Kia Motors plans to develop a compact car specifically for China, the company has said.
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Company officials told a local newspaper that the project is aimed at producing vehicles more affordable for Chinese consumers and will be designed specifically to suit their tastes. According to Kia, Chinese drivers prefer brighter colours in comparison to local consumers.
The vehicle will be produced in China and is likely to be priced lower than the Pride (Rio) in an effort to increase price competitiveness of Kia vehicles and boost sales. Over 200,000 Rios have been sold in the country since 2002.
Unlike current Kia Motors vehicles marketed in China that have undergone slight modifications to increase appeal to Chinese drivers – the new project aims to develop a vehicle tailor made for the Chinese market from the very beginning, a Kia Motors official was quoted as saying.
