By Dusan Dvorak
Senior Manager Public Relations
Kia Motors Slovakia

Yesterday, Kia Motors Slovakia begins production of our newest compact sport-utility model, Kia Sportage, for the European market. Due to customer interest we might have to produce up to 35,000 units of this model for sale in Europe during the second half of 2010.

“The adjustment of production lines and installation of technologies for its production was realized from the beginning of the year and the trial production went smoothly,” said In-Kyu Bae, President and CEO of Kia Motors Slovakia in a recent press release. Our all-new Kia Sportage was officially introduced to the public in March 2010 at the 80th year of the International Motor Show in Geneva where it received rave reviews from press and fans about its sporty new look and impressive engineering. The trial production of the new model began in March this year and production of our previous Sportage generation wrapped in May 2010.

Kia feels that the all-new Sportage, being both spacious and practical, is our next step forward. It is suitable for city driving as well as offering consumers a 4×4 option for the more adventurous driver. Sportage is a more environmentally friendly alternative, too, since it is equipped with the ISG system which reduces fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, ideal for urban life which is of special interest to Kia drivers – not only in Europe, but around the world. The new vehicle will strengthen the position of Kia brand in Europe and increase our production volume at the plant.

Our Slovakia plant currently produces cars from our cee’d family line-up, pro_cee’d, cee’d SW and cee’d. The plant’s capacity would allow us to produce more than 200,000 cars this year.