Honda to introduce new Accord

Passenger vehicle major Honda Siel India will launch the new version of premium sedan Accord by the next year.

The seventh generation Accord, which is the same car that is sold in the US and the Japanese markets, has been in the Indian market for the last three years with a monthly sales hovering around 250 units. Now, India is expected to get the same Accord that is currently being sold in the US market.

There are not many changes made to the car except for a makeover given to the rear tail lights and a new front end horizontal chrome line which is also seen on the City ZX.

Masahiro Takedagawa, president and CEO, Honda Siel Cars India, said, "The Accord has been our flagship model in India for the past three years, however we are also planning to give the car a facelift and re-launch it very soon, may be in 2007 thus maintaining the idea of giving the Indian customers the best the company is offering in the overseas market".

The engine specifications for the new Accord are expected to be higher than those of the outgoing model with a marginal increase in the basic price of the vehicle.

The engine size will remain of the 2.4 litre type but will produce 160 bhp instead of the current 141 bhp. The more powerful 3.0 litre V6 will get an option of manual transmission, the Accord is currently available only in automatic transmission in the Indian market.

Takedagawa further added that the company plans to increase the production at their facility in Greater Noida to 100,000 units by the end of next year, from the current of 60,000 units.

The plant jointly produces Honda's City, Civic and the Accord. For this, the company is also considering of expanding its number of sales and service outlets to 100 by the next three or four years from the present number of 53.

The company is also planning to introduce a small car in three years that would be produced within the parameters of a small car as defined by the government.

The car will not be longer than 4000mm and the engine size will not be larger than 1200cc. This would be the first time that the company will be a volume player instead of a brand building player.