Honda (UK) has sold over 100,000 cars in a financial year for the first time.
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A record final month in the 2006/07 financial year saw total sales top 100,300 between April 2006 and March 2007. During that time, Honda’s UK sales arm also set a record market share of 4.66%. Sales reached 98,000 units in the 2005/06 fiscal year.
Calendar year 2006 sales were, however, off 0.6% to 97,728 units. The Civic five-door hatchback was the single most popular model with 34,916 units sold, ahead of the Jazz (Fit) with 30,795.
“In 1994 we set ourselves the huge target of achieving 100,000 units in a year,” said Honda UK marketing head Jeff Dodds. “Back then, we sold under 30,000 cars, and the only markets to sell 100k were America and Japan. Just 13 years later, we’ve realised our dream.
“But we’re not resting on our laurels: the next target is 150,000 cars, which will be just as tough a challenge.”
The record sales year for Honda (UK) coincides with a predicted record year of production at Honda of the UK Manufacturing (HUM) in Swindon, England. In 2007, over 200,000 cars will be built at the plant – rising to 250,000 cars during 2008.
Swindon is currently Honda’s sole source of Civic five-door hatchback models which are marketed only in Europe, although just-auto understands that some Honda sales units in other markets have asked the Japanese HQ if they, too, can have the model line. The UK plant is also one of several Honda plants world-wide building the CR-V SUV.
