Kia Super Bowl ad to feature "Male Fantasy" Adriana Lima. View the 15 second teaser below, and the 60 second commercial on Super Bowl day!

 

Kia Motors 2011 profits up to 30.4%, record high!

Kia Motors, the maker of the Optima sedan and Rio compact on Friday reported record-high earnings last year on the back of its upgraded brand image and robust sales growth in overseas markets.

Net profit reached 3.5 trillion won (US$3.1 billion) last year, up 30.4 percent from a year earlier, the company said in a regulatory filing.

Sales jumped 20.6 percent on-year to 43.2 trillion won in 2011, and operating profit also shot up 41.6 percent to 3.5 trillion won.

The company sold 2.48 million vehicles in 2011. It sold some 485,000 vehicles in the U.S. market, up 36.3 percent from a year earlier, while sales in China, now the world’s largest market for automobiles, jumped 29.9 percent to 433,000 cars. Sales in other regions rose 18.4 percent to 778,000.

The South Korea automaker, in which Hyundai Motor Co. owns a nearly 40% stake, expects overall sales for 2012 to grow 9.5% to 2.71 million units, slowing from a 19% rise to 2.48 million units last year.

Reuters reports that in Europe, Kia aims to boost sales by 23 percent to 356,000 vehicles – while in U.S. the maker of Optima plans to boost sales by 10 percent to 534,000 vehicles this year.

 

Curious about the Kia Superbowl Ad? Take a look at this short 15 second clip!

 

 

Another episode of "Kia Open Drive" series is available today! This time it is with Kim Clijsters!

Need some tips to save on fuel? Check out this video for some awesome tips!

 

 

New Kia driver pairings for the 2012 Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge

Kia Motors America and racing partner Kinetic Motorsports will begin defense of the 2011 Street Tuner (ST) Team and Driver titles with new driver pairings for both the No. 10 and No. 12 Infinity Audio Forte Koups when the green flags drops on the 2012 GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Championship (CTSCC) season at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, January 27. Fresh off his 2011 Sonoco Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year performance, familiar face Andy Lally returns to the Kia Racing program, reuniting with ST Driver champion Nic Jönsson and the No. 10 car. Lally and Jönsson were last seen capturing Kia's first-ever GRAND-AM podium at Daytona in January 2011 before Lally left to pursue his dream of competing in NASCAR Sprint Cup.

"I'm thrilled to be included with Kinetic Motorsports and Kia Racing again for the 2012 season and am excited to be teamed with Nic for a run at the championship," said Lally. "The Kia Forte Koups are some of the best prepared race cars I have ever driven, and I am looking forward to getting the season started."

"Having Andy back as my teammate again full time is very exciting for the whole Kia Racing and Kinetic Motorsports team," said Jönsson. "We are looking forward to kicking off 2012 and defending the Driver and Team championships."

Courtesy of Kia Media Center

Kia slam-dunked a new relationship with the NBA

Kia Motors America (KMA), the Official Automotive Partner of the NBA and one of the fastest growing car companies in the U.S. , has added a new team its National Basketball Association (NBA) team partnerships by becoming the "Official Vehicle of the Golden State Warriors." Beginning with the 2011-2012 basketball season, KMA also has renewed relationships with the Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, Miami HEAT, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs, while the Los Angeles Clippers, Orlando Magic and Portland Trail Blazers remain on Kia Motors' roster in 2011-2012 as part of multi-year agreements.

Kia's U.S. sales have increased 78 percent since 2008 and the company's unprecedented growth is the direct result of expanded brand visibility through high-profile partnerships, including involvement on- and off-the-court in professional basketball. Kia is currently in its fifth year as the Official Automotive Partner of the NBA, which is the brand's largest U.S. sports marketing initiative. After he leaped over an Optima midsize sedan to become the 2011 Sprite Slam Dunk Contest champion, NBA All-Star Blake Griffin became a global brand ambassador for Kia. The brand also serves as the Official Automotive Partner of NBA All-Star, title partner of the Kia NBA Performance Awards, and an Official Automotive Partner of NBA Cares. Kia also is the title sponsor of ESPN's "Kia NBA Countdown."

 

Courtesy of Kia Media Center

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Kia's midsize Optima recognized as 2012 Sedan of the Year by Autobytel.

Kia's midsize sedan heralded for design, technology, performance 2012 Optima recognized as "setting the bar" in the 4-door sedan category Optima accolade kicks off 2012 with a bang IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 5, 2012 - Following a year in which Kia Motors America (KMA) received more vehicle awards and accolades than ever before, the brand's stylish Optima mid-size sedan kicked the New Year off in high gear by being named "2012 Sedan of the Year" by Autobytel. Recognized by the automotive research website's editors as "setting the bar" in the sedan category, the Optima took top honors against tough competition with its head-turning design, roomy interior and outstanding fuel economy. "Since its introduction, the Optima has been attracting new customers to the brand with the right balance of performance, modern amenities and fuel economy that consumers are looking for," said Michael Sprague, vice president of marketing and communications, KMA. "The mid-size sedan segment is more competitive than ever, and Autobytel's recognition of the Optima continues to keep Kia's momentum going into 2012." Autobytel is an automotive research website providing consumers with the information they need to purchase new and used cars. Over their 75 years of combined experience, Autobytel editors have driven hundreds of vehicles and have chosen the 2012 Sedan of the Year based on the Optima's game-changing market potential, advances in design and overall performance and efficiency options. About the 2012 Optima The 2012 Kia Optima stands apart from the crowd with its head-turning design, fun-to-drive performance, modern amenities and long list of standard safety features. Kia's second U.S.-built1 vehicle offers drivers cutting-edge technologies, including a standard eight-speaker Infinity®2 audio system, HD Radio™3, and Kia's UVO powered by Microsoft®4 voice-activated infotainment and communications system with a starting MSRP of $19,5005. Kia's Unprecedented Growth Kia Motors is the one of the world's fastest moving global automotive brands; from 2009-2011 Kia launched more new vehicles in the U.S. than any other automaker, and under the guidance of chief design officer Peter Schreyer earned a reputation as an industry leader in automotive styling. Kia Motors America's full line of fuel-efficient and fun-to-drive cars and CUVs has earned critical acclaim and dramatically increased consumer awareness, perception and consideration for the brand. In 2011, KMA recorded its 17th consecutive year of market share growth, thanks in part to the largest increase of any major brand in perceived quality6 and the industry's highest brand loyalty ranking7. Kia's U.S.-based manufacturing facility in West Point, Georgia – KMMG – is responsible for the creation of more than 10,000 plant and supplier jobs and builds the company's two best-selling vehicles in the U.S. – the Sorento CUV and Optima midsize sedan8. Kia's value and technology-laden 2012 model year lineup also includes the Sportage compact CUV, Soul urban passenger vehicle, Optima Hybrid, Forte compact sedan, Forte 5-door compact hatchback, Forte Koup two-door coupe, all-new Rio and Rio 5-door sub-compacts and Sedona minivan.   Courtesy of Kia Media