With the Chevrolet Sonic having just been launched in South Africa last week, we thought this custom Sonic is a fine example of just how cool the car can look, with a few simple aftermarket add-ons.

If you haven’t heard of Ricky Carmichael, well, he’s been crowned American Motorcycle Association champion no less than 15 times –the first before he was 20 years old. Since 2007, Carmichael entered the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Now he has teamed up with GM and Chevrolet to create the ‘Sonic All Activity Vehicle – Ricky Carmichael Concept’ for the 2011 SEMA show.

“The car looks so cool, colourful and fun to drive”, said Carmichael. “It really represents my desire to have fun when I’m off the track. The Sonic would be a perfect vehicle for someone who wants to get the most out of their time.”

We don’t much care for the Thule roof rack with an S-Works mountain bike and a Hyperlite wakeboard mounted on it, but the other exterior highlights are a welcome addition. These include the black matte paint with special graphics, custom wheels and splash guards, a Z-spec grille, plus a ground effects body kit.

The cabin features a flat-bottom steering wheel, aluminum gear lever, Z-spec pedal kit, FOX Racing boardshorts material trim on doors and seats with green stitching, rear cargo organizer and all-weather floor mats.

Under the bonnet lies a 1.4-litre turbocharged, four-cylinder, engine (which we don’t get in South Africa) that has been fitted with a Borla exhaust system, while the Sonic also gets uprated Brembo brakes.

According to GM, many of the parts featured on the concept are available for order: “The elements and components used to create it are largely based on accessories available for the Sonic, as well as other aftermarket parts”, said GM design director Dave Ross. “While this is a car created with and for Ricky Carmichael, new Sonic customers could easily create their own special all-activities vehicle.”