Autoblog

Kia design chief Peter Schreyer named Hyundai-Kia President

Zach Bowman — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 09:33:00 EST

Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Hyundai, Kia, South Korea

Automotive News reports Peter Schreyer has been appointed the first non-Korean president of Hyundai-Kia Motor Group. Schreyer is expected to retain his role as the chief designer for Kia, while also taking on new, high-level executive duties. He is now one of three presidents at the automaker.

The designer made a name for himself at Volkswagen, where he penned the 1998 New Beetle and lent his eye to the Audi TT. In 2006, Schreyer moved to Kia, where he quickly revised the brand's styling from bland, forgettable lines to bold, "tiger nose" creations. Analysts attribute much of the brand's recent sales success to Schreyer's influence.

Kia is expected to move 2.75 million units worldwide next year, while sister company Hyundai will likely beat its 2012 sales forecast of 4.29 million units, according to CFO Lee Won Hee.

Kia design chief Peter Schreyer named Hyundai-Kia President originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Dec 2012 09:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyundai/Kia predict slower sales growth in 2012

Chris Shunk — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:01:00 EST

Filed under: Hyundai, Kia, Earnings/Financials, South Korea

Hyundai and Kia have experienced phenomenal growth over the past few years, even as the rest of the auto industry was embroiled in an ugly downturn. In fact, 2011 was a terrific year for the Korean automaker, as sales jumped by double digits globally.

But while Hyundai/Kia has been on fire of late, Reuters reports that company officials feel that 2012 isn't likely to return the same gains. The automaker is reportedly looking for a still-impressive six percent sales growth in 2012. One reason for the somewhat conservative expectations is that the automaker is stretched thin on capacity, and Hyundai Group Chairman Chung Mong-koo (above) wants to concentrate on quality.

The markets weren't all that impressed with the Hyundai Group's announcement. Hyundai stock dropped by .9 percent, while Kia shares shrunk by .3 percent. That's not good for the portfolio, but if Hyundai and Kia can manage to improve product quality, then both investors and car buyers should be plenty impressed.

Hyundai/Kia predict slower sales growth in 2012 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Woman gets Kia Soul after passing drive test on 960th try

Zach Bowman — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 13:57:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Hatchback, Kia, Humor, South Korea

Kia Soul - click above for high-res image gallery

We like to think of ourselves as pretty determined folk here the United States. After all, our forebearers forged our country out of a wild and unsettling terrain, fought off tyrants, cooked up some of the most amazing inventions of the last century and helped populate a symbol of diversity and freedom renowned the world over. That doesn't mean that we'd willingly subject ourselves to the DMV 960 times, however. Yet that's exactly what a Korean woman, Cha Sa-soon, did on her quest to obtain her driver's license. Despite copious studying, the 69-year-old Cha just couldn't manage to get past the written portion of the exam.

In April 2005, she began taking the 50-minute, 40-question test once a day, five days week, failing each time. Eventually her pace slowed to taking the test twice a week, but on the 960th try, she managed to get enough of the questions right to pass.

Local news outlets ran with the story, and it wasn't long before the tale caught the ear of Hyundai-Kia. The company asked people to post congratulatory messages online, and after an overwhelming response, Kia handed her the keys to a brand-new Soul.

We like her style.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Kia Soul

Photos Copyright (C)2010 John Neff / AOL

[Source: The New York Times]

Woman gets Kia Soul after passing drive test on 960th try originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kia confirms Hyundai Santa Fe to be produced alongside Sorento

Chris Paukert — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Crossover, Hyundai, Kia

Officially confirming what we've all but known for some time now, Kia announced this morning that its West Point, Georgia plant will add a second vehicle to its production line, the 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe. The move will also be paired with the addition of a second shift beginning October 1, although limited production of the Santa Fe is earmarked to ramp-up on September 27.

The move hasn't been driven by a need to consolidate as much as it is Hyundai-Kia's need to find capacity to keep up with demand. The Sorento crossover, which is also produced at the plant, is currently Kia's hottest-selling model, and Hyundai needs additional room to build more Sonata sedans at its Alabama facility, so it makes good sense to dual the two, especially as they share a sizable amount of components.

Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, which opened just last November, has an annual capacity of some 300,000 units, so there's room to grow.

[Source: Kia]

Kia confirms Hyundai Santa Fe to be produced alongside Sorento originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyundai reportedly shopping locations for third North American plant - in Mexico [UPDATE]

Noah Joseph — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:31:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Hyundai, Kia

Hyundai Veracruz - Click above for high-res image gallery

Hyundai is on a mission to expand its American market share. And so far, the going's been good for the Korean automaker, which has been taking the fight to its Japanese rivals with increasing ferocity. Now reports indicate that Hyundai-Kia is looking into building a third assembly plant in North America. Only it probably won't be in the United States - like its existing plant in Alabama and the one being built in Georgia - and it won't be in Canada either; sources say the third plant is likely to end up in Mexico.

The reports are apparently substantiated by the Mexican government, which is understandably keen to encourage foreign investment. If and when it goes online - it's targeted for 2013 - the plant could be capable of churning out 150,000 vehicles annually, helping Hyundai quadruple its North American output by 2013. The plant could be used to produce the Hyundai Accent and Kia Rio for North American consumption, but not the Veracruz crossover - which may prove a little confusing, considering that the location Hyundai's looking at is in Veracruz, Mexico.

UPDATE: Hyundai has released the following statement regarding a possible third plant in NA.

"The recent report of Hyundai Motor Co. planning an investment in a Mexican manufacturing subsidiary is completely groundless. Neither HMC nor its affiliates in the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group have any plans to invest in manufacturing operations in Mexico at this time."

Gallery: 2007 Hyundai Veracruz

[Source: Inside Line]

Hyundai reportedly shopping locations for third North American plant - in Mexico [UPDATE] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyundai-Kia overtakes Ford to become world's 4th largest automaker

Noah Joseph — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 13:20:00 EST

Filed under: Hyundai, Kia, South Korea

2009 Hyundai Genesis Coupe - Click above for high-res image gallery

If you were shocked by the news from around this time last year that the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group had jumped up to 5th in the global standings of the world's largest car manufacturers, you'll be just as surprised by the latest sales figures that place the Korean automaker this year in the fourth slot, leapfrogging past Ford to slot in (significantly) underneath Volkswagen.

The figures come from the Automotive News Data Center, which places Hyundai-Kia's global sales for the first half of 2009 at 2,153,000 units, just edging out Ford's 2,145,000 units so far this year. Of course, these numbers count the Nissan-Renault Alliance as two separate units, with 1.5 million and 1.1 million units respectively, but if combined they'd knock Hyundai (as well as Ford) out of position with over 2.6 million units. After Toyota, General Motors, Volkswagen, Hyundai and Ford, French automaker PSA Peugeot-Citroen comes in sixth, just barely ahead of Honda, with Nissan in 8th, Suzuki in 9th and Renault rounding out the top ten. Check out Kia's official press release after the jump.

Gallery: 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe: First Drive

[Source: Kia]

Continue reading Hyundai-Kia overtakes Ford to become world's 4th largest automaker

Hyundai-Kia overtakes Ford to become world's 4th largest automaker originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Aug 2009 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyundai-Kia pass Honda to become world's 5th largest automaker

Michael Harley — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 15:02:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Plants/Manufacturing, Hyundai, Kia

Less than a decade ago, the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group was ranked 11th in the world in total sales volume. According to the latest publishing of the Automotive News 2008 Global Data Book, the automaker has impressively passed Honda to take 5th position. To climb six positions in just eight years isn't a simple accomplishment as it required stepping over such global automakers as Fiat, Chrysler, PSA/Peugeot, Nissan, and Honda. Last year, Hyundai-Kia sold 3,961,629 automobiles worldwide (Hyundai sold 467,000, and Kia 305,473 in the United States alone). While they still have a long way before they reach 4th position currently held by Ford (global sales of 5,964,000 in 2007), their move into other markets as witnessed by the luxurious 2009 Hyundai Genesis and the group's favorable June automotive sales (even in a depressed market) demonstrate the increasing strength of the Korean automaker.

[Source: AutoIndustry]

Hyundai-Kia pass Honda to become world's 5th largest automaker originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Jul 2008 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kia breaks ground in Georgia, rolls back sales target

Frank Filipponio — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 17:57:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Kia

We just talked about the fact that Kia and Hyundai were scaling back sales projections for 2006, now we are learning that production will be adjusted as well. After a series of high-level scandals and ensuing postponements, Kia Motors Corp. finally broke ground on its Georgia facility today. And at the company's official groundbreaking ceremony today, it announced some changes. Most important was the announcement about where the new vehicles produced at this plant will be headed.

While Kia had originally projected U.S. sales of 800,000 vehicles a year in 2010, they are now expecting sales to be closer to 650,000 units, according to Kia CEO Chung Eui Sun. Chung and his father, Hyundai-Kia Group Chairman Chung Mong Koo, participated in the ceremonial shovel lift at Kia's first U.S. plant today. The younger Chung said that the billion dollar plant will likely ship its excess production to Latin American markets, possibly including a new-to-Kia market, Mexico. Kia CEO Chung added that production had been tabbed to begin in September 2009, but November 2009 looks more likely now.

Len Hunt, Kia Motors America executive vice president and COO, pointed out that although Kia has only moved 222,000 so far this year, it hopes to reach 300,000: "It will be a bit of a stretch, but the 300,000 target would be psychologically important," Hunt said. "The dealers are really excited that Kia is investing in America, because that's what we're continually asking them to do. It says to them that we're here to stay."

[Source: Automotive News, sub req]

Kia breaks ground in Georgia, rolls back sales target originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Oct 2006 17:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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