Hello Optima brothers, my name is Mark and was born in the Bronx, NY and live in Raleigh, NC. Christmas came early this year and I just purchased my 2015 Kia Optima SXL Turbo a month ago. Looking forward to meeting many Optima owners like myself. Enter the Optima in two car shows over the past month and won Best in Class (beating out 9 other stock foreign cars) and Top 25 two weeks ago (68 cars entered in show).
dover157.....that's a good question brother!! Intended on cutting production costs, shipping expenses and vehicle travel times, nearly all foreign automakers have built US plants in recent years - primarily in the southeast, where unions are less likely to form. Some foreign automakers, including Honda and Toyota, have had US plants since the 1980s. And since Kia's headquarters are located in S. Korea and Honda and Toyota's in Japan....I think we can say there still considered foreign cars.
The really ironic thing is that most "American" cars are made in Mexico. I would happily buy an American car if it was actually made in America. If Asian car makers can do it, so can ours.
Thanks Triple-K!! Going to see if I can go 3 for 3 at an Open Class People's Choice Show hosted by Chevrolet of Goldsboro Eastern Carolina Corvette Club on Nov. 1st!!