After a very difficult year for Honda in Europe in 2011, Honda's Swindon manufacturing operations are back in business full time. Production and sales were hit extremely hard following last year's triple-disaster in Japan but things have been slowly been put back on track since. According to the board in Swindon, the plant lost 50% of its planned production last year because of massive parts supplies problems from its 2nd and 3rd party suppliers. Swindon has only returned to full production capability in the past 2 weeks.
Honda's sales in the UK dropped 20% and Honda admits that it is not only the availability problem that lead to lower sales but to product shortcomings. Honda is now committed to launching new models every year for the next 4 years beginning with the new Civic and ending with the new NSX. Research and development investment will also be done locally in Swindon with Honda investing up to 1.5 billion euros.
Honda believes it is time for some of its cars to have a more European feel to it, not only in terms of driving dynamics and engineering, but in interior trim and overall substantial taste as well.
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