2013 Honda Civic launches in Thailand (are you the refreshed Civic for NA?)

Hmmm, it's no secret that the 2013 Honda Civic will be getting a minor model refresh, I wonder if this is what it's going to look like....

We simply love the current Honda Civic even though it has been virtually unchanged for the last six years. As expected, there is a new model coming now and as we showed you last year, it is much similar to the Civic that is being sold in the US market – albeit with minor design changes for the ASEAN countries.

Earlier this week, the all-new Civic was launched in Thailand and provides an insight into the model that will be launched in India. For the Thailand market, the Civic gets two engine options – 1.8-litre and 2.0-litre i-VTEC petrol mills. There is still no word about the diesel powerplant though. Surprisingly, the paddle shifters that were so popular with the automatic variants of the Civic are now available only on the 2.0-litre version and not on the 1.8 automatic.

The interiors too have been updated and get new features like telephone connectivity, in-dash navigation system, push-button starter and reversing camera. The design of the interiors is an evolution of the two-tier design that you see in the current Civic. The steering wheel has a new design though and is a big departure from the current design which is now common to the Civic, City and Brio. The highlight of the interiors is the ECON switch and the Intelligent Multi-Information Display (i-MID). The new Civic also gets projector headlamps now with HID lamps and auto-leveling feature.

Honda has a total of five variants for the new Civic, out of which four are powered by the 1.8-litre mill. The pricing starts at THB 773,000 (Rs 13.4 lakh approx.) and goes all the way up to THB 1,124,000 (Rs 19.5 lakh approx) for the top of line 2.0EL variant. The top end version is also sportier of the lot with black leather interiors, paddle shifters and the more powerful engine.

Source;
http://www.oncars.in/Car-News-Detail/2013-Honda-Civic-launched-in-Thailand/2382

Honda City facelift – how the 2012 model shapes up

This is not for the North American market....

Still no sign of the Honda City facelift, which was announced in Thailand late last year, and which we ran leaked brochure scans of, as well as a video. Presumably, the arrival of the car here has been delayed due to the effects of the severe flooding that hit Thailand last year.

Over in Australia, the car has just been introduced, so the photos give an impression of how it’ll shape up to the eye. Two variants are available there, these being the VTi (in manual and automatic form) and VTi-L, essentially the equivalent of the Thai S and SV grades.

Both variants wear the external cues mentioned in our earlier story – new chrome grille, redesigned front and rear bumpers as well as a new brake light design.

The VTi-L wears the newly-designed 16-inch alloys and adds a master door lock switch on the driver’s side, and aside from the blue-lit speedometer mentioned previously, the City gains aluminum-look treatment for the interior panels and trim, while the audio and climate controls in the VTi-L receive a chrome treatment.
There’s also a new seat fabric, with the VTi-L’s receiving additional blue stitching. Elsewhere, thicker window glass and enhanced floor carpeting has come about to significantly improve cabin quietness.

No changes to the running gear – the 1.5 litre SOHC i-VTEC continues on with 120 PS at 6,600 rpm and 145 Nm at 4,800 rpm. Given that the car has now begun selling in Australia, it shouldn’t be too long before we finally get going with it. Well, hopefully that’s the case.

Source;
http://paultan.org/2012/05/02/honda-city-facelift-how-the-2012-model-shapes-up/

Chubu Electric, Honda Motor, Tata Metaliks: Asia Stocks Preview

Hmmm, good idea....

Below is a excerpt pertaining to Honda only....

Honda Motor Co. (7267 JT): The carmaker may build a plant at a location high above sea level in Thailand as part of flooding countermeasures, the Yomiuri newspaper reported, citing the company. The stock fell 0.6 percent to 3,160 yen.

Source;
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-03-26/chubu-electric-honda-motor-tata-metaliks-asia-stocks-preview

Honda's automobile unit resumes operations in Thailand

Honda Automobile Thailand (HATC) has resumed production at its plant in Ayutthaya after severe floods halted operations in early October.

HATC, a subsidiary of Honda Motor, is the last of the Japanese automobile companies to resume production in Thailand after the floods.

Toyota Motor and Nissan Motor resumed production at the end of 2011.

The floods forced hundreds of Japanese companies to shut operations, adversely affecting their earnings expectations.

Earlier this year, Honda revised down its operating income forecast for the year ending on 31 March to 200bn yen ($2.4bn, £1.5bn) from a previous forecast of 270bn yen.

The Honda factory in Ayutthaya has the capacity to produce 240,000 units annually. Limited production

A Honda Motor spokeswoman said full production would resume at the HATC unit by the second week of April.

Currently production is at about 12% of capacity.

HATC was the only car maker whose factory was completely flooded.

Honda Motor said HATC is one of its most important production centres in the Asia and Oceania regions.

"Honda was totally committed to realising the earliest possible recovery. Honda will maintain the same positioning of HATC in the future and further promote business operations in Thailand," the company said.

Source;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17508462

Honda may spend $650 mln to restore flood-hit Thai plant - Nikkei

TOKYO (Reuters) - Honda Motor Co <7267.T> will completely overhaul its flood-hit factory in Thailand in a project that could cost more than 50 billion yen, the Nikkei business daily reported on Sunday.

Thailand's worst floods in half a century late last year hit Honda the hardest among Japanese automakers, with its 240,000-cars-a-year plant in the Ayutthaya Province in central Thailand submerged under water.

Honda, Japan's No. 3 car producer, has already started replacing equipment with the aim of resuming output in April, the Nikkei said.

Refurbishing the flood-hit factory will almost be the equivalent of building a plant from scratch, the Nikkei quoted an unnamed Honda executive as saying.

Honda may receive payment from insurers, which are still assessing damage at the factory, as early as in the current financial year to March, lessening Honda's financial burden to a certain extent, the Nikkei said.

(Reporting by Nathan Layne, Editing by Jonathan Thatcher)

Source;
http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/wire-news/honda-may-spend-36650-mln-to-restore-flood-hit-thai-plant-nikkei_651354.html

Honda begins scrapping over 1000 cars damaged from Thailand floods

Vehicles are seen after floodwaters receded at the Honda factory in Ayutthaya province on Nov. 26. Thailand's worst floods in 50 years have killed 610 people and devastated industry, but the situation is slowly improving, with water receding in many affected areas.

A Honda worker lifts a flood damaged car at the Honda factory in Ayutthaya province on December 27, 2011. Japanese car assembler Honda automobile (Thailand) started to scrap 1,055 cars which were damaged by the recent floods in Thailand, ensuring that damaged parts would not be sold, the company said in statement.

A flood damaged Honda car is destroyed at the Honda factory in Ayutthaya province on Dec 27. Japanese car assembler Honda automobile (Thailand) started to scrap 1,055 cars which were damaged by the recent floods in Thailand, ensuring that damaged parts would not be sold, the company said in statement.

Workers walk amidst Honda cars that were damaged by the flood before the destruction demonstration at Honda automobile plant in Ayutthaya province, central Thailand on Dec. 27. The 1,055 unit of Honda cars, mostly Brio eco-cars and City subcompacts, were destroyed in an action to assure to customers that the flood-damaged cars will not be repaired and sold.
Natalia Jimenez writes

In an effort to prove that no flood damaged vehicles will not be sold to customers, the Honda factory in Thailand's Ayutthaya province began destroying over 1,000 cars. The factory was one of the hardest hit by the several months of record flooding, which only receded a few weeks ago. The devastating floods were the worst the country experienced in 50 years and left over 700 people dead. According to AFP, the scrapping process is expected to take one month.

Honda's production was disrupted from the floods and only recently returned to normal. According to AP, American Honda Executive Vice President John Mendel says it will not be until March that dealers will be fully restocked.

Aerial images of the submerged cars in the Honda lot provided powerful visuals of the effects of the severe flooding on businesses. (One of the images made it into our selection of the Year in Pictures: 2011.) The area is home to large production centers for global car and computer industries. According to Bloomberg, Toyota had to suspend local production of its Camry and Prius lines, and Apple faced delays in parts used for Mac computers. Western Digital shares hit a year low in October and is now working to regain their losses, according to Reuters.

See more images of the severe flooding in Thailand on PhotoBlog.

Source;
http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/27/9737801-honda-begins-scrapping-over-1000-cars-damaged-from-thailand-floods

Honda CR-V line in Ohio starts Tuesday despite Thai floods

Production of the new all-new 2012 Honda CR-V starts Tuesday in East Liberty, Ohio, despite flooding in Thailand that is causing trouble for suppliers. The new 2012 model will be in showrooms in December.

These new pictures of Honda vehicles damaged by the floods underscore its severity. Hundreds of new vehicles awaiting shipment were swamped. While finished vehicles are not the issue for the Thailand plant, the floods have caused havoc when it comes to parts, mostly when it comes to electronics.

Earlier this month, Honda said:
Due to continued flooding in Thailand, a number of Honda suppliers have been unable to maintain the supply of parts to Honda. As a result, Honda will continue managing the parts supply in North America by taking the following actions:
•Honda will continue temporary production adjustments at all six Honda auto plants in the U.S. and Canada.
•Auto production rates will vary from plant to plant, but some plants will produce at rates above the previously announced 50 percent of the original plan through Nov. 30.
•All plants in the U.S. and Canada are expected to produce at normal levels on Dec. 1 and 2. Production plans after Dec. 2 will be announced in the future.

Source;
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2011/11/honda-cr-v-line-in-ohio-starts-tuesday-despite-thai-floods/1

Gallery: Flooded Honda factory, Thailand

Honda factory in Ayutthaya, Thailand. While the city of Ayutthaya is recovering from the floods the factories are still underwater for at least a month.

A Honda factory is seen in an aerial view in flood affected Thailand on Nov. 14, 2011. Over seven major industrial parks in Bangkok and thousands of factories have been closed. The flooding now in its third month is Thailand’s worst flooding in over 50 years.

Source;
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/Gallery+Flooded+Honda+factory+Thailand/5712579/story.html

Update #2: Impact of Thailand Flooding on Honda’s Automobile Operations in North America.

11/14/2011

CR-V to Begin Mass Production in Ohio

The all-new 2012 Honda CR-V will begin mass production in the U.S. on Tuesday, Nov. 29 at the East Liberty Auto Plant in Ohio. As announced last week, CR-V will go on sale as scheduled in mid-December, despite ongoing production adjustments at Honda’s U.S. and Canadian plants brought about by the persistent flooding in Thailand.

Production Adjustments Continue

Due to continued flooding in Thailand, a number of Honda suppliers have been unable to maintain the supply of parts to Honda. As a result, Honda will continue managing the parts supply in North America by taking the following actions:

• Honda will continue temporary production adjustments at all six Honda auto plants in the U.S. and Canada.
• Auto production rates will vary from plant to plant, but some plants will produce at rates above the previously announced 50 percent of the original plan through Nov. 30.
• All plants in the U.S. and Canada are expected to produce at normal levels on Dec. 1 and 2. Production plans after Dec. 2 will be announced in the future.

In 2010, 87 percent of the Honda and Acura automobiles sold in the U.S. were produced in North America. While most of parts and materials used to produce these products are purchased from North American suppliers, a few critical electronic parts are sourced from Thailand and other regions of the world. Honda is working closely with its suppliers in Thailand and throughout its global network to reestablish the flow of parts for the products made in North America.

Honda remains focused on minimizing the impact to its associates and their families and plans no layoffs at any of its North American facilities. Non-production days will continue to be treated as "no pay, no penalty," meaning Honda associates can report to work, use a vacation day, or take the day off without compensation or penalty.

Honda deeply regrets any inconvenience this may cause to its customers.

Source;
Honda North America

Honda to cuts U.S. output after supply disruptions from Thailand, 2012 CR-V to be delayed

Honda announced today that it will reduce its output in the United States over the next few weeks because of fresh supply shortages caused by flooding in Thailand.

“As the flooding in Thailand continues, a number of Honda suppliers in Asia currently are unable to maintain parts production, which is disrupting the flow of parts to our production operations in North America,” Honda said in a statement. “To better manage the available parts supply in North America and globally, effective November 2, Honda will take the following actions:

-Honda will temporarily adjust automobile production at all six Honda auto plants in the U.S. and Canada. Currently, it is anticipated that this situation will require adjustments for the next several weeks.

-Auto production will be at approximately 50% of the original plan through Nov. 10. Subsequent adjustments will be announced as they are determined based on the parts supply situation.

-All Saturday overtime work will be canceled through November.

-A non-production day is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 11.

-The December on-sale date of the all-new 2012 Honda CR-V could potentially be delayed by several weeks (the thing we’re most concerned about). The on-sale date will be announced in the near future.

Source;
http://www.egmcartech.com/2011/10/31/honda-to-cuts-u-s-output-after-supply-disruptions-from-thailand-2012-cr-v-to-be-delayed/

Facelifted Honda City to arrive in mid November?

Not for us in North America, think of this as a Honda FIT Sedan.....While we know that the facelifted Honda City will be here in the next couple of months, our friends at OnCars seem to have gotten wind of when the Honda City could actually be launched. According to them, Mid November is when Honda will unveil the facelifted version of the Honda City Sedan. The facelift of the Honda City is essentially a mid career makeover of the Honda City and thus is largely cosmetic in nature.

Both the front and rear ends of the Honda City get minor changes in the facelift. The facelifted City has already been launched in the Thai market. Hence, it is quite easy to gauge what we will be getting here in India as Honda usually launches its products in the Thai market before an Indian launch. On the front end, brand new bumpers, a new front air dam, a revised grille design with chrome tipping is what you get.

The rear end gets new tail lamps and reflectors on the rear bumper. The car also could get an Eco mode indicator on the instrumentation console that will help willing drivers to squeeze out that extra bit of mileage from the City. Automatic climate control could be one feature that could still be in the missing list on the facelifted Honda City as the Thai model doesn’t seem to have one.

Under the hood, the same 1.5 Liter 118 Bhp, i-VTEC petrol engine will do duty along with the five speed manual and automatic transmission options. Given that Honda doesn’t have a diesel engine in its portfolio, expect the facelifted version of the Honda City to be priced similar to the current version as the facelift does not add any functional feature worth a price increase. Meanwhile, the current versions of the Honda City are trading for big dealer discounts this festive season.

Source;
http://www.indiancarsbikes.in/cars/facelifted-honda-city-arrive-mid-november-50618/

Honda plans Brio sedan by 2013,Here is render and info

Not for us in North America....

The Honda Brio hatchback was launched and got temporary suspended!!.Honda announce that Brio hatcback is the company’s lowcost and smallest car.Build for developing countries like Asean and India.The car is slot beneath Jazz/fit and the prices will be affordable to anyone.The car also have great economy and less emissions.

The car sale was kick off first in Thailand a month ago.Many have test drive a car and reveal that the car have good engine Performance,Easy handling but speace and safety kit are limited.People also discussting that the car is over prices and too much cost saving.People dispraise rear window that cover by glass and question about safty,No rear Windshield wiper and lack of many things.

Last two week, Honda announced that it had to temporarily stop taking orders for the all-new Brio because of parts supply problems from Japan caused by the unfortunate incidents.No time frame release but insider source indicate that the car will be aviable agian next year.

Autoten only hope Honda will fix these disadvantages.

Many sources report that Honda is planing a sedan version of Brio in the next two year.The new sedans will join the existing five-door hatchback body.Autoten got render from the ophilus chin reveal a Brio with a boot.Look like a perfect proportion, better than others add boot job like Swift and Swift dzire(Sedan verion of Swift).Unfortunately is too early for autoten to say that the sedan will get makeover at rear or get entirely new skin. But our opinion is not bad if honda done like our render.

The car should have around 4.1 meter long.For powerpack,is borrow 4 cylinder 1.2 liter 90 hp at 6000 RMP and 110 Nm at 4800 RMP with 5 speed manual and CVT gear box.

The car will goes on sale around 2013

Source;

http://autoten.com/2011/05/16/honda-plans-brio-sedan-by-2013here-is-render-and-info/

Spy Shots: 2011 Honda Brio

Not for us here is North America....
Built with a 1.2L, 3-cylinder 900cc engine, Honda Brio looks a lot like Maruti Suzuki Alto, and Chevrolet's Beat. Honda was caught testing the stability of Brio in Thailand earlier this week. Honda test drivers were driving the car at high speeds of 120 kmph in order to check stability.

Honda Brio measures 3.6 m in length, 1.68 m in width and 1.475 m in height. It has a slightly elevated rear window line, but is void of VTEC - Variable Valve Timing and Electronic Control technology. Honda plans to launch Brio equipped with VTEC feature in 2012. Reports also suggest Honda would launch a sedan variant of Brio later.

Honda is expected to give Indians a sneak peak into Brio on 17th March, but Indian buyers will have to wait till September in order to get their hands on the new small car from Honda.

Above is what the vehicle looks like without camo....

Source;

http://www.rushlane.com/spy-shots-honda-brio-1212359.html

2011 Honda Brio City car Prototype Video

Not for North America....

Honda New Small Vehicle Prototype Coming to Thailand Motor Expo

The world’s automotive producers are making efforts to developed new efficient vehicles that come to protect the environment and offer a high fuel efficiency that reduces transportation costs for the customers.

The latest news related to this comes from Honda, which has today announced that it will use the Thailand International Motor Expo 2010 hold the world premiere of a prototype that will showcase the future small vehicle that it is preparing to introduce in Thailand and India next year. The event is scheduled to run between November 30 and December 12.

The starting point for the prototype is the Honda New Small Concept, which was presented in India in January 2010 and in Thailand in March 2010. The vehicle has been created as a step forward towards the production model.

Subsequently, Honda will give birth to two versions of the small-sized car, which will share the basic styling. For Thailand, Honda will prepare a vehicle that offers a high level of fuel efficiency, while in India, the company will introduce a car that follows an approach suitable for the country’s emerging market.

The 27th Thailand International Motor Expo will also see Honda display a wide variety of models, including the Accord, City, Civic, Jazz (known as Fit in Japan), CR-V and Freed. In addition to that, the company will also showcase motorcycles, including the CBR250R, a new global sports model and PCX, a scooter model destined for the global markets. Both two-wheeled creations come to the world in Thailand, being exported to global markets.

Source;
http://www.autoevolution.com/news/honda-new-small-vehicle-prototype-coming-to-thailand-motor-expo-26158.html