Among the many “rag to riches” tales that took place in the business world this past decade, is the meteoric rise of the Korean carmakers.
In 2010, Kia sold 356,268 vehicles in the U.S. By September 2011, it had already surpassed that number having made 367,405 deliveries. This marks an increase of 37% compared to the same period last year, and it also means that 2011 will be a record-setting year for the Korean carmaker.
In an interview with Autonews, Kia Motors vice president, Hank Lee, said that he expects his company to sell 470,000 new vehicles this year in America adding that that Kia is not resting on its laurels, and plans to do even better in 2012.
“We will increase the number of U.S. dealers from 760 to about 800 next year”, said Lee. “But number is not as important as quality. We are attracting good candidates who are willing to invest in our brand. In the first half of 2011 we replaced 50 to 60 small, old, low-performing dealers with interesting new ones.”
Kia Motors America vice president of sales Tom Loveless stressed the important role that the brand’s network plays, and the company’s plan to increase its efforts in markets where it is underperforming.
“You don’t want to be in a hurry to get it wrong”, he said. “We’re really trying to concentrate with the network we have. Dealer profitability is way up, and we know that by strengthening our dealers, along with product, we have a pillar for long-term growth.”
