Kia Motors achieves another significant production milestone as a Snow White Pearl Optima sedan embarks on a journey to USA. This is the 10,000,000th vehicle the South Korean firm exports.

Last year Kia Motors posted USD11.2 billion in exports and accounted for 2.4% of all South Korean exports. During the past six years they exported five million vehicles, which is a direct result of the increased demand for Kia cars all around the world, specially for the new generation of models including Picanto, Rio, Sorento, Sportage and Optima.

And they owe this to improved design, superb build quality, uncanny reliability and amazing value for money of their products.

In Europe, the company’s production facility at Žilina, Slovakia, also announced today that it has set a new output record, having produced a total of 229,500 cars in 2010, representing a 52 per cent year-on-year increase.  Engine production was also up 31 per cent on last year, with more than 320,900 units produced. To commemorate this milestone event, a celebration ceremony was held today 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.

“The last year was an exceptionally positive one for Kia Motors, and we expect to build on our momentum through 2011,” comments Benny Oeyen, Vice President Marketing and Product Planning, Kia Motors Europe.  “These production success stories are a clear indication that Kia is designing cars that are relevant to the current market and that are highly desirable to consumers.  The fact that half of our 10 million global exports have been achieved in the past five years is further proof that our design-led product revolution has achieved its aim of establishing Kia as a major player in the global automotive market.