Kia Serves as "Official Car"
of First Round Davis Cup Match Between USA and CROATIA this Weekend in Los Angeles
Amanti Premium Sedans to Transport Athletes, Including Andre Agassi & Andy Roddick
IRVINE, Calif., March 3, 2005 – Kia Motors’ global commitment to tennis will be showcased this weekend at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. as part of the festivities surrounding the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group first round tie between the United States and Croatia, March 4-6. Kia is the “Official Car” of the Davis Cup competition, which is the largest annual international team competition in sport.
Andre Agassi will return to the U.S. Davis Cup team for the series against Croatia, marking his first Davis Cup appearance since 2000. Agassi will be joined on the U.S. team by former U.S. Open champion Andy Roddick.
In support of the Davis Cup, Kia will provide a fleet of 10 Amanti premium sedans to transport athletes and officials throughout the competition. The vehicles will be adorned with special Davis Cup sponsorship logos. Tennis fans will also have the opportunity to see and touch some of Kia’s newest vehicles, including the all-new Sportage compact SUV at a special product display at the Home Depot Center.
“As the ‘Official Car’ of the Davis Cup, Kia is pleased to help provide American tennis fans with the opportunity to watch Team USA battle Croatia in Los Angeles,” said Phil Kelley, vice president, sales, Kia Motors America. “Tennis is a sport that is embraced around the world, as evidenced by the more than 130 nations entered in this year’s competition, and we believe the excitement of Davis Cup tennis is a perfect match for our ‘enabling and exciting’ brand attributes.”
Kia Motors Corporation -- the fastest growing automaker in the world -- was founded in 1944 and is Korea’s oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles. As part of the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, Kia aims to become one of the world’s premiere automotive brands. Kia’s 16 manufacturing and assembly operations in 13 countries produce more than 1.1 million vehicles a year that are sold and serviced through a network of distributors and dealers covering 190 countries. Kia today has 30,000 employees and annual revenues of $14 billion . It is the major sponsor of the Australian Tennis Open and an official worldwide sponsor of the Davis Cup. Kia Motors Corporation’s brand slogan -- “The Power to Surprise” -- represents the company’s global commitment to surpassing customer expectations through continuous automotive innovation.
The Davis Cup is the world’s largest annual international team competition in sport with 133 nations entered in 2005. The title sponsor is BNP Paribas, the Official Bank of the Davis Cup. Kia Motors joins other international partners Adecco (Official Recruitment Partner), Fossil (Official Watch) Getronics (Official ICT Sponsor), Hugo Boss (Official Men's Fashion Sponsor) and international partners, NH Hoteles (Spanish-based international hotel chain) and Wilson (Official Ball supplier).
