The much talked-about Jazz, Honda’s compact car, is likely to be launched in India only by the end of 2009. Honda Siel Cars India is planning to produce Jazz in its upcoming plant at Takapura in Rajasthan. Although the engine components and stamping at Takapura plant will begin in September this year, it will take at least one and a half years for the assembly unit to be ready, indicated top officials of the company.
Honda has launched this highly successful premium hatchback in Europe, North America, Latin America and some parts of Asia including Japan, China, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. However, the company has no plans to launch it this year in India. This is mainly because the company wants to ensure high localisation in Jazz in order to market it at a competitive price. “In all our cars, we are looking for a high level of localisation. That is the case with Jazz too. Our objective is 70-80 per cent localisation,” Masahiro Takedagawa, President and CEO of Honda Siel India, told Business Line.
Jazz is pitched against Suzuki Swift and Hyundai Getz. Takedagawa indicated that Honda has greater plans at the global level in the area of sustainable motoring solutions. He said that the company is keenly looking at the market response to Civic Hybrid to introduce ‘cleaner and greener’ cars to India. “Let’s see what the response to Civic Hybrid is. And then we will decide on other varieties. We will go step by step,” he said. Honda has begun limited marketing of its hydrogen fuel cell-run FCX Clarity in US and Japan.
Honda is importing Civic Hybrid as completely built unit (CBU). Therefore, notwithstanding the 10 per cent excise duty cut, Civic Hybrid will attract the import duty of 104 per cent and will be priced around Rs 20 lakh. The gasoline-electric Civic Hybrid will be 60 per cent more fuel efficient than its existing variants which have the best fuel efficiency in its segment, according to Takedagawa. “Civic Hybrid is the first hybrid car that is commercially available in India. We want to spread the message of green cars through this model. All our 80 dealer shops will showcase a model of Civic Hybrid to familiarise people with the car,” he said.
He said that the company has serious plans on the hybrid technology front. “We have worked closely with Automotive Research Association of India to set hybrid regulations in the country,” he said. Honda launched the eighth generation Accord in Mumbai on Wednesday. The company officials said that the latest edition of Honda Accord was launched in India eight months after its global launch.
Honda has launched this highly successful premium hatchback in Europe, North America, Latin America and some parts of Asia including Japan, China, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. However, the company has no plans to launch it this year in India. This is mainly because the company wants to ensure high localisation in Jazz in order to market it at a competitive price. “In all our cars, we are looking for a high level of localisation. That is the case with Jazz too. Our objective is 70-80 per cent localisation,” Masahiro Takedagawa, President and CEO of Honda Siel India, told Business Line.
Jazz is pitched against Suzuki Swift and Hyundai Getz. Takedagawa indicated that Honda has greater plans at the global level in the area of sustainable motoring solutions. He said that the company is keenly looking at the market response to Civic Hybrid to introduce ‘cleaner and greener’ cars to India. “Let’s see what the response to Civic Hybrid is. And then we will decide on other varieties. We will go step by step,” he said. Honda has begun limited marketing of its hydrogen fuel cell-run FCX Clarity in US and Japan.
Honda is importing Civic Hybrid as completely built unit (CBU). Therefore, notwithstanding the 10 per cent excise duty cut, Civic Hybrid will attract the import duty of 104 per cent and will be priced around Rs 20 lakh. The gasoline-electric Civic Hybrid will be 60 per cent more fuel efficient than its existing variants which have the best fuel efficiency in its segment, according to Takedagawa. “Civic Hybrid is the first hybrid car that is commercially available in India. We want to spread the message of green cars through this model. All our 80 dealer shops will showcase a model of Civic Hybrid to familiarise people with the car,” he said.
He said that the company has serious plans on the hybrid technology front. “We have worked closely with Automotive Research Association of India to set hybrid regulations in the country,” he said. Honda launched the eighth generation Accord in Mumbai on Wednesday. The company officials said that the latest edition of Honda Accord was launched in India eight months after its global launch.
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