Petrol Stop - Honda to launch Civic for festive season

Honda to launch Civic for festive season

Monday, 31 August 2009

31 August 2009;economictimes.indiatimes.com:NEW DELHI: In an attempt to revive sales of its sedan Civic, luxury carmaker Honda Siel Cars India is likely to launch an edition of the car during Honda Civic Hybrid the coming festive season with some "minor changes". The company, a joint venture between Japanese auto giant Honda and Siel Group, is also ramping up its capacity by up to 50 per cent in the next month to meet the demand during the festival season. According to sources, the company is planning to come up with a new Civic with minor changes in its looks, such as a new bumper, possibly within the next months. When contacted, Honda Siel Cars India (HSCI) Vice- President (Marketing) Jnaneswar Sen declined to comment. According to Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), sales of Civic has been falling rapidly in the recent months with July registering a 45.44 per cent dip. Its sales in the first four months of this fiscal declined by nearly 55 per cent at 1,598 units compared with 3,549 units in the year- ago period. On expansion of its production capacity, Sen said, "Production is demand driven and it is increasing for our cars. We are planning to ramp up the output by up to 50 per cent from next month." The company currently produces 5,000 units a month in a single shift at its facility in Greater Noida and would soon start the second shift of operation, he added.