Kia has reached a significant milestone in vehicle exports – its 10th millionth export vehicle, a Snow White Pearl Optima sedan, was shipped yesterday to the US market from Kia’s main shipping hub, Pyeongtaek Port, located 80 km southwest of Seoul.
To commemorate this milestone event, a celebration ceremony was held at Pyeongtaek Port which was attended by some 400 guests including Kia Motors vice chairman & CEO Hyoung-Keun Lee, local government officials and numerous foreign dignitaries stationed in Korea.
It’s a long way from 1975, when a small quantity of Kia Brisa pick-up trucks were shipped to Qatar, an event which also marked South Korea’s very first automotive export. The cumulative five millionth export took 30 years to get to, in March 2005, but that same number to bring it to ten has been achieved in just six years.
Its worldwide market footprint has also grown dramatically, from 10 countries in the 80s to 156 countries today. In terms of cumulative exports units, the US leads the way with 4.27 million, followed by Europe with 2.45 million. In the Asia-Pacific, the figure is 0.88 million. By model, the A-segment Picanto is Kia’s most popular export unit, with 764,453 cumulative units shipped, followed by the B-segment Rio and Sorento SUV, with 747,554 units and 656,446 units shipped, respectively.
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whoaaa..
Seem like car blog & auto forum now turned propagandist for Korean Car Manufacturer.
10 millions unit sole or kept under open wharehouse carpark like our P1, i still see Kia Spectra kept under hot sun in a Naza wharehouse near my place :-)
Paultan reports on facts & news you go and and say people turned propagandist???????
why? because its an automotive success story. It was history repeating itself. While the Japanese had the global fuel crisis that pole vaulted its vehicles into the limelight, the Korean story was off sheer determination to tangle with the best.
Both the major Koreans had their start with Japanese help, with Mitsubishi with Hyundai and Mazda with Kia. But each generation yield clear improvements. Both Hyundai and Kia only started their own in-house development in the mid 90s. barely 15 years later and only 2 generations, they were sparring with the Japanese.
Dude.
The world is bigger than the naza showroom near your house.
Have u seen the world yet?
u stay too long in the warehouse, just try to have a look on the world, is bigger than u expected..
yup.. dont stay at warehouse too long, just step out and have a look..
no,,not yet,,, which part should i start? langkawi?
Typical jap fan….narrow-minded…
I hope Proton will have this scale of success in near future too..
It will take P1 another 100 years to reach the 10 millions unit sole.
If they make and sell 200K unit a year, it will take them 50 years.
However, by looking at the market share drop in the past 10 years, and if the trend is continue, 100 years is a conservative estimation…
Speaking according to industries facts! Not boombak P1!
Go read the banner in the photos again. It’s 10th millionth EXPORT, not number sold. Potong will take millenniums to reach that figure…
Go KIA!
Proton how many ar so far
export or sold to the ppl who have no choice?
good job koreans
Respect ! 6 years 5 million cars ! We should learn from them instead of asking for protection from the govt for so many years and worse of all look at the cars we are producing !
weh,,apasal diorg pakai sarung tangan tu?
they began a decade before we did -1st mover advantage.
They start with the help from Japan, and now they are parring with the Japanese. How bout our Proton or Perodua? Proton start with the help from Mitshubishi, and now still go back to them for the Inspira. The Proton Saga on sales for more than 20 years, the Campro being the only Proton engine available (which is in the market for more than 5 years, and the technology of the Campro is something more than 20 years old!). Perodua is nothing better than Proton, until now still re-badge Daihatshu become their car, and lower down the spec to keep their revenue high. With those outdated technology, they still make the car expensive, because the imported car is much more expensive! High import tax make those imported car expensive to protect the sales of Proton and Perodua. Now both Proton and Perodua is can’t export their car to Europe. Those updated technology can’t meet the emission standard in Europe!
very true…
although the koreans started a decade earlier than proton, its almost impossible to see a proton reach its 10 millionth production in another decade or so. well, good luck proton~
well said
erm…then we can stop p1 and p2,, then since no more local design car,we going to have honda,toyota,kia,hyundai, etc with 200% tax for all car,,,, errrmm.your guess they will reduce the price right? do u think gov will reduce automative tax(reduce gov income)?
Oh well, then can give us a reason why do they will not reduce the import tax for cars? We’re willing to listen on you,when u said so…
to give you more fuel subsidy when Malaysian oil has been depleted.
Yes, Kia can now stand shoulder to shoulder with the Japs.
This is the best time to buy Korean cars, prices are low, quality on par, many extra equipments and many still not aware. I’m speaking on experience.
True. Am still satisfied with my Accent MC so far, despite some squeaks coming from the mechanical parts itself. =P Which is why i’ve just placed a booking for a Matrix i’ve picked up from Hyundai’s pre-owned car sales event just now.
Lets not talk to compare with our national P….i dont even want to mention to word no more as the comparison is totally inapproriate, and many people who used to hide the head under the sand will say lots of nonsense instead of facing the world..
As long as we got cronies to steal the nation’s health, we will be stucked in this developing country status, and probably 3rd world country..who knows.
KIA started producing cars in 1974. Now look where they are? Proton and Perodua are national embarrassment.
Proton bila lagi?
support KIA (because of its quality product , affordable price)
support Proton (because…??)
support proton bcoz p1 are improving.wanna see p1 bcome mjor plyer in auto indstry.see how kia success..1st is due to the strong support of koreans although kia is lousy car b4.unlike malaysian,they want p1 success but nvr support,only bash.and keep bashing although p1 produce good stuff.i strongly believe,p1 will be great in future provided with good management n full support from malaysian.
come on.. we already “FULL” support the P1 for > 20 years!!!
look at the street during ’90, mostly 80% of the cars is proton wira..
we did support, but what they return to us?
already 26 years spoon feeding, now request more and blame other ppl not support???
Agreed… since Proton Saga until upgraded to Wira… isn’t that enough?
Shall we get Inspira now? or the real Lancer? If you have enough cash…
We must support Kia because of their affordable price and good quality (Eg. 2011 All New Sorento SUV).