Hyundai sales in Eastern Europe slows down

According to KAMA, Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association, South Korean automakers experienced slower sales in Eastern Europe in the first eleven months of 2009.

Their sales performance has been affected by economic slump in the region. Overall auto sales in Russia fell from 2.69 million units in 2008 to 1.34 million units in 2009.

Reportedly, Hyundai Motor Company and other South Korean automakers including Kia and GM Daewoo have sold a total of 88.547 new cars in Russia and some Eastern European markets in the first 11 months, while a year earlier they sold 378.395 new cars.


The report also mentioned that on the other hand, Hyundai achieved some good results in the US market. Its manufacturing plant, which produces Santa Fe SUV and Sonata sedan rolled out a millionth car last month after only four and a hlf years since opening!

Hyundai Montgomery plant to produce more Sonatas

New Hyundai Sonata sales are heating up!!

New Hyundai Sonata sedan, which went on sale in February this year, is so popular that Hyundai is having problems keeping up to build enough vehicles to satisfy the demand. The automaker has recently announced it will move production of Santa Fe SUV from its Montgomery manufacturing plant to West Point Georgia, where Kia Motors produces Sorento crossover.

Hyundai Sonata sales have increased more than 50 percent to over 18.000 units for the second month in a row and Hyundai workers at the plant have been working extended hours to produce enough Sonata sedans.

With the demand so high, it is very likely that the plant will need to remain on extended hours for the next few months.

According to top Hyundai official, the automaker expected the redesigned Sonata to sell well, but intial demand has them all. Sonata is setting record-high sales and Hyundai could sell even more cars if they could increase the supply. Unfortunatelly, Sonata's production is limited to around 200.000 vehicles per year.

"Demand is clearly above what we can supply at the Montgomery plant," Hyundai Motor America CEO John Krafcik said recently.