Honda Fit. Officially Hecho En Mexico

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

Honda will build its Fit compact at the new Honda factory in Mexico, from where it will be exported to the U.S. and other markets. This is what the company told Hans Greimel, Automotive News [sub] rezident in Tokyo.

We have had this rumor a year ago, but this is the first time that Honda officially confirms what it will be building in its Celaya, Guanajuato, plant. On Wednesday, Honda laid the cornerstone for the new factory. It is scheduled to open for business in 2014 with a capacity of 200,000 vehicles a year.

According to Honda, the plant will increase Honda’s production capacity in North America to 1.87 million units from 1.63 million today, Honda said in a statement.

In January, Honda announced it would also build the next generation Acura NSX sports car in Ohio.

“Honda will soon produce everything from subcompacts to super cars in North America,” said Rick Schostek, senior vice president of Honda of America Manufacturing Inc.

Nissan and Mazda are building new plants in Mexico, which has free trade agreements with more than 40 countries.

Volkswagen wants to raise its capacity in Mexico by 20 percent to 615,000 units per year, says Automobilwoche [sub].

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • Stuntmonkey Stuntmonkey on Mar 29, 2012

    Cautiously positive. After all, what must the Japanese have thought about the NUMMI plant? Quality is more about business culture than it is about country culture anyway.

  • Lynn Ellsworth Lynn Ellsworth on Mar 29, 2012

    Thank you Luke42. Good to have someone who speaks economics.

  • Slab Slab on Mar 29, 2012

    How does a plant with 200,000 capacity raise North American capacity by 240,000? Must be some unique Japanese math going on.

  • 84Cressida 84Cressida on Mar 30, 2012

    Expect Toyota to move Yaris production and Prius C production to NA sometime in the next two years.

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