Following the completion of a series of expansion projects to raise annual capacity, the first U.S.-built 2012 MY Kia Optima midsize sedan rolled off the production line today at Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, Inc. (KMMG), joining the popular Sorento CUV as the second Kia vehicle to be produced at theWest Pointfacility. In addition to the physical expansion, KMMG recently added a third shift that raised the total number of jobs created at the plant to more than 3,000.

"Kia has become one of the fastest growing car companies in the U.S. thanks in large part to the success of KMMG, the addition of new team members, and the critically-acclaimed Optima to the production line is further evidence of our commitment to the U.S. and local economy," saidB.M. Ahn, group president and CEO of Kia Motors America (KMA) and KMMG. "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$100 millionto expand the plant's four main shops to support Optima production."

Representing an investment of more than$1 billion, KMMG began producing the Sorento onNovember 16, 2009. In addition to the jobs created directly at the plant, on-site and nearby suppliers have created another 7,500 new positions in the region to support KMMG's annual capacity of 360,000 vehicles in 2012.

Kia Motors has undergone a dramatic, design-led transformation, which has been delivering dynamically styled vehicles in several important segments at exactly the right time, contributing to the brand's continued gains in U.S. market share. Led by the best-selling Sorento, KMA completed an historic first half of 2011 with back-to-back best-ever quarterly sales and year-to-date sales have increased more than 40 percent over 2010.