Hyundai, Kia see combined 2010 sales up 16 pct

Hyundai Motor Co and affiliate Kia Motors Corp have set their combined 2010 sales target at 5.39 million vehicles, up 16 percent from the estimated sales this year, Maeil Business Newspaper reported.

The global sales target has been revised up recently following signs of strength in China and India, the newspaper reported in its early Friday edition, citing an unnamed company source.

A Hyundai Motor spokesman said no decision has been made on the sales target for the company or Kia.

Hyundai and Kia, together the world's No. 4 auto maker based on the first-half sales, aim to grow at twice the market rate in China next year, the president of Beijing Hyundai said earlier on Thursday.