Kia has cut its 2004 Spanish sales target to 40,000 from 45,000 amid dealer complaints that its initial objectives were too aggressive.
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“We have lowered our target partly because of the complaints but also because we want to see how sales develop” in the first half, Kia´s Spanish media relations director Javier Gutierrez told just-auto.
The Korean car maker’s 85 Spanish dealers have said the sales goals are too aggressive and that the market can only absorb 35,000 units this year, up from just over 30,000 in 2004, Gutierrez said, adding that the company is negotiating a compromise with them.
Dealers also had difficulties selling Kia cars last year, according to local press. Kia dealer representatives would not comment.
Kia, a unit of Hyundai Motor., is confident it can meet its Iberian projections.
The company launched the redesigned Sportage SUV in January and will introduce its fully revamped Rio line in the summer.
Kia’s factories will soon ship new versions of the Picanto supermini, which sharply boosted last year´s sales, and step up imports of the “highly-demanded” Sorento SUV, Gutierrez said.
Ivan Castano
