Kia celebrates 80th anniversary, unveils future concept car

Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun speaks during Kia's 80th anniversary event at Kia Vision Square in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, Friday. Yonhap

Kia has pledged to overcome a lingering external crisis — posed by global supply chain shifts and an emerging Chinese rivalry — by getting back to basics and creating value for future mobility, the carmaker said Friday at an event marking its 80th anniversary.

"Kia’s 80-year history has been a remarkable journey," Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun said during the ceremony.

"Kia founder Kim Chul-ho dreamed of building airplanes even when he was making bicycles, and pursued a vision far ahead of his time. From motorcycles to Korea's first integrated automobile plant and domestic production of engines, the company laid the foundation for mobility in Korea."

Kia was established in 1944 as a bicycle part company and expanded into motorcycles, tricycles and automobiles. The company went bankrupt in 1997 in the aftermath of the Asian financial crisis, but was acquired by Hyundai Motor Group the following year.

"Kia's journey has never been easy, but the company has overcome every challenge with its unique resilience,” Chung said. “The spirit of Kia continues to evolve through our DNA and commitment to innovation.”

The carmaker is now faced with mounting uncertainties due to the ever-changing global trade environment, new mobility paradigm driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and growing challenges from Chinese brands.

Executives from Hyundai Motor and Kia applaud during Kia's 80th anniversary event in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, Friday. They include Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun, fourth from left, and Kia CEO Song Ho-sung, fifth from left. Kia's future concept car Vision Meta Turismo is in the center. Yonhap

"We will never be conceited by looking back on our past crisis, and will focus more on realizing the genuine mobility value in eco-friendly vehicles and software-driven diverse services to our customers," Kia CEO Song Ho-sung said.

Chung also told reporters that Kia faces daunting challenges ahead, and that the company must continue taking on new challenges to overcome them. He added that carrying on the spirit of Kia founder Kim and Hyundai Motor Group Honorary Chairman Chung Mong-koo will be key.

Kia is now identifying the purpose-built vehicle (PBV), or what the carmaker calls Platform Beyond Vehicle, as its next major revenue area. The automaker launched its first PBV, the PV5, this year on hopes to open a new era of modular commercial vehicles.

A group of 400 government officials and top management from Kia and Hyundai Motor took part in the 80th anniversary event.

To mark the milestone, Kia also unveiled its 80-year anniversary book and a future concept car — Vision Meta Turismo. The book features a summary of Kia’s brand history. This is the first time that Kia has released a book of this kind since becoming a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Group.

Vision Meta Turismo is a modern reinterpretation of the charm of long-distance travel in the 1960s, according to Kia.

The concept car is built on the carmaker’s design philosophy of “Opposite United.” It features a futurist silhouette and its interior displays Kia’s unwavering willingness to foster deeper interaction between human beings and mobility by using digital technologies.

The vehicle is equipped with an augmented reality head-up display, which enables drivers to enjoy three-dimensional experiences by wearing smart glasses, helping them feel as if they were driving on the road through virtual reality.