The kid-tested, LeBron-approved Kia K900, which contributed very little to overall Kia November sales
Kia November sales figures were announced yesterday, with the automaker’s American sales totaling 44,936 units for the month. That’s a slight decrease over November of 2013, when Kia sold 45,411 vehicles. However, Kia’s year-to-date sales of 534,647 put them over the 500,000-unit mark for the third consecutive year. Kia Motors America’s sales were driven primarily by the Optima (12,707 units sold) and the Soul (9,146 units).
The most interesting aspect of the new sales report, though, is examining the Kia K900’s numbers. Kia only sold 62 of their K900 models in October; but then at the end of the month, the Korean automaker debuted a new commercial for the $60,000 sedan that starred LeBron James, the brand’s first-ever “luxury ambassador.” So how many K900s were sold in November, with the television ad campaign in full swing and King James’ commercial airing during primetime NBA games? A whopping 69!
A still from LeBron James’ Kia K900 commercial
Simple math would suggest that, thanks to his considerable star power, LeBron sold seven whole K900s for Kia last month. Of course, to be fair, LeBron’s print ad campaign actually began in mid-October, so it’s possible some of the sedans that sold that month were a result of his endorsement, as well. In that case, we should compare the October numbers to the previous month’s figures, which total… 56 K900s sold in September.
So since making LeBron the car’s official ambassador, Kia has increased their monthly sales of the K900 by 6 in October, and then by another 7 in November. At this rate, we can expect 8 more K900 sedans to be sold in December, for a monthly total of 77, and a final yearly total of 1,314 units sold. So, uh… get ’em while they’re hot!
Below are the rest of Kia’s numbers from last month.
Kia November Sales Figures
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