Honda to double capacity of car JV too

Bike majors go on a long drive; SUV maker headed for a facelift

Honda Siel Cars India (HSCI) today said it will double its production capacity from 50,000 units per annum to 100,000 units by the end of 2007.

Announcing Honda's global plans and initiatives towards 2010, Honda Motor Company Ltd President and CEO, Takeo Fukui, said at a press conference in Tokyo today that the production capacity of HSCI's plant at Greater Noida would be increased to 100,000 units three years ahead of the original schedule. Honda will also consider further expansion to accommodate future growth in customer demand, he said.

The success of City ZX, launched in November last year, and the planned launch of the Civic this year has necessitated this second expansion exercise, a release from the company said. HSCI had increased its production capacity from 30,000 units to 50,000 in December last year.

HSCI was established in December 1995, with Honda Motor Co and its Indian partner Siel Ltd.

It is today the leader in the Indian premium car market.

The company's Accord and CR-V models have added to the company being recognised as a premium segment leader in the Indian passenger car industry.