Kia's European Sales Jump 78% In April
Kia Motors sales in Europe jump 78% in April to 21,580 units
85,076 new Kia cars delivered in Europe during first four months of 2005
Picanto is ‘best-selling Kia’ in Europe, with 24,036 sales so far this year
Kia’s global sales in April record a 36% rise over 2004
Ever-increasing European consumer demand for Kia products was confirmed once again this week with publication of the monthly new car sales data for April. Kia sales jumped 78% compared to April 2004, with a total of 21,580 vehicles delivered during the month.
With sales running at record high levels for four months, Kia has sold more than 85,000 vehicles so far in 2005 - a 73% increase over last year. The ‘best-selling’ Kia in Europe is the Picanto (6,331 units), followed by the Sorento (3,732 units).
Earlier this year Kia started 2005 strongly. January sales climbed 55% and February sales by 71% as the Picanto small car sold strongly and the popular Sorento SUV continued to attract customers. In March sales soared by 86%, in April by 78%, with wider availability of the Sportage compact 4x4 and diesel-powered C-Segment Cerato boosting showroom traffic at Kia’s expanding dealer network.
"The latest Kia products have all been designed with European consumers in mind," commented Jean-Charles Lievens, Senior Vice President Kia Europe. "Our sales this year clearly demonstrate that cars like the Picanto, Cerato, Sportage and Sorento meet the motoring needs of European customers and their families. In mid-summer the undoubted appeal of Kia’s cars will be heightened by the arrival of the all-new B-segment Rio and the new diesel engine which is sure to further accelerate our already positive sales momentum."
The Kia Sorento recently achieved an 84% customer satisfaction rating in the UK’s annual J.D. Power & Associates Customer Satisfaction Index. The Kia scored a three-way success as Best 4x4, the only 4x4 to score a 5-Star rating, and 7th overall among 124 contenders - comfortably beating well established 4x4 rivals.
To read our in depth road test of the Kia Sorento [ click here ]
Kia Motors Corporation posts global sales rise of 36%
Kia Motors Corporation has announced that its overseas retail sales of passenger cars and light trucks during April 2005 climbed to 69,908 units, representing a 36% year-on-year increase.
This strong April performance in overseas markets can be attributed to rising sales of the all-new Sportage compact 4x4 and the C-segment Cerato (also known as the ‘Spectra’ in some markets), which was the leading seller in foreign markets in the month of April. For the first four months of 2005, Kia’s overseas retails sales leapt by 34.1% as the corporation sold a total of 252,878 vehicles around the world.
In terms of exports during April, 30,279 units were shipped to Europe, 29,745 units were shipped to North America, and 19,349 units were shipped to the general market. Over the first four months of - 2005, Kia exported a total of 300,404 units - a 32.5% increase over 2004.
"Kia’s stellar overseas sales performance in 2005 has also been bolstered by a surge in the demand for our RV models. So far this year, exports of RVs including the popular Carnival (Sedona) MPV, Sorento SUV and Sportage compact SUV have jumped by 49.2% over the same period of 2004," said Mr Yong-Hwan Kim, Senior Executive Vice President and COO of Kia Motors.
"It is becoming increasingly evident that the Kia brand is rapidly gaining recognition as not just a maker of small compact passenger vehicles, but rather as a trusted manufacturer of a complete vehicle line-up - from the entry-level sub-compact vehicle to highly competitive recreational vehicles," he concluded.
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Wednesday May 11, 1:34 PM
Kia Mobil Indonesia Sees Its Jan-April Sales Skyrocket 320%
JAKARTA, May 11 Asia Pulse - Sales by car maker PT Kia Mobil Indonesia (KMI) skyrocketed 320 per cent to 3,262 units in the first four months of this year from the same period last year.
Suwanda Setiadu, the marketing director of the company, which imports and assembles in the country South Korea's Kia Motors (KSE:000270) said demands for Kia's Picanto, Rio and Carens rose sharply in the January-April period.
Sales of the three models totaled 2,477 units or 80 per cent of the total sales of KIA cars in the country during that period, Setiadi said.
He said the company aims to sell 10,000 units of cars this year.
The Association of Motor Vehicle Companies (Gaikindo) said car sales by KIA totaled 1,042 units in the first four months of 2004.
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Friday May 13, 5:14 PM
W. Europe car sales post rare rise; BMW, Kia shine
LEIPZIG, Germany, May 13 (Reuters) - New car sales in western Europe rose 1.3 percent last month -- the first gain this year -- thanks to solid increases in France, Germany and Spain, data showed on Friday.
New car registrations advanced to 1.29 million units in April, led again by brisk showings from German luxury carmaker BMW and South Korea's Kia Motors .
Italy's hard-pressed Fiat had another dismal sales month, while France's PSA saw sales slip as well.
Figures compiled by Brussels-based car industry group ACEA showed registrations in the 15 legacy European Union members plus Norway, Switzerland and Iceland slipped 1.5 percent in the first four months of 2005 to 5.11 million cars.
Including the new EU members except Malta and Cyprus, registrations dipped 0.8 percent in April and fell 2.6 percent in the first four months amid an influx of imported used cars to eastern Europe.
"These figures reflect the slowdown of the European economy observed since the beginning of the year," ACEA said in a statement, noting early Easter holidays this year had added an extra shopping day in nine countries in April. ADVERTISEMENT
The DJ Stoxx European car sector index edged down 0.2 percent by 0845 GMT in a softer European stock market.
Car sales so far this year have faltered after a late 2004 rally fuelled by incentives and extra selling days that helped mask underlying weakness in the retail car market.
Slack sales are exerting pressure on carmakers already squeezed by a strong euro, high raw materials prices and excess capacity that is weighing on prices in cut-throat competition.
Carmakers are hoping that a raft of new models will boost sales as the year goes on, boosting stock valutions wallowing at the lower end of long-term aveages.
END OF THE TUNNEL?
Credit Suisse First Boston, which has been downbeat on the sector for months, struck a more optimistic tone on Friday, raising its overall rating on European carmakers to "market weight" from "underweight".
"In our view, Q1 2005 results were not as bad as expected. DaimlerChrysler, Volkswagen (and) BMW did not warn, when news flow could have suggested risks were on the downside," the investment bank said in a note to clients.
"Cash flows remain strong and are now coming back to shareholders. Very large increases in dividends at Renault, Michelin, Continental. Volkswagen and DaimlerChrysler maintained high-yielding dividends in the face of scepticism (as has GM)."
Group registrations for struggling Italian carmaker Fiat slumped 15 percent in April, led lower by Fiat brand cars, whose market share shrank a full percentage point to just 4.7 percent as it cut back on heavy discounting that can boost volumes.
The Italian market has also been weak this year.
Volkswagen's group registrations gained 6 percent, boosting its western Europe market share to nearly 19 percent,
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aided by strong showing its its Audi luxury arm and Czech-based entry-level brand Skoda.
French carmaker PSA's market share eased again. PSA has also been scaling back unprofitable business even at the cost of selling fewer cars.
BMW boosted group registrations nearly 23 percent, vaulting its western European market share above
that of Toyota.
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BMW has the biggest new product offensive in its history, including its well-received 1-Series compact and revamped 3-Series model.
Despite record sales, BMW has forecast only flat 2005 earnings given the strong euro and rising prices for raw materials such as steel and plastics.
South Korea's Kia once again led growth by all manufacturers, with registrations leaping 43 percent last month despite harder year-on-year comparisons. Its market share rose to 1 percent from 0.7 percent a year earlier.
Other Asian carmakers turned in mixed showings.
Toyota's registrations, including its luxury brand Lexus, rose 4.7 percent, boosting the world's number two carmaker's market share to 5.2 percent.
Mazda sales plunged 17.6 percent, but Honda grabbed more market share.
General Motors , the world's biggest carmaker, boosted its market share to
10.8 percent from 10.2 percent thanks to gains by its Opel/Vauxhall brand. That put GM ahead of Ford's 10.4 percent share after a 7.4 percent sales drop.
Both big U.S. carmakers have slashed their 2005 earnings forecasts as they lose domestic market share to foreign rivals and face mounting costs for raw materials and health care.
MG Rover, the last independent British carmaker whose bankrupt business is being run by administrators, saw April sales collapse 76 percent to just 2,574 cars.