Photo: Kia
Following a $1.1 billion investment back in 2009, South Korean manufacturer Kia officially started rolling out U.S.-made cars for the American market. The plant, located in West Point, Georgia, produced this week its 3 millionth vehicle.
On Wednesday, September 11, the assembly lines spat out the anniversary car, a 2020 Telluride SX Prestige, painted white. Unlike other carmakers, Kia seems not to have stopped work at the facility for a photoshoot with the employees and the car.
“Producing three million vehicles in less than 10 years is another example of the commitment and results of the KMMG Team’s ‘One System, One Team’ philosophy,” said in a statement the plant’s CEO Jangsoo Shin.
“The world-class quality that goes into every Telluride, Sorento and Optima we build is a direct result of the hard work and dedication of our team members, and today we salute their commitment to excellence.”
The Georgia plant is currently responsible for making over 40 percent of the total Kia cars sold in the States. The latest addition to the production lines is the Telluride.
The SUV itself is an American achievement, despite wearing the South Korean's logo. The car has been drawn at the Kia Design Center in Irvine California, it is assembled in Georgia, and its name takes after a town in San Miguel County, Colorado.
On the market since the beginning of the year, the model sold nearly 35,000 units, averaging approximately 5,000 per month. Not at all bad, given the fact it is a brand new name coming to an already stable segment.
The Telluride is an eight-seater that looks precisely right to entice the American buyer, with a massive body packing a stylish interior with plenty of gadgets. The powertrain, a 3.8-liter GDI V6, is just the right amount of punchy, packing 291 horsepower and 262 lb.-ft. of torque.
The Kia Telluride sells in the U.S. starting from $31,690.
“Producing three million vehicles in less than 10 years is another example of the commitment and results of the KMMG Team’s ‘One System, One Team’ philosophy,” said in a statement the plant’s CEO Jangsoo Shin.
“The world-class quality that goes into every Telluride, Sorento and Optima we build is a direct result of the hard work and dedication of our team members, and today we salute their commitment to excellence.”
The Georgia plant is currently responsible for making over 40 percent of the total Kia cars sold in the States. The latest addition to the production lines is the Telluride.
The SUV itself is an American achievement, despite wearing the South Korean's logo. The car has been drawn at the Kia Design Center in Irvine California, it is assembled in Georgia, and its name takes after a town in San Miguel County, Colorado.
On the market since the beginning of the year, the model sold nearly 35,000 units, averaging approximately 5,000 per month. Not at all bad, given the fact it is a brand new name coming to an already stable segment.
The Telluride is an eight-seater that looks precisely right to entice the American buyer, with a massive body packing a stylish interior with plenty of gadgets. The powertrain, a 3.8-liter GDI V6, is just the right amount of punchy, packing 291 horsepower and 262 lb.-ft. of torque.
The Kia Telluride sells in the U.S. starting from $31,690.
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