Kia Motors overseas sales rise 9.3% in October
Kia Motors overseas sales rise 9.3% in October
- Overseas sales continue to grow with 63,199 units sold in October
- Sales in Europe, general market, and North America post 51.8%, 31.6%, and
5.0% year-on-year growth, respectively, for the first ten months
(SEOUL) November 1, 2005 - Kia Motors Corporation announced today that its
overseas retail sales of passenger cars and light trucks in October 2005
recorded 63,199 units, representing a 9.3% year-on-year increase.
From January through October of this year, Kia has seen its overseas retail
sales jump to 682,571 units with 672,987 vehicles exported. This represents
a 25.8% increase in sales and 14.4% rise in exports over the same period
last year.
By region, sales in October 2005 grew by 23.3% in Europe and 24.3% in the
general market compared to the same time last year.
173,520 vehicles were sold in Europe and 120,022 vehicles were sold in the
general market over the last 10 months of 2005 while in North America
248,954 Kia vehicles have been sold year-to-date.
Kia¡¯s performance in overseas markets can be attributed to robust sales of
the C-segment Cerato (also known as the ¡®Spectra¡¯) with 99,940 units sold
so far this year. Other stellar sellers include the Sorento SUV (97,094)
and A-segment Picanto (96,974) as well as the Sportage compact SUV
(74,523).
The recently launched B-segment Rio sedan and hatchback have also seen a
strong increase in sales, particularly across Europe, while the award-
winning Carnival (also known as ¡®Sedona¡¯) and Opirus (also known as
¡®Amanti¡¯) are popular choices among buyers in North America.
According to Yong-Hwan Kim, Senior Executive Vice President and COO of Kia
Motors Corporation, ¡°Well into the fourth quarter, Kia Motors is on target
to meet our annual sales targets, led by impressive sales of the Cerato,
Picanto, and Sorento. With the introduction of the all-new Rio as well as
the launch of the D-segment Magentis (also known as ¡®Optima¡¯), we are
sure to gain wider appeal among our growing customer base who are seeking
cars that offer comfort, style, and value.¡±
Editor¡¯s notes:
1) Figures do not include KD (knock down) exports, which are assembled at
overseas plants.
2) General market¡± includes the regions of Central & South America, Asia &
Pacific, and Middle East & Africa.
Kia Motors Corporation (
<http://autoway.kia.co.kr/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.kiamotors.com
/> www.kiamotors.com) - one of the fastest growing automakers in the world -
- was founded in 1944 and is Korea¡¯s oldest manufacturer of motor
vehicles. As part of the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, Kia aims to become
one of the world¡¯s premier automotive brands. Kia¡¯s 16 manufacturing and
assembly operations in 12 countries produce more than 1.1 million vehicles
a year that are sold and serviced through a network of distributors and
dealers covering 155 countries. Kia today has over 32,000 employees and
annual revenues of $14 billion. It is the major sponsor of the Australian
Tennis Open and an official worldwide sponsor of the Davis Cup. Kia Motors
Corporation¡¯s brand slogan -- ¡°The Power to Surprise¡± -- represents the
company¡¯s global commitment to surpassing customer expectations through
continuous automotive innovation.
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