to match the wheels and front bumper bar.

According to Kia, the Forte Koup Mud Bogger will represent the adventurous American South “and the inexplicable joy of getting dirty on four wheels.” It’s just hard to believe that anyone would have a Forte Koup on their mind when it comes to getting dirty on four wheels.

Discuss this story on our Kia Forte Forum

Jason Siu
Jason Siu

Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.

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  • Smartacus Smartacus on Oct 29, 2015

    more ground clearance than a JEEP lower roof height than a 750Li

  • Johnls39 . Johnls39 . on Oct 29, 2015

    This thing looks like it has perfectly straight white teeth smiling while looking at you. I can't decide if I like it or not.

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