Honda Expands in North America

Filed in archive on May 17, 2006

Honda's the big newsmaker today, with three announcements about upcoming products, engines, and new factories. The company will be producing another "dedicated" hybrid model (purpose-built, not a Fit hybrid as rumours have suggested) in 2009. It will be produced at the company's Suzuka plant and is expected to sell 200,000 units annually worldwide. Prior to that Honda will introduce its first North American diesel, based on the four-cylinder direct-injection diesel currently offered in Europe. (The switch to ultra low sulfur fuel in October makes it more attractive to sell diesels in the US.) And finally, Honda is planning two new North American factories, a $400 million assembly plant to be operational by 2008 and a $140 million engine plant in Canada, near Barrie, Ontario. Very impressive. Now, if only it could get its F1 team on the podium, Honda would really have something to short about. Thanks to Bob Schulties' Cars!Cars!Cars! for the heads-up on this.