The Hindu Business Line : Honda launches new CR-V; small car to take time

NEW LAUNCH: Mr Masahiro Takedagawa, President and CEO, Honda Siel Cars India Ltd; Mr Sidharth Shriram, Chairman; and Mr Tatsuhiro Oyama, Head of Honda's Asia and Oceania Operations, at the launch of the third generation CR-V in the Capital on Tuesday. — Ramesh Sharma

New Delhi , Nov. 28

Honda Siel Cars India today launched the new version of its premium sports utility vehicle CR-V.

The new CR-V is costlier by at least Rs 2.5 lakh as compared to the existing model.

``The third generation CR-V, which is being introduced in India within a few months of its global launch, signifies the importance of the Indian market to Honda's plans,'' the Honda Siel Car India President and CEO, Mr Masahiro Takedagawa, told reporters here.

The new CR-V, which has a new aerodynamic exterior body, comes in two variants of six speed manual transmission and an automatic transmission, is priced at Rs 17.7 lakh ex-showroom Delhi and Rs 18.4 lakh respectively.

Commenting on the company's plans for a small car and a new plant, Mr Takedagawa said nothing has been finalised and the company was still studying various options.

Price hike planned

He also said the increasing input cost and unfavourable foreign exchange rate is putting pressure on margins and therefore the company was considering a hike in prices of all its production models in India.

``We are still working out as to by how much the prices will be increased but we will try to keep it minimum so as not to burden the customers,'' he said.

On the issue of Honda Motors India (HMI), he said the proposed company, which will be overseeing all of Honda's operations in India, is likely to officially start operations by December.

Through HMI, he said, Honda would look to synergise the operations of the four companies in which it has interests in India. ``To start with, the company will look after the spare parts and services for four-wheelers and then gradually expand to two wheelers,'' he added.

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