A brand new 1.5 diesel engine will strengthen Honda’s new model growth in the domestic market that will come during mid-2013 with the introduction of an innovative, sub-four-meter stretched Brio-based saloon.
The said saloon will authoritatively be revealed later this month and will be aimed straightly at the Swift Dzire that is the undoubted leader in the mid-size section.
The complete-aluminum 1.5 Honda diesel motor, which is derived from the 1.6 diesel recently rolled out in the European market, will be the lightest as well as most fuel competent diesel in its group according to the company.
As per firm’s sources, this latest diesel engine unit has been fabricated by ex-Formula 1 specialists after Honda got out the sport at 2008 end. The engine’s power output of the engine is unidentified thus far, but there’re expectations that the Brio-based saloon to boast a yield of approximately 80bhp, with a more potent edition with an excess of 100bhp to power upcoming models.
The diesel edition of the Brio hatchback must logically follow the saloon, but its introduction has been held up for an indefinite time as the company is contending to value it competitively in the market. But, with augmented localization of the Brio and the 1.5 diesel in the Indian market, prices could drop to permit Honda to market the Brio diesel in a productive way.
In actual fact, the company is making plans to heavily localize the diesel engine with the aim to keep costs under control and it’s expected that this motor will be exported to other market regions.
The big shocker could be the untimely introduction of the next-gen City that is expected to pip the Brio diesel in India. Honda’s future bread-and-butter saloon could hit markets by December next year or by 2014 Auto Expo.
The next-gen City will be catered by the company’s most recent petrol and Honda diesel motors and this could assist it regain its cap as the top selling mid-size saloon in India.
The next-gen Jazz is projected by the year 2014. The existing Jazz, though a highly capable vehicle, flopped primarily owing to its high cost. Honda doesn’t wish to make the similar mistake again. Yet again, the Jazz is anticipated with 1.2 petrol and the innovative 1.5 diesel.
The company is also formulating a Brio-based multi-purpose vehicle with three rows of seats to retain the Ertiga.
The company sources said that technologists have been tasked to make it significantly broader than the Maruti multi-purpose vehicle, particularly in the third row. Honda’s brand new multi-purpose vehicle is anticipated by 2014 end.
In addition, the company has also announced plans for a compact sport utility vehicle anticipated in the year 2015. This grounds-up sport utility vehicle will be spun off the next gen City’s platform and could have a seven-seat design in addition.
At the top of Honda’s range is the next-gen CR-V that is being geared up for Jan 2013 launch.
Honda has lastly awakened to the importance of the Indian market with a forceful and go-getting approach not seen since the firm established operations in the year 1996.
