Now, after ten years in the U.S. market and over 1,000,000 sales, Kia is thinking big again, and ready to set itself apart from other automakers with the introduction of the all-new 2004 Amanti, an affordable premium sedan, and the brand's first entry in the large-car segment.

The Amanti is the newest addition to the growing Kia product range and the most recent fulfillment of the company's plans to reach out to a broader spectrum of American consumers. With its distinctive styling and impressive list of standard equipment, the Amanti will attract new, more affluent customers to the Kia brand, and will also continue to evolve the automaker's image from that of a small, entry-level manufacturer to a company offering consumers value, quality and safety in a full product range.

Kia sees three advantages in entering the large-car segment:

First, unlike most other segments in the market, there is only one notable Asian-brand competitor, so the company believes it has a good chance to make inroads in this part of the market.

Second, since Kia does not currently offer a vehicle in the large-car segment, the Amanti provides the potential for incremental sales of customers new to the brand, as well as a logical choice for current Kia owners to consider for their next new car purchase.

Finally, the company believes its newest model will enhance Kia's brand image because of Amanti's position in the market.

Target buyers for Amanti hold professional or managerial jobs and are in their mid-forties to late-fifties and want a stylish large sedan. Most buyers in the target demographic group have never considered a Kia vehicle before, but as the leading edge of the baby boomers, many have owned international brands and they appreciate great value.

The Amanti will go head-to-head with the likes of the Toyota Avalon, Buick LeSabre and Chrysler Concorde. Those vehicles are the key nameplates in a segment predicted to grow steadily in the years ahead. While none of those vehicles can be called outright luxury cars, they do offer plenty of room plus a wide variety of comfort and convenience features. By following the Kia formula that has made it one of the fastest-growing brands in U.S. history, the Amanti will offer more than the buyer expects, including a level of sophistication and a range of safety features usually found at the higher end of the market - but at a lower-than-expected price.

For Kia, now is the perfect time to introduce the Amanti. Earlier this year the company sold its one-millionth vehicle in the U.S., and the expansion of the Kia product line-up has proven the brand's ability to attract more affluent buyers. With the Amanti, Kia intends to show the automotive world that the company remains on track to achieve its objective of creating a larger presence in the U.S. market with a broader range of products that offer quality, value and safety for American consumers.