When Kia Motors gave us the opportunity to build a vehicle that would represent Antenna’s Soul Xpression, we knew that the only way it would work would be to involve the companies and people straight from the pages of our magazine. From the Cone Denim interior inspired by the in4mation x Vans Half Cab collaboration to the green grass skate deck inspired by etnies founder Pierre Senizergues and the baby blue and brown color scheme inspired by the Original Penguin attire displayed in the car, every piece of this Kia Soul has been customized with you, the Antenna reader, in mind. While you guys are spontaneous, you also know that the next grand plan will come to a quick halt without the proper necessities at hand. This led to customized homes for all the latest gadgets and gear, a mini-fridge for hydration and styling details to allow your Xpression to be seen wherever your next adventure may take you.
Website: antennamag.com
Ultimate Road Trip: From Iceland to Morocco.
Hometowns: New York, Florida, Washington, Virginia
Currently Resides In: New York
Design Philosophy: We like surprises at Antenna, so while we believe that a quiet design is key to our pages and our car design, we also like details that don’t scream at you. Like hiding our beloved blue dog in the magazine or having secret candy dishes that live in the door handles.
5 Things In Your Car At All Times: Sunglasses, iPod, cell phone charger, snacks, and spare change
Not an inch of the Kia Soul was neglected. Lux Motorwerks painted the exterior a custom baby blue. MRR 20-inch wheels were paired with Nitto Tires and a lowered suspension. The roof and wheels were painted matte brown, as were the grill’s trim, side vents, and custom-made exhaust, a hue that ties in with the leather of the interior. The Antenna Soul would not be complete without the rooftop snowboard rack, which holds a custom board by Revolution, designed by us. The headlights, taillights, and side markers were tinted and the brake calipers painted baby blue to match everything else.
Antenna installed a motorized shelving display in the trunk that raises and lowers at the touch of a button. The shelves disappear into a custom leather-wrapped box with accents and trim that match other details in the car. The shelves, complete with LED nighttime lighting, hold an array of products.
In order to tie the interior and exterior color schemes together, the dash and steering wheel were painted baby blue and then wrapped in perforated brown leather. The glove box was converted to a sunglass and watch display with LED lights and a plexiglass cover with denim trim. It became the home to some of our favorite brands such as Mosley Tribes, G-Shock, Nike, Original Penguin, and Super.
Antenna turned the speaker port into a clock using a G-Shock and illuminated the fitment surrounding it. Since we all know the importance of the latest gadgets, we fiberglassed the center console with custom molds for an iPod touch, Flip Video, BlackBerry Pearl, and HP Netbook. A portable TomTom allows for a quick transition from car to another set of wheels, be it skate deck or bike. And because not one detail was left untouched, the console was wrapped in chocolate leather from Mood Fabrics.
Heavily inspired by skate brands Huf and etnies, we lined the interior in denim and installed skateboard trucks for handles on both sides. And what better place than the headliner to attach a custom-made skate deck by Revolution, designed by Antenna, specifically for the Kia Soul.
Wrapped in chocolate leather with denim inserts to match the seats, plexiglass and LED lighting transform the handles into custom holders for storing necessities. In our case, jelly beans and zipper pulls.
A Memphis Car Audio amp was installed in the headliner along with a Memphis subwoofer in the trunk and tweeters on the dash. An Eclipse head unit powers the sound system with a removable faceplate, GPS, DVD, and Bluetooth.
The front seats were reupholstered in Cone denim, Rufus shirting, and chocolate leather from Mood Fabrics. The backs of the driver and passenger seats were leather wrapped and fitted with Sony PSP Slims affixed via a custom LED-illuminated mounting system. The back seats were converted to upholstered bucket seats to match the front.