Kia Motors to launch new SUV in India

GOA: Kia Motors, the world's seventh largest car maker, is planning to bring to India a brand new sports utility vehicle (SUV) or multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) within six months to gain market share in India, after it launches its first car Kia Seltos, a mid-size SUV on August 22 in the country.

The new entrant into the fiercely competitive Asia's third biggest car market is also eying global markets with made-in-India Kia Seltos for growth.

The South Korean car maker, which has set up its state-of-the-art manufacturing factory in Andhra Pradesh with an installed production capacity of 3 lakh units annually, will have only one shift till slowing automobile market bounces back.

The company is initially looking to begin with a production capacity of one lakh units per annum and then gradually ramp it up to three lakh units annually.

"We have already received an overwhelming 23,000 bookings (started on July 16) for Kia Seltos in a few days," Manohar Bhat, Head, Marketing and Sales at Kia Motors India told Financial Chronicle on the sidelines of the Kia Seltos test drive in Goa.