In order to take on increasing competition in the B+ segment and grow its market share and presence further in the crowded Indian automotive market, Honda Motor on Tuesday unveiled its much awaited small car ? Brio ? prototype at the Thailand International Motor Expo 2010 in Bangkok.
To take on competitors like i20, Polo, Swift among others, Honda has decided to price the 1.2 litre petrol Brio aggressively below Rs 5 lakh in the Indian market. The company has targeted to launch the car during the festive seasion of 2011 (in September/October) with 80% localisation in India, said Takanobu Ito, global president and CEO of Honda Motor.
Responding to a volley of questions from the press, Ito along with Honda?s Asian CEO and president Funihiko Ike and Honda Siel Cars India president and CEO Takashi Nagai, said, ?Brio will help us not only to increase our volume but our market share too in India further. Brio will be our first small car and we will bring in more such products. Given its features, style, comfort and aggressive pricing, Brio will set the market on fire.?
While admitting Honda has not been growing as expected in the Indian market so far, Ito said, ?We limited ourselves to the premium segment in India so far. However, with Brio in place next year, Honda will make it big on the Indian markets.?According to him, Based on the success of Brio, Honda will pursue introducing more small cars in India. The company will also look at consolidating its parts sourcing between Thailand and India plants to optimise its cost effective solutions to give customers a quality product at an aggressive price.
To a question, he said, ?We will add newer parts suppliers and will see whether its two-wheeler parts suppliers can be roped into supplying some parts. We plan to produce and sell from our Noida plant till we reach the plant?s capacity of 100,000 units. Once we exhaust our capacity at Noida, Honda will start manufacturing Brio from its Rajasthan plant.?
To a question on exports, the officials said, ?Our objective is to first focus on the Indian market with Brio and then look at export markets. We will consider export of Brio to neighbouring countries as that of Jazz and City.?
?(Travel for this story was sponsered by Honda Siel Cars India)
