Wild-Ass Rumor Of The Day: Honda To Send Mexican Fits To UK

Derek Kreindler
by Derek Kreindler

Just-Auto is reporting that Honda will cease UK production of the Jazz (aka our Fit)

“to benefit from production economies of scale and fully [use] Honda’s global production resources”.

So, where are they going to come from?

Of the seven countries that currently produce the Fit, Just-Auto suggests that Fits built in China and Japan are the most likely candidates. But with such a strong yen, it would make little sense to end domestic production of the Jazz and import it from such a locale.

What if Honda is going to send Fits to the UK from Mexico? Honda’s UK plant provided the Jazz for Europe, alongside China and Japan. While the UK and Mexico don’t have a free-trade agreement, there is one with the EU, and that’s prompted Audi and other manufacturers to choose Mexico for plant expansion.

Honda’s UK plants will begin producing the Civic exclusively, while t heir Mexican factory is scheduled to start cranking out the next-generation Fit in 2014 – right when the new European Civic models are set to be introduced, alongside an all-new Jazz. Good timing, isn’t it?

Derek Kreindler
Derek Kreindler

More by Derek Kreindler

Comments
Join the conversation
 4 comments
  • Gentle Ted Gentle Ted on Oct 02, 2012

    Honda Fit models that are here in Canada are Made in China right now!!

    • PhotoJim PhotoJim on Oct 02, 2012

      They certainly haven't always been. My wife's '09 (bought September '08 as part of the first deployment of the second-gen Fit) was made in Japan.

  • Nvdw Nvdw on Oct 03, 2012

    "But with such a strong yen, it would make little sense to end domestic production of the Jazz and import it from such a locale." Honda faces the same problem in Europe Mitsubishi has already dealt with: sales numbers in Europe are so low maintaining local production could make even less sense than importing from Japan or elsewhere. Honda's plant in Swindon produces approximately 180,000 cars a year, all Jazz, Civic and CR-V. Toyota churns out at least that number in its French plant and that is only counting the Yaris.

  • L'avventura L'avventura on Oct 03, 2012

    Forget the UK, Mexican Fits will likely sent back to Honda's domestic Japan (along with cars from Thailand). Mexico will be a major hub for global Fit production. The reason is simple. Mexico is the king of free trade agreements. There is the EU-Mexico FTA, there is the Japan-Meixco FTA, and obviously NAFTA (not to mention much of Latin America). Meaning Mexican Fits can be send to Japan, EU, US/Canada, and much of Latin America tariff free. Mexican wages are also relatively low, its geographically situated to easy access to call major markets, and its an ideal location for Japanese car makers that need to flee their domestic market where they are handicapped by the high yen. Mexico is an ideal manufacturing location for cars that that have overlapping appeal in US-Canada/Japan/EU. Which is why they are also making the Civic in Mexico starting 2014.

Next