Kia Motors posts 16.5% increase in May global sales

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2008-06-17 14:13

Seoul--(뉴스와이어)--Kia Motors Corporation announced today that its global sales (export sales, domestic sales and sales from overseas plants) of passenger cars, recreation vehicles (RVs) and commercial vehicles in May 2008 recorded 127,323 units, representing a 16.5% year-on-year increase.

By region, Kia’s posted double-digit, year-on-year sales increases in China (13,386 units, a 56.8% year-on-year increase), in general markets (20,734 units sold, a 26.6% year-on-year increase) and Korea (26,452 units sold, a 15.0% year-on-year increase). Sales increases were also significant in Europe and North America where 31,694 (8.8% year-on-year increase) and 35,057 (8.6 % year-on year increase) Kia vehicles were sold in May, respectively.

Cumulatively through the first five months of 2008, Kia’s global sales increased by 15.7% year-on-year and reached 587,687 units. General markets (94,263 units sold) and China (65,929 units sold) have experienced the largest gains of 31.4% and 30.1%, respectively.

Cumulative year-on-year sales increases have also been experienced in the other market territories: Europe (17.0% gain from 155,003 units sold); Korea (14.9% gain from 128,276 units sold); and North America (2% gain from 144,216 units sold).

So far in 2008, Kia’s best selling model in overseas markets has been the C-segment Cerato (known as ‘Spectra’ in some markets) with 88,470 units sold. It is followed by a close group of three vehicles. The B-segment Rio with 64,588 units sold, the C-segment cee’d with 64,006 and the Sportage compact SUV at 62,003. The A-segment Picanto with 45,721 units sold rounds out the group of top five best selling models overseas. By vehicle category sold overseas, 68,723 Kia passenger cars were sold in May, an increase of 30.6% year-on-year.

Hyoung-Keun Lee, Senior Executive Vice President and COO, International Business Division, Kia Motors Corporation, said, “We are only five months into the year and have already surpassed the half million global sales mark. We have exceeded 100,000 sales in overseas markets for the second consecutive month and experienced consistently high and significant year-on-year gains in general markets and China. Considering the global climate, these results are even more impressive but we should also not be complacent.”

웹사이트: http://www.kiamotors.com