Optima faxes the axe

KIA'S mid-size Optimaappears set to join thecompany's Carens compact people mover onthe Australian scrap-heap.

Despite keen pricingand generally positivemedia reviews, the closerelation of parent companyHyundai's Sonata V6 is a lessthan 50 per cent chance to be seen here inthe updated form launched at the Seoul motor show last November.

Kia sold just 163 Optimas here in 2002, a slight improvement over2001's 123 result.

"The product is just fine, but then it becomes a business or marketingissue," explained Kia Automotive Australia managing director Ric Hull.

"Ifyou start dividing the cake for the volumes that we have across anotherproduct line it becomes very difficult.

"There's just no question that Optima suffered because we could not putthe marketing bucks behind it that it deserved."Mr Hull said the only real chance to continue Optima on would be a"super-dooper" price from the factory. A decision is due this quarter.

The Carens II is far more stylish than the original car that sold briefly inAustralia, and Mr Hull is concerned it would eat into Spectra small carsales if it was re-introduced.

"I think they are both less than 50 per cent chance to come in," Mr Hull said.

KAA has set its sales target at 15,000 for 2003, up from 12,237 in 2002.

Much of that growth is expected to come from the Sorento mid-size off-roader, revamped Rio light car and Pregio and K2700 commercial vehicles.