Kia Motors is South Korea's second largest automobile manufacturer, having sold over 1.6 million cars in 2009.[2]
The word Kia derives from Korean words meaning "to arise to the world from Asia."
With its headquarters in Seoul, the company is partly owned by the Hyundai Kia Automotive Group. Since August 21, 2009, Hyoung-Keun (Hank) Lee leads the company's global operations from the headquarters in Seoul.[3] North American and European arms are operated by Kia Motors America and Kia Motors Europe respectively.
Since 2005, Kia has focused on the European market and has identified
design as its "core future growth engine"—leading to the hiring of Peter Schreyer in 2006 as Chief Design Officer[4] and his subsequent creation of a new corporate grille known as the 'Tiger Nose'.
Kia Motors Corporation
Kia Motors Corporation (KMC) was founded in 1944, is Korea's oldest
manufacturer of motor vehicles and is now a division of the Hyundai-Kia
Automotive Group. Over 1.5 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 42,000 employees worldwide and annual
revenues of over US$14.6 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 is "The Power to Surprise".
[edit] Kia Motors America
Kia Motors America (KMA) is the American sales, marketing and
distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea.
KMA offers a complete line of vehicles through more than 640 dealers
throughout the United States. For 2008, KMA recorded its 14th
consecutive year of increased U.S. market share. In August 2009, Kia was
the 8th-best selling automotive brand in the United States, outselling
makes like Chrysler and Mazda.
In November 2009, Kia started production at the first U.S. Kia Motors plant, Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia in West Point. The facility is building the 2011 Kia Sorento crossover vehicle.
