New car platforms are being developed by Honda’s R&D Asia Pacific Co Ltd. (Thailand), to increase its customer base, for the global markets which will be shared with India as well.
Honda is in the process of developing the next generation Brio and President and CEO of Honda Cars India, Mr. Yolchiro Ueno said, “It is a global model and not exclusively for India. Honda’s R&D is developing some new platforms and in that case it is shared with India also. The platform is developed mainly in Thailand but in collaboration with Japan and India.”
With not much information of the next generation Amaze and Brio, reports suggest that more focus has been put on the safety standards and structural integrity of the vehicle. The company is expected to start production by February 2018 in India at the Greater Noida plant.
The all new Honda BR-V, a 7-seater crossover SUV, hit the Indian market on 5th May 2016. The production will take place in the company’s Tapakura plant in Rajasthan. It is offered with both petrol and diesel variants equipped with 1.5 -litre i-VTEC engine and 1.5-litre i-DTEC engines respectively.
Due to the continuing ban on diesel cars in Delhi-NCR, the consumers’ preferences have shifted from diesel to petrol as attributed by Mr. Jnaneswar Sen, senior VP (sales and marketing). Honda Cars India faced a domestic sales drop this year and the company is now pinning hopes on upcoming models to increase their sales in the country.
New Honda Brio For Global And Indian Markets
– Honda’s R&D developing new platforms mainly in Thailand in collaboration with India and Japan
– The production is expected to start by February 2018
– Sales drop on Honda Cars India due to shift in consumer preferences from diesel to petrol
