Honda to launch Jazz

Honda Siel Cars India Ltd expects to launch its small car, Jazz, in India by 2009.

As reported by Business Line, Mr Masahiro Takedagawa, president, Honda Siel said that the company would study the customer feedback on the small car before deciding to launch it in India.

The car will be made in India with 80 per cent parts sourced locally.

The company will use its second car plant in Rajasthan to mark its foray into the high volume compact car segment. Production at the plant starts in 2009.

Honda Siel is aiming to make 160,000 cars annually in India by the end of 2010. Honda had doubled manufacturing capacity at its first plant near New Delhi to 100,000 units in 2007.

Besides this, Honda Siel will also roll out a more environment-friendly variant of its popular Civic sedan, the Hybrid Civic, in the next two to three months.

Honda Siel will import the hybrid cars, which will cost double the price of the current Civic.

This car will run on a 1.3-litre petrol engine supported by an electric motor and is currently undergoing eligibility and ratification tests.