Indiantelevision.com Team

(19 December 2006 10:30 pm)

MUMBAI: Honda Motor Company has announced that it would introduce a small-size vehicle in India even as it aims to sell over 150,000 units of automobiles by the end of 2010.

The expansion to 100,000 units at Honda Siel cars from the Greater Noida plant has already begun and is progressing as per schedule, asserts an officil release.

"Honda would further accelerate its effort to strengthen the core characteristics that make us unique in each business area in order to continue creating new value and providing products and services which are beyond customers' expectations," says Honda Motor president and CEO Takeo Fukui.

Dwelling on Honda's estimated worldwide sales for the year 2006, he said, Honda globally expects to achieve all-time record sales in all three product areas.

- Motorcycles: 12.7 million units (up 3 per cent from 2005)
- Automobiles: 3.55 million units (up 5 per cent from 2005)
- Power Products: 6.4 million units (up 15 per cent from 2005)

With new technologies like VTEC and VCM for automobiles and super-low friction engines for motorcycles, Honda aims to achieve further improvement of fuel efficiency and cleaner tailpipe emissions.

The application of hybrid technology will be expanded to a smaller size vehicle. Honda will offer a new dedicated hybrid vehicle in 2009 at a price level lower than the globally popular Civic Hybrid.

Application of diesel technology will be expanded to a medium-to-large size vehicle. Honda will introduce super-clean diesel engine that will meet the stringent US Tier, BIN5 emission standard, which reduces exhaust gas emissions to a level equal to a gasoline engine, in the U.S. market within the next three years. Honda will consider introducing this engine in Japan as well.