Honda's New Small Car for India is Brio

[RSM]

Honda Motor’s small car is likely to hit the Indian market earlier than expected. The new car (code named 2CV) being developed especially for India may be launched before 2011-12 to take on Toyota and break Suzuki’s stronghold on the Indian market.

Toyota plans to launch its small car next year, while Suzuki with its seven compact models dominates the Indian small car segment with over 60% market share. Honda doesn’t have a small car in its portfolio and has been looking at new models to gain market share in India.

The 2CV may come with a 1.1 litre petrol engine and could double Honda’s volumes in India, currently hovering around 52,000 cars per year. The car is expected to roll out from its stalled manufacturing plant in Rajasthan , where Honda plans to have targeted capacity of one lakh small cars per annum.

The company refused to confirm the developments on the new car and said that nothing has changed from its earlier stated position. “All plans of the new small car are going as per schedule,” the Honda spokeswomen said. An executive in the automotive component industry said that Honda’s small car project is on track and it may also have a diesel variant at a later stage to gain on the rising popularity of diesel cars in India.


The car will be pitted against the growing tribe of premium hatchback cars like the Maruti Swift, Hyundai i10, General Motors Aveo UV-A, Tata Motors’ Indica, Fiat’s Punto, Ford Figo and Toyota’s yet to be launched small car. This is the fastest growing segment in the domestic market with over 2.5 lakh cars sold every year.

The new car will be much smaller than Honda Jazz, its other hatchback, but is expected to have an affordable price tag of Rs 4-4 .5 lakh for the petrol variant. It may share platform (common manufacturing line and spares) with the Jazz including the same iV-TEC engine technology, but will fit as a small entry-level A segment car.

The same car will also be made in Thailand where it is expected to be developed and sold under the Thai government’s Eco-Car project, which enjoys many tax concessions. However any such eco-variant is ruled out for the Indian market for the time being.

Source - Economictimes

[vijay]

what Honda needs to do first is to offer better packaging for their hatchbacks, day by day their jazz sales are dipping, ridiculous pricing with much lesser features offered on jazz which other players are offering better pricing with better features.An 8L + car doesnt even gets alloys, so hope they understand hatchback market and comeout with better overall package in it.4 to 5L sounds good for Honda.

[Akash]

I thonk Honda should work on some formula to reduce car price along with packaging them with futuristic stuff like alloys,climate control n all which its cheaper opponents have. By saying this i am not asking them to compromise on quality or safety.

[vroom]

Well, to begin with they are offering good finance schemes @ 4.99% on the Jazz. This ad has been running in TOI / Mumbai Mirror here in Mumbai.

Cheers,
Vroom

[cooldhaya]

Well then if HONDA comes with something in that price range it will be a success!! But styling and other factors like FE and other features are also important in this segment!! Hope honda does well!!

[Zinam]

I hope honda never lacks in Design, Mileage & ASS.

Its only the prising which it lacks!

If its 4.5, then it will be big hit in the segment

[Crazy cat]

Honda should aim on maximum localisation to excel on small cars and Indian market too.

[RSM]

India’s leading premium carmaker, Honda SIEL Cars India (HSCI), which has already introduced its ‘Jazz’ this year, has indicated that its first small car (codenamed 2CV) will be shorter in lenghth and will also be cheaper than the aforementioned superhatch. Taking a cue from its global peers like Suzuki Motor Corporation and Hyundai Motor Company, which have earmarked India as its launch pad for its premium compact cars like A-star (badged as Suzuki Alto in Europe) and i10 respectively, Honda Motor Company is also doing the same for its car in the same segment by 2011-12. The innovative small car, designed specially for the Indian market, would be based on an all-new platform, and would be the Japanese carmaker’s fifth global model in India. Though engine specifications and other details have not been announced yet, it has been learnt from media reports that the engine displacement would be lesser than Jazz (1.2 litre) and would be equipped with Honda’s patented I-VTEC engine would be having a localisation level of approximately 80-85 per cent. Since the unchristened car would be sporting a smallest engine amongst Honda’s existing portfolio in India, it is likely to likely to deliver the highest mileage amongst all of them.

Jnaneswar Sen, vice-president (marketing), Honda Siel Cars India, told wheelsunplugged.com recently, “The vehicle is being developed for India specifically as the lead country. It will then enter other markets across the world, Honda has always done it, which is to create a model for a lead country and modify it appropriately for other global markets. The second hatchback, which would be smaller than the Jazz, would also help in bringing these numbers.”

Though the timeline of its launched is officially not announced by the company, it is widely believed that the new car would be rolled out from its new unit in Rajasthan by 2011-12, where its Jazz model will also be manufactured at a later period of time. The 5-door premium compact car, which would be positioned at a below the Jazz superhatch, is speculated to be priced between Rs.4.5-5.5. Moreover, Honda Japan's R&D facility is currently developing the model earmarked for Indian roads. Once launched, it would be pitted against other premium compact cars like Hyundai i10, Maruti Suzuki A-star, Tata Indica Vista, Fiat Palio and to-be-launched Chevrolet Beat. The new small car, which would be a global model for Honda, is being developed with India as lead market in mind. India was the obvious choice for Honda because of its market volume and the availability and logistical ease of raw materials like steel and plastic.

Recently, Asian Honda Motor Co. president Fumihiko Ike was quoted as saying to the media, “The car would be sold in India at a price equivalent to the average annual salary. There is a worldwide shift to relatively smaller and cheaper cars. We want to offer products to as many customers as possible. Honda products designed for the Indian market would be technologically advanced yet price competitive,” Ito said, adding, “We are currently researching on a India small car, which has to be packaged to meet the requirement of Indian customers, Indian price-point while adhering to the Honda brand."

Another media reports suggest that Honda Siel Cars India is considering introducing its first diesel engine in its next small car slated to be launched in two to three years. If Economic Times is to be believed Honda might launch their small car in India before 2012. There were indications that the global small car scheduled to roll out in the next three years would be part of a bigger Honda business plan which included Brazil and Thailand. However, a senior official has said that there was no reason why it would not be considered for Europe either, which is increasingly turning to fuel-efficient models, and Japan.

Source

[Neil.Bhujbal]

No matter what,its Honda After all.Expect the price to be higher than the rivals.

[RSM]

But after seeing the Jazz's condition, they may consider proper pricing.

[cooldhaya]

But after seeing the Jazz's condition, they may consider proper pricing.

Yeah i agree! JAZZ has not fared well only because of its pricing!!

[350Z]

Any one remember something similar topic in our old forum? Check this thread and below are the rendering images of Honda Small Car..

Drive Safe!
350Z

[RSM]

This looks like Jazz, even better.

[cooldhaya]

The front grille looks like NHC and the rear looks like JAZZ!! IMO the front is not at all looking good!!