Consumer demand drives Kia to production milestones

Frankfurt – March 24, 2011 – Strong consumer demand for its products has seen Kia Motors reach three significant production milestones this month.

In Korea, Kia Motors Corporation reached the 10 millionth global vehicle export mark today (Thursday) when a Snow White Pearl Optima sedan was shipped to the US market from Kia’s main hub, Pyeongtaek Port, located 80 km southwest of Seoul.

In Europe, the company’s production facility at Zilina, Slovakia, also announced today that it has set a new output record, having produced a total of 229,500 cars in 2010, representing a 52 per cent year-on-year increase. Engine production was also up last year (by 31 per cent), with more than 320,900 units produced.

"The last year was an exceptionally positive one for Kia Motors, and we expect to build on our momentum through 2011,” comments Benny Oeyen, Vice President Marketing and Product Planning, Kia Motors Europe.

“These production success stories are a clear indication that Kia is designing cars that are relevant to the current market and that are highly desirable to consumers. The fact that half of our 10 million global exports have been achieved in the past five years is further proof that our design-led product revolution has achieved its aim of establishing Kia as a major player in the global automotive market.

“In Europe, the introduction of the new Kia Sportage has been a catalyst for our growth, with more consumers than ever considering the Kia brand for the first time. With the launch of the all-new Picanto and Rio models over the coming months, we are confident that we will see increasing numbers of ‘conquest sales’ moving forward,” Oeyen concludes.

Ever since recording South Korea’s very first automotive export in 1975, when a small quantity of Kia Brisa pick-up trucks was shipped to Qatar, Kia Motors has made a rapid, increasingly significant imprint of the global automotive industry, particularly in recent years with the introduction of a new generation of models including Picanto, Rio, Sorento, Sportage and Optima.

Following the company’s cumulative five millionth export in March 2005, which took 30 years to achieve, Kia Motors was able to reach the next five million exports in just six years. This was achieved through a focused management strategy that has resulted in rapid improvements in product design and quality, as well as major enhancements in its global marketing activities and dealer network.

Kia’s Zilina plant currently produces five different vehicles and more than 28 per cent of cars produced in 2010 were low-emissions ‘EcoDynamics’ models.

Editors’ Notes

Cumulative Export Units

2. Exports by Region

Kia Motors Europe
Kia Motors Europe is the European sales, marketing, and service arm of Kia Motors Corporation. With its headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, it covers 25 markets in Europe.

About Kia Motors Corporation
Kia Motors Corporation (www.kia.com) – a maker of quality vehicles for the young-at-heart – 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. Over 2.1 million vehicles a year are produced in 13 manufacturing and assembly operations in eight countries which are then sold and serviced through a network of distributors and dealers covering 172 countries.

Kia today has over 44,000 employees worldwide and annual revenues of over US$20 billion. It is the major sponsor of the Australian Open and an official automotive partner of FIFA – the governing body of the FIFA World 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.

Press Contact

Ilona Tzudnowski
PR Manager Europe
Tel.: +49 69 850 928 357
E-mail: i.tzudnowski@kia-europe.com

Kia Motors Europe GmbH
Theodor-Heuss-Allee 11
60486 Frankfurt, Germany