Honda to make a comeback by introducing exclusive models for China

In the first six months of 2011, Honda Motor Co.’s share of passenger vehicle sales in China fell to 4%. The company sold 370,000 units from January to August, a 10% drop from the same period last year. The decline in sales has been attributed to the shortage of components as a result of the earthquake in March. Honda is poised to make a comeback and will introduce new models exclusively designed for the Chinese market. “You can’t satisfy Chinese customers simply by changing interiors of global models. So early this year, we set up a unit in Beijing to plan and develop cars specifically for the Chinese market. We’d like to launch a series of such exclusive models in China in the years ahead, said Seiji Kuraishi, Honda’s chief operating officer for regional operations in China.” The first dedicated model will make its debut at the Beijing Motor Show in the spring of next year, he said. (September 16, 2011)