Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group Global Sales Gain

(SEOUL) June 8, 2006 -- The Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group ranks as the sixth largest automotive manufacturer in the world, according to the Detroit-based weekly Automotive News.

In Automotive News' most recent survey of global automotive sales and production, Hyundai Motor Co. and its subsidiary Kia Motors Corp. registered an 11.6 percent jump in global sales in 2005 to 3,715,096 units. It was the largest percentage gain of any carmaker in the million-plus sales category. With it, Hyundai and Kia climbed one spot in the global rankings.

Kia Motors has enjoyed double digit sales gains in Europe, China and Australia while in the more competitive North American market a more modest pace of growth has been registered.

The survey results were published in the June 5, 2006 edition of Automotive News and include sales of cars, light trucks, commercial vehicles and buses.

 
Top 10 Automakers Worldwide

Ranking  Automaker         2005 Global Sales

1  General Motors          8,381,805
2  Toyota Motor Corp.      8,120,000
3  Ford Motor Co.          6,208,700
4  Volkswagen AG           5,242,793
5  DaimlerChrysler AG      4,854,700
6  Hyundai-Kia Group       3,715,095
7  Nissan Motor Co.        3,597,748
8  PSA/Peugeot-Citroen SA  3,390,000
9  Honda Motor Co.         3,365,000
10 Renault SA              2,533,428

*Source: Automotive News June 5, 2006 Edition

Kia Motors Corporation ( <http://autoway.kia.co.kr/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.kiamotors.com /> www.kiamotors.com or www.kia.com <http://www.kia.com/> ) -- one of the fastest growing automakers in the world -- was founded in 1944 and is Korea's oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles. As part of the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, Kia aims to become one of the world's premier automotive brands. Kia's 12 manufacturing and assembly operations in 7 countries produce more than 1.1 million vehicles a year that are sold and serviced through a network of distributors and dealers covering 160 countries. Kia today has over 32,500 employees and annual revenues of almost $16 billion. It is the major sponsor of the Australian Tennis Open and an official worldwide sponsor of the Davis Cup. From 2007 to 2014, Kia will be an official automotive partner of FIFA -- the governing body of the FIFA World Cup. Kia Motors Corporation's brand slogan -- "The Power to Surprise" -- represents the company's global commitment to surpassing customer expectations through continuous automotive innovation.