All-New Kia Spectra Takes Center Stage With Sugar Ray - No Not The Fighter(s) You Old Viewer You

IRVINE, Calif., April 6 -- Kia Motors America (KMA) today announced a multi-media promotion, including a concert tour and reality TV show, with pop rock band Sugar Ray to support the launch of the all-new 2004 Kia Spectra compact sedan. Building on their successful pasts, both Spectra and Sugar Ray are teaming up as they return to capture the hearts of their hip, fun and spirited consumers.

The core of the program is a six-episode reality TV series tentatively titled "On the Road" which will be filmed during Sugar Ray's upcoming 18-market U.S. concert tour and will involve the band members and a major record label. The series, appearing on Spike TV, the first network for men, during June and July 2004, will track eight young hopefuls as they compete for the opportunity to land a job with a major record label.

"A true rock 'n roll road story, this project represents another milestone in the exploding world of reality television. The series will depict a real-time, four-week job competition, presenting unique challenges for the contestants, that will make very compelling television," said Executive Producer Rick de Oliveira, veteran reality show producer/director noted for his work on MTV hits such as "The Real World," "Road Rules" and "Making the Band." "The project lends itself perfectly to the needs of the new Kia Spectra, a fun vehicle designed for a twenty-something, concert-going audience."

As part of the competition, the contestants will provide hands-on support for the band during "The Sugar Ray Make Every Mile Count Tour." Sugar Ray's tour kicks off in New York on April 8 and continues nationwide throughout the early summer. To showcase the vehicle's introduction, Kia Spectras will be prominently displayed at each concert venue.

The all-new Spectra, which is available as a four-door sedan or five-door hatchback, is a breakthrough model for Kia, both in terms of its styling and its positioning. This best-selling Kia nameplate returns with a new platform and offers class-leading interior volume, increased horsepower, standard four- wheel disc brakes and an unprecedented level of safety equipment for a vehicle in its class.

"This program allows us to expose our new Kia Spectra to the vehicle's target audience in a way they wouldn't otherwise experience," says Kia Motors America President and CEO, Peter M. Butterfield. "Together, we want to create Kia fans out of music fans and vice versa."

A series of custom advertisements designed to support the tour and encourage readers to watch the TV series will run in Rolling Stone Magazine, while other sources of media, including a dedicated SugarRayShow.com microsite, will soon be layered into a full cross promotional blitz. The program was developed and is being managed by Alliance, a New York based entertainment development and marketing partnership firm.

Sugar Ray took the music scene by storm when their hit album, Floored, was released in 1997 and sold 2 million copies. Answering to their loyal fan base, the band's newest release, In the Pursuit of Leisure, hit record stores in late 2003 and blends a variety of sounds -- including summery island rhythms, funky hip-hop grooves, and infectious 80s-inspired melodies -- into their own uniquely characteristic pop/rock cocktail.

The 2004 Kia Spectra four-door sedan is available in showrooms now, while the five-door hatchback will debut this summer. Kia Motors America, the U.S. sales, marketing and service arm of Kia Motors Corp. in Seoul, South Korea, offers a full line-up of vehicles, including: Rio subcompact sedan and Rio Cinco wagon; 4-door and 5-door Spectra compact sedans; Optima midsize sedan; Sorento midsize SUV; Sedona minivan; and Amanti large premium sedan.