Kia sales up 58%

Continuing high demand across Europe for Kia products during August, pushed Kia Motors sales up 36% last month to more than 18,000 vehicles in what is traditionally a 'quiet' month for new car sales in the peak holiday season. Sales for the first eight months of 2005 reached almost 180,000 units - 58% higher than the Kia brand achieved in the same period of 2004.

So far this year, Picanto tops Kia sales with 55,160 units delivered, heading the Sorento (27,083 units), Sportage (26,770), Carnival (17,044) and Cerato (17,034) over the eight-month period.

"Kia's monthly sales performance in Europe has once again demonstrated how our modern products now closely match the needs and tastes of European consumers," commented Jean-Charles Lievens, senior vice-president of Kia Motors Europe.

"Even in the holiday season, our expanding dealer network attracted more new customers to the Kia brand and, with supplies of the all-new Rio arriving and the launch of Picanto Diesel, we expect to continue our highly successful 2005."

During August, Germany reclaimed the position as 'top market for Kia' with 3,203 cars delivered, to beat Spain (3,178 sales, up 47%) and Italy (2,112, up 62%).

For the eight months of 2005, year-to-date, Kia's total sales in the leading European countries were Spain (29,820 units, up 71%), Germany (27,494, up 43%), Italy (26,111, up 61%), the UK (25,179, up 30%), the Netherlands (13,105, up 40%) and France (11,515, up 108%), which achieved the highest growth rate of a major market, thanks to the popularity of the Diesel-engined Cerato and Sportage.

Kia's export sales around the world have climbed 29.1% in the first eight months of 2005, to total 543,210 units. Yong-Hwan Kim, senior executive vice-president and COO of Kia Motors Corporation, commented: "Kia Motors continues to be one of the steadiest performers in the global automotive industry, with double-digit sales growth in all our overseas markets during August.

"We are in the midst of the complete regeneration of the Kia product line-up and eagerly anticipate the world premiere of the new D-Segment Magentis model at the Frankfurt Motor Show (this week). We are confident that this new elegantly understated executive sedan will transform Kia's fortunes in this sector of the market," Mr Kim concluded.