Honda says investment at its UK plant in Swindon has reached £267m amid plans to ramp up production. The money will support the introduction of its new Civic and CR-V car models and a new 1.6-litre diesel engine.
The site is expected to produce 183,000 cars this year, with output forecast to rise to 250,000 within three years. About 500 workers have been recruited this year in the firm's biggest single UK investment programme for a decade, raising the total workforce to 3,500.
American Honda has unveiled the U.S. version of the 2012 Honda CR-V at the LA Auto Show. This fourth-generation CR-V will go on sale in America from 15 December 2011.
The European version of the fourth-generation CR-V, developed and designed specifically for the European market, will be launched in Autumn 2012 and will be produced at Honda's UK manufacturing facility in Swindon. Images and further details of the new European CR-V will be announced closer to the launch.
Vincent Simeone and Flavia Cacace, the stars of Strictly Come Dancing, are travelling the length and breadth of Britain in style thanks to a Honda CR-V.
Honda (UK) provided the British-built SUV to transport the pair to theatres around the country to perform in their own show - Midnight Tango.
Flavia Cacace says:
Official pictures have been released of the new Honda CR-V, which will go on sale in January 2010.
The car will be available with Honda's 2.2-litre i-DTEC engine, which was launched in the Accord last year, for the first time. It produces 148bhp and 258lb ft of torque. It can also be mated to either a manual gearbox or a new, five-speed automatic unit.
This is the first picture of the facelifted Honda CR-V, which will go on sale in Europe next year.
The picture was leaked on to the internet by a Japanese Honda website, which also revealed the car will be unveiled on 17 September.
Britain's SUV buyers are making greener choices in the showroom, according to latest industry sales figures. Cars like Honda's CR-V are selling better than ever, as they offer a cleaner, smaller alternative to the traditional 4x4 stereotype.
Despite negative public feeling towards 4x4s – that influenced a drop of 4% in the sector – sales of the low emissions CR-V increased by 28 per cent over the first six months of the year (11,665 cars to the end of June 2007 versus 9,086 for the same period last year) – and the Honda continues to top the charts as the UK's favourite SUV.
HONDA IS supplying ammunition to drivers of its 4x4s in the first concerted effort by a car-maker to combat the growing antagonism towards gas-guzzlers.
The Swindon maker is to send a letter and stickers to all new customers of the new CR-V to help them defend themselves from 4x4 detractors. It is a direct response to concerned Honda customers asking for help, says the car-maker.
Honda has launched the new Honda 2007 CR-V. Dramatically different from the outgoing 2006 model, the new CR-V is much more a road-car. For more details, please visit our Honda website: