[BOMA]

As in the title.....
Automotive Logistics - Honda UK to become global hub for Civic; CR-V production moves to Canada

 

[Quacker]

I hope they announce the move well in advance, because I try to buy British and I fancy a 9 speed auto CRV. A foreign built CRV will be way down my shopping list, leaving the Qashqai and Discovery Sport in competition for my money in this category of vehicle.

But if they are still building the CRV in Swindon this time next year, they may have a sale.

 

[Trevor7979]

Disappointed at the news.
Honda are no longer increasing/expanding UK production in Swindon.

Will stay buying British myself.

 

[Quacker]

reading between the lines, it sounds like they are putting a gloss on a major downgrade for Swindon. They will surely not require the two assembly halls for one model that, let's face it, hasn't really set the sales world alight.
The CRV shoots way above its weight in the Honda showroom. I believe that my local dealer sells more CRV than Civic.
It is particularly odd that Honda have decided to concentrate Swindon on producing a car that competes in probably the most competitive car sector of all, where the cars are basically commodities similar to washing machines. Nissan tried with the Almera and failed, only gaining volume for its UK factory when they decided to take a gamble on innovative risky designs with the Qashqai and Juke. It did the trick and they have been selling like hot cross buns on this weekend. The new Civic would have to be extra special to manage that trick, because everyone has been getting in on the act in recent years.

 

[Skippy]

No mention of the Jazz in there.

 

[Top Brass]

I live near Swindon and local BBC TV reported as follows:-
CRV to be built in Canada, Jazz in Japan and Civic ( all variations) Swindon

 

[Skippy]

I'm guessing from that the HR-V will come from Japan.

 

[Quacker]

I live near Swindon and local BBC TV reported as follows:-
CRV to be built in Canada, Jazz in Japan and Civic ( all variations) Swindon

I think only four door variants in Swindon. They do make two door variants as well. They manufacture Civic in an amazing number of factories worldwide and I doubt very much whether they are stopping production in all of those in favour of Swindon.

They also manufacture the C-RV in multiple plants, but it seems that Swindon and Europe will no longer figure. This is probably due to the model under performing badly in Europe, even though it does quite well in the UK. This is no reflection on its technical merit but probably more to do with the currency situation and the marketing of the C-RV on the European mainland.

 

[AoS]

I'm guessing from that the HR-V will come from Japan.

HR-V for Europe will be manufactured in Mexico

 

[Quacker]

I really do support British workers by actually putting my money where my mouth is and buying British whenever there is a competitive product that meets my needs. Unfortunately, and being realistic about it, relegating Honda UK Manufacturing to build only one model, and only one variant of that model's bodyshell types, is likely to be a severe blow to the plant's long term viability. They actually manufacture engines and gearboxes as well as, up until recently, three different models of car at Swindon. Unless Honda have some secret project up their sleeve, or the next model Civic will be an amazingly popular vehicle, I can't see this as being 'good news' for Swindon, whatever spin HUKM and the Honda mothership put on it.

So is Swindon going to export diesel engines out to Canada to be re-imported into the UK in finished CR-V cars?

 

[Brodick]

Think you might find Swindon does ok out of this. ok so they are only going to making the civic and engines for it and CR-V seems Honda are really looking to ramp up production though - possibility they might build the American coupe for export to other European markets???

 

[Quacker]

Think you might find Swindon does ok out of this. ok so they are only going to making the civic and engines for it and CR-V seems Honda are really looking to ramp up production though - possibility they might build the American coupe for export to other European markets???

They can only produce what they can sell. They build as many as they can sell already, which is only a fraction of what the factory has the potential to produce.

As I said, the new Civic really had better be something very special that will sell in volumes far in excess of the current version, and consistently so for many years, or you can say bye-bye to Swindon HUKManufacturing. The factory will henceforth apparently be a one-trick-pony, with all its eggs in one basket. [Assuming a one-trick-pony lays eggs of course]

 

[dcivic]

Why would Honda invest 200 million pounds if they are to say goodbye to HUK ?

 

[Quacker]

Why would Honda invest 200 million pounds if they are to say goodbye to HUK ?

Probably cost half that much to scrap the CRV production line. How much do a couple of new presses and a brace of welding robots cost these days?

In truth, only they know. Only they know whether their figures are genuine or PR rubbish.

One thing is for sure, they must have a damned good reason to stop European production of the CRV and to import them all from Canada. Sales of Swindon CRV and/or its profitability must be drastically poor or they would surely continue. It is not as if Swindon is running within a country mile of its production potential.

Having said that, my local Honda dealer sells CRV to Civic in a ratio of four to one in favour of the CRV. The biggest problem they have by far is the high relative price and poor sales of the Civic. I doubt that they will be celebrating this shift in production and the sales pressure that they will be under to sell Swindon Civic from now on. I wouldn't be surprised to see many Honda dealers giving up the franchise, unless the new HRV sells like buns. Unfortunately it is rather late to the party, although I have a friend who can't wait to change her Mitsu for one.

 

[dcivic]

That is what my dealer said as well, CR-V is selling better than civic.

 

[Quacker]

So what in the world are they thinking of?

Building more of a car that is a perfectly good car but is expensive in a very very competitive sector in a country that is expensive to build in and export is surely nobody's idea of good management. If you build stuff in the UK that sells at a premium, then it must be a premium product that has a good selling margin and that walks out of the showrooms. Like the CRV.
Surely the Civic could be imported from Mexico or somewhere low cost so that it was competitive in the commodity car sector.

However, running Honda is beyond my pay-grade, so I'll leave it to those whose responsibility it actually is, on the assumption that they know what they are doing and the practical point that will do what they think best even if it sinks the ship.