Honda to launch Mobilio in July, new Jazz in current fiscal year
Honda Cars India Limited (HCIL) has announced today that the Mobilio MPV will be launched in July. The mid-size seven-seater MPV will enter the burgeoning multi-purpose vehicle category which is predominantly the domain of the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and Chevrolet Enjoy. The company has confirmed that the Mobilio will sell with both, petrol and diesel engines. The petrol engine will be a carryover from the Honda Brio, that shares the Mobilo’s underpinnings. The 1.2-litre i-VTEC petrol engine develops 87bhp and 109Nm of torque. The diesel mill will be the 1.5-litre i-DTEC engine that does duty in the Amaze and City. The motor develops 99bhp of power and 200Nm of torque. Both the engines will be mated to a 5-speed manual transmission; an automatic transmission is not expected.
HCIL’s plans for the current fiscal year also include the re-launch of their Jazz hatchback. Jnaneswar Sen, Sr. Vice President, Marketing and Sales of HCIL has confirmed that the Jazz will hit our shores before March 2015. The hatchback is expected with the 1.2-litre i-VTEC petrol engine and the 1.5-litre i-DTEC diesel. The Jazz will take on popular segment rivals such as the Maruti Suzuki Swift and the Hyundai i20. Dealership expansion, from the current 172 facilities in 109 cities to 230 facilities in 150 cities is another goal for HCIL in the current financial year.
Honda Cars India enjoyed an immensely successful year in FY2014 with their highest-ever annual sales of 1, 34,339 units. The company also recorded an 83 per cent growth over the previous year. The Japanese manufacturer stepped into diesel cars with their now-famous 1.5-litre i-DTEC engine in the Amaze, which was followed by the new City. HCIL has also started their second production facility in Tapukara, Rajastan in February 2014.
