Honda do Brasil this month will begin exporting its locally-built Fit compact hatchback model (know as the Jazz in some markets) to Mexico.
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This is the first time that the Brazilian Honda unit has shipped vehicles to Mexico.
The automaker expects to send about 1,500 units this year to Mexico, where sales will start in October. The Mexican specification model has a 1.5-litre VTEC engine and either five-speed manual or ‘7-speed’ CVT transmission.
The start of Mexican exports will help Honda do Brasil towards its goal of exporting about 9,000 vehicles this year – the Fit will account for about 6,000 units and the remaining 3,000 units will be the Civic sedan. Last year, the company exported 4,935 vehicles.
The cars are produced in Honda’s Sumaré plant, in São Paulo state, and are also exported to Argentina, Uruguay, Peru and Chile.
However, while exports are doing fine, Honda’s sales in Brazil itself are not going well. The company has just decided to cut output from 310 vehicles to 280 units daily while waiting to see if the government will reduce the high interest rates that are now starting to affect domestic sales.
As a result, Honda do Brasil has reviewed its sales targets. At the beginning of the year, the automaker forecast an increase of 20% compared with the 50,694 vehicles sold in 2004 but now expects a rise of “only” 16%.
Rogério Louro
