It’s
no secret that the Korean automakers Hyundai and Kia Motors are on an aggressive schedule to be one of the top five
automakers worldwide in the next few years. As one strategy to achieve that goal, they are increasing their fleet sales
in Europe.
According to Gerry Dorizas, vice president of Hyundai Motor Europe: “It is a major part of
our strategy. To eventually develop in Europe, we see fleet as a big slice of the market.”
Fleet
vehicles, such as car rentals, account for roughly thirty-seven percent of the European vehicle market. Both Hyundai
and Kia want to double their current numbers of units sold this year by 2009.
The move stands in stark contrast to American automakers, who have been moving away from fleet sales in order to
improve brand image and resale value.
Full details and figures at the link.
[Source: Automotive
News]