Kia Launches New Pro_cee’d in Slovakia

VIENNA – Volume production of the next-generation Kia pro_cee’d 3-door hatchback is under way at the auto maker’s plant in Teplicka nad Vahom, near Zilina, Slovakia.

The facility has manufactured more than 76,000 first-generation pro_cee’d cars since production began in 2007, but last year only 3,882 were built.

With the launch of the new model, Kia wraps up the renewal of the cee’d family, with all three body styles – 5- and 3-door hatchbacks, plus a wagon – now in their second generation.

Output of 204-hp GT models will be added in mid-May. Both the Kia cee’d 5-door and pro_cee’d 3-door will be available as GT versions.

Kia’s Slovak facility set a new production record last year, building 291,367 vehicles, up 15.5% from 2011.

The total includes 136,514 Sportage cross/utility vehicles, 119,870 cee’d models in three body styles and two generations and 34,983 Venga multipurpose vehicles.

The cee’d and Venga are sourced solely in Slovakia.

The plant’s largest export market was Russia, accounting for more than 22% of production last year, followed by the U.K. (12%), Germany (11%), France (6%) and Italy (5%).

In addition, Kia Slovakia manufactured more than 464,000 engines, also a record and up 29% from 2011.

Gasoline engines represented 55% of production and diesel powerplants 45%. The most popular engine was the 1.6L diesel, with about 99,000 units built, accounting for 21% of output last year.

Slovak-made engines also are shipped to Hyundai’s operations in Nosovice, Czech Republic.

The Kia plant is expected to produce some 290,000 vehicles and 490,000 engines this year.