All you need to know about Kia
Born: 1942
Nationality: Korean
Though strictly speaking Kia didn't become a car manufacturer until 1974, the seeds were sown when the company was set up to make steel tubing and bicycle wheels as the imminent defeat of Japan - occupier of the Korean peninsula before and during the conflict - became apparent. It took another eight years before it produced its own first complete bicycle, nine years more to achieve its first motorcycle.
Then a year later, in 1962, a three-wheel truck was rolled out that became the foundation of an automotive enterprise which today has ambitions to be among the top five global car makers by 2010.
In 1973, Kia produced the first petrol engine to be built in Korea, and a year later had the country's first home-designed car, the Brisa. A pick-up based on the Brisa became the company's first automotive export in 1975.
Clearly on a roll, Kia took over the Asia Motors company in 1976, and two years further on was producing the peninsula's first diesel engines. At this time Kia also built Peugeot 604 and Fiat 132s for home and other Asian markets.
The brand boomed in Asia through the 1980s, mainly through production of its Bongo truck and minibus variant, and a couple of nameplates that never made it to Europe, such as the Ceres truck and the Besta minibus. But we did eventually get the Kia Pride car, which was based on an old-generation Mazda 121 and was previously sold in the US as the Ford Festiva. During this time, the company produced its millionth vehicle. In 1993 it introduced its Sephia compact saloon to some European markets.
The Sportage small SUV that has also been sold here was introduced the same year.
1993 was also the year that Kia completed a proving ground around its Asan Bay factory that was the match of many owned by the much more established car maker giants.
The scale of Kia's growth from that point is clear from the benchmark five millionth vehicle produced in 1996, and by 1998 the company had exported two million cars and trucks.
The 1997 Asian currency meltdown could have done the same to the company, but in receivership it restructured and Hyundai took a majority shareholding following an auction of the company. In 1999, a 'Kia New Start' declaration was made. The brand maintained production, and recovered to the point that it managed to produce 10 new models between 1999 and 2002, beginning with the Carens compact MPV and the Rio compact saloon. In 2001 cumulative production reached 10 million.
Kia is currently the fastest-growing brand in Europe. Recently, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kia Motors Europe has taken over the distributorship of the marque in Ireland. The vanguard of a new assault on the market is likely to be the new Picanto supermini.
Best Car: I'm putting my money on the Picanto.
Worst Car: The Kia Pride sold in Ireland was already two generations old when it arrived.
Weirdest Car: The KCV-III concept SUV, first unveiled at Paris.