Hyundai increases output to meet 600,000 U.S. sales in 2011

2011 Hyundai Elantra

Hyundai Motor Co. announced that it has increased production capacity that will allow it to sell a record 600,000 cars and light tucks in the United States in 2011. The move comes as demand for the Hyundai Sonata and Hyundai Elantra grow.

“We’ve now been able to secure production capacity to safely say that we will surpass 600,000 units,” Mike O’Brien, Hyundai’s vice president for U.S. corporate and product planning said.

Hyundai said earlier this year that it didn’t have enough capacity to meet the level of U.S. sales. Since then, the Korean automaker has raised output at its Montgomery, Alabama plant that makes the Sonata and Elantra. O’Brien said it will also have a large supply of the 2012 Hyundai Accent from South Korea than originally planned.

Hyundai and Kia are among the fastest growing automakers in the United States in 2011. Sales of the two brands have increase 29 percent and 45 percent through May, respectively.

– By: Omar Rana

Source: Automotive News