Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, the parent company of Kia Motors (UK), has become the fourth largest global automotive manufacturer, according to data just published.

Based on figures from the Automotive News Data Centre, the Korean manufacturer has overtaken Ford which saw its sales fall by more than 30% in the first half of 2009, selling 8,000 more vehicles than the US giant in the first half of 2009.

Results for all of last year saw Hyundai-Kia trail Ford by around 1,000,000-units, but the group still managed to take fourth place much quicker than had been predicted.

Toyota was the leading manufacturer with global sales of 3,564,105 units for the first half of 2009, followed by General Motors (3,552,722), Volkswagen (3,100,300) and Hyundai-Kia with 2,153,000.