Honda JV's Everus still shrouded in mystery
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Honda is continuing to develop the first-ever new brand by a foreign carmaker designed specifically for China with its local partner, but when it will go on sale remains a mystery.
"Development of our new brand Everus is well underway as scheduled, but when it will hit the China market is not yet clear," said Kanayama Hironori, president of Guangqi Honda Automobile Co on Friday at the Beijing auto show.
Some media reports earlier said the Everus would be in showrooms by the end of the year.
"At least the public can have a look at the model at Guangzhou auto show in late 2010," said Hironori.
The brand's manufacturer Guangqi Honda - a joint venture between Honda and Guangzhou Automotive Group - has also remained tight-lipped about the car's projected retail price and other details.
"We can only say that it will hopefully meet demands of those customers that we have never met before," Hironori added.
Unlike the Everus, Guangqi Honda released the timetable for another new model, the luxury crossover vehicle Crosstour. It will hit the market in the next half of 2010.
Hironori said many current Honda Accord users might turn to the new model, the most high-end of the Accord family.
At this year's Beijing auto show, Honda displayed its environmentally friendly technologies and two new-energy models - the Insight and CR-Z - that have already gone on sale in Japan and the US.
"We are considering bringing the Insight and CR-Z to China in 2012," said Hironori.
"How to make more people use environmental friendly vehicles makes sense," he added.
"If the government implements more support policies such as cutting taxes, these vehicles will be affordable for ordinary people in a shorter period of time."
Hironori also answered reporters' question on vehicle safety concerns.
"Customer trust is the most important - this is the value of our company," he said. He told reporters that Honda has been very careful to ensure quality.
"And in addition to the safety of our vehicles, we hope people will have safe driving habits," Hironori said.
Guangqi Honda's sales target this year is 386,000 vehicles after reaching its first quarter sales goal.
