The first US built 2012 Optima midsize sedan has rolled off the production line at Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, joining the Sorento crossover as the second Kia model to be produced at the West Point facility.

BM Ahn, group president and CEO of Kia Motors America (KMA) and KMMG said: “The attention to detail and dedication to world-class quality shared by each KMMG team member is the primary reason for Kia Motors’ decision to invest an additional US$100m to expand the plant’s four main shops to support Optima production.”

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After an investment of over $1bn, KMMG began producing the Sorento on 16 November 2009.

Parent Hyundai has a US assembly plant in Alabama.

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