A Honda plant in Alabama is adding Russia to the export markets to which it ships the Pilot SUV.
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American Honda Motor has forecast 3,245 exports to Russia for the 2009 model year, increasing to 4,650 for 2011, with shipments starting late this summer or early autumn, according to Automotive News (AN), which added that only grey-market Pilots have been sold there so far.
Marc Ernst, assistant large-project leader with Honda R&D Americas, told the trade paper that teams from the United States and Japan spent weeks in Russia studying the market and talking with potential buyers, as the Pilot was developed.
AN said durability is extremely important in Russia, especially for buyers who have a cottage in the country.
Yet only minor changes were needed for the Russia-bound US-built Pilots, according to the report. Honda has added pop-up headlight washers, rear heated seats and reflectors on the rear bumper, as required by local law.
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By GlobalDataCorrosion protection was modified to combat chemicals that melt snow but the petrol 3.5-litre V6 engine was unchanged.
Automotive News said the previous-generation Pilot was exported to Canada, Mexico and some countries in the Middle East and Latin and South America and exports to those markets will continue with the redesigned model. About 12,000 2008 models were exported from the Lincoln plant.
