The Korean manufacturer is planning to introduce 5 models in Indian market within three years and the first model will be production version of SP Concept
Kia Motors officially announced its India entry at 2018 Auto Expo and the company showcased its entire portfolio along with global debut of SP Concept. The first model from Kia will be production version of SP Concept and it will be launched in second half of 2019. The Korean manufacturer is planning to introduce 5 models in within three years.
Yong S Kim, Executive director of Kia Motors India said that India was the final step in the global footprint of the company and they want to become top five manufacturers in the three years of launch in 2019. The Korean manufacturer hasn’t given details about its upcoming models, but the company is considering Grand Carnival MPV and Stonic SUV for India market reportedly.
The company has invested $1.1 billion for its new plant in Andhra Pradesh and it was being built on 600 acres of land. The new plant will employ more than 3,000 people and annual production capacity is three lakh cars. Earlier, Kia revealed that they have fast tracked the plans and construction of the new plant is two months ahead of schedule.
Youg S Kim also confirmed that initially they are focusing on domestic market only and decision on export will be taken later. The Korean manufacturer has been very active on social media sites to keep the buzz around the brand. The company recently conducted a poll to finalize name for SP Concept.
The production model of SP Concept is going to rival Hyundai Creta and both models could share some components. The SP Concept will be powered by same 1.6 L diesel and petrol engines from Creta but they will be tuned slightly different for Kia. These engines will be mated to manual and automatic transmissions.
The Korean manufacturer is testing Picanto and other models in India. We can expect some models to be sourced from International portfolio as developing 5 new models will take more time and they want to create premium brand image in India. It is worth noting that its parent company Hyundai launched affordable hatchbacks initially to capture the mind of young Indians and now the scenario has entirely changed.