Kia To Open First U.S. Manufacturing Plant In 2009
In an announcement made on March 2006, Kia Motors Corporation, the maker of Kia cars, announced official plans to build a $1.2 billion assembly and manufacturing plant in the United States. The location has been confirmed as West Point, Georgia and will serve as Kia’s first manufacturing plant in America. The first Kia cars to roll off of the assembly line are said to begin production in 2009.
When operated at it’s maximum capacity, the new Kia cars facility is expected to create approximately 300,000 brand new automobiles every year. In addition, this new construction will provide an additional 2,500 jobs and will be situated on 2,200 acres.
According to president and CEO of Kia Motors America J.H. Lee, "The decision by Kia Motors Corporation to build a manufacturing plant in the United States demonstrates their confidence in our ability to further grow sales in the North American market.” He added, "The plant is an important development to support our sales goals over the next decade."
A dedicated Kia cars corporate campus is currently under construction in Irvine, California. With an anticipated opening date of December 2006, this new facility will feature a 65,000 square-foot design center. Over the past four years, Kia Motors has invested over $300 million in America. Among the results are a state-of-the-art research and development center located in Michigan, along with a custom-built vehicle facility in California.
Since debuting in the American market, Kia cars has expanded to a complete product line of vehicles and have watched their company thrive during the 12 years of consecutive sales records, which continue to this day.
Kia Motors Corporation, the maker of Kia cars, is headquartered in South Korea. However, through the development of Kia Motors America, Kia is able to offer a complete line of automobiles, including Kia cars, through well over 600 United States car dealerships. Said to be one of the fastest growing automakers in the world, Kia was founded in 1944 making it Korea’s oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles. Through the company’s latest release featuring hybrid technology, Kia hopes to become one of the world’s premier automotive brands. With assembly and manufacturing operations in seven countries, Kia produces over 1.1 million vehicles each year, which are then sold through a network of dealers and distributors throughout 160 countries. With more than 32,000 employees and annual revenues topping $15 billion, Kia has found sponsorship to be an important part of it’s success. As a major sponsor to both the Australian Tennis Open and FIFA, the Kia Motors Corporation is planning even more changes in the years to come.
By Aurel Radulescu
Visit the Blog about kia charlotte north carolinaKia Cars - A Legacy of Style and Affordability
The Kia brand aims to surpass customer expectations by the continuous innovation in automotives. Kia offers the world its ability to go across different market levels by creating vehicles that are very affordable. They are proud of their high quality, high value vehicles which are priced way below the competition. The affordability combined with excellent customer service and a 10-year warranty policy makes Kia a force to face in the industry of automotive manufacturing and worldwide sales.
The Kia range starts off with the Rio which is considered to be the most affordable sedan in USA. The Rio sedan has a sporty styling exterior and a 110 horsepower engine. Combined with its known roominess, it provides the all-practical sedan at a very economical price tag. The Rio5, on the other hand, provides a sporty look with its 15-inch alloy wheels, its body-color rear spoiler, and front fog lights. Spacious and comfortable, Rio5 also has leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, sports seat fabric, metal pedals, and lots of storage spaces. The Rio and Rio5 both exude practicability but with the option to go sporty and chic.
The Kia Sportage is in line with competition SUVs with its 4-cylinder engine, an option for 2-wheel or 4-wheel drive, and a 5-star crash safety rating. It offers safety features like the anti-lock brakes, six airbags including full-length side curtains, and Electronic Stability Control. The Kia Sportage is very competitive with other brand SUVs but at a very affordable price.
The Kia Optima is for those who want it sleek and elegant especially for city driving. Aside from the standard Kia features, it also boasts of its sumptuous leather seating, automatic temperature control, and 360-watt Infinity premium sound system. Those who want cars luxurious but with rare affordability, then Kia Optima is the car to drive.
Other cars on the Kia car leasing range are the Amanti for higher inspiration with its 3.8-liter, 264-horsepower V6 engine, the seven-passenger Kia Rondo SUV for an active lifestyle, the Kia Sorento SUV for ruggedness and luxury, and the mid-sized Kia Sedona with its luxurious DVD and surround speaker system for ultimate contract hire driving experience.
By Darrell Freeman
