Honda Sets All-Time June Record for Worldwide Production

Honda Sets All-Time June Record for Worldwide Production and Achieves All-Time Accumulated Sales Record in Japanese Mini-Vehicle Category for the First Half of Year 2012

July 25, 2012 – Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced a summary of automobile production, Japan domestic sales, and export results for the month of June 2012.

Worldwide Production

		June 2012		Year-to-Date Total (Jan. - Jun. 2012)
		Units	vs.'11	Units	vs.'11
	Japan	92,021	+112.6%	587,217	+120.4%
	Outside of Japan	278,295*	+122.5%	1,575,598	+52.0%
Worldwide Total		370,316*	+119.9%	2,162,815	+66.0%

* Record high for month of June

Production Outside of Japan

		June 2012		Year-to-Date Total (Jan. - Jun. 2012)
		Units	vs.'11	Units	vs.'11
	North America	145,979*	+132.1%	894,196	+75.1%
	(USA)	105,597*	+131.9%	646,665	+70.4%
	Europe	12,503	+132.7%	82,361	+62.2%
	Asia	105,288*	+103.6%	520,787	+24.8%
	(China)	64,561*	+79.6%	350,494	+26.5%
	Others	14,525	+185.5%	78,254	+36.3%
Overseas Total		278,295*	+122.5%	1,575,598	+52.0%

* Record high for month of June

Production in Japan for the month of June 2012 experienced a year-on-year increase for the seventh consecutive month (since December 2011).

Production in regions outside of Japan experienced a year-on-year increase for the fifth consecutive month (since February 2012), setting record high production for the month of June. This includes all-time monthly records for June production in North America, USA, Asia, and China.

Worldwide production experienced a year-on-year increase for the sixth consecutive month (since January 2012), setting record high production for the month of June.

Sales in the Japanese Market

Vehicle type		June 2012		Year-to-Date Total (Jan. - Jun. 2012)
		Units	vs.'11	Units	vs.'11
	Registrations	45,159	+50.4%	269,234	+53.2%
	Mini-Vehicles	29,843	+241.2%	161,680	+151.0%
Honda Brand Total		75,002	+93.4%	430,914	+79.4%

Honda's automobile sales in the Japanese market for the month of June 2012 experienced a year-on-year increase for the sixth consecutive month (since January 2012).

New vehicle registrations experienced a year-on-year increase for the tenth consecutive month (since September 2011).

Sales of mini-vehicles experienced a year-on-year increase for the sixth consecutive month (since January 2012).

<Vehicle registrations - excluding mini-vehicles>
Fit was the industry's third best-selling car among new vehicle registrations for the month of June 2012 with sales of 22,070 units. Freed was the industry's fifth best-selling car with sales of 11,067 units. Step WGN was the industry's seventh best-selling car with 8,626 units.

<Mini-vehicles - under 660cc>
N BOX was the industry's top selling car in the mini-vehicle category for the month of June 2012 with sales of 23,091 units.

Furthermore, Honda has achieved the all-time record for the mini-vehicle category for the first half of year 2012.

Exports from Japan

		June 2012		Year-to-Date Total (Jan. - Jun. 2012)
		Units	vs.'11	Units	vs.'11
	North America	11,180	+47.4%	84,660	+32.3%
	(USA)	10,962	+54.0%	82,761	+35.3%
	Europe	1,092	-29.0%	13,807	+15.7%
	Asia	2,227	+85.0%	23,538	+203.3%
	Others	2,703	+20.9%	25,487	+82.8%
Total		17,202	+36.9%	147,492	+51.1%

Total exports from Japan in June 2012 experienced a year-on-year increase for the sixth consecutive month (since January 2012).

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Honda Announces Support to the Racing Activities of Team Mugen

Honda Announces Support to the Racing Activities of Team Mugen in the GT300 Class of SUPER GT Series Start of test runs for the MUGEN CR-Z GT equipped with Honda racing hybrid system

TOKYO, Japan, July 4, 2012 - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has announced its intent to provide technical support to Team Mugen, operated by M-TEC Co., Ltd., for its competition with the MUGEN CR-Z GT in the GT300 class of SUPER GT Series. Honda will supply a 2.8-liter V6 twin-turbo engine and the racing hybrid system developed exclusively for this Team Mugen racing machine and will start actual test runs.

MUGEN CR-Z GT

Team Mugen's first race with the MUGEN CR-Z GT featuring the Honda racing hybrid system will be the 2012 SUPER GT Series Round 4 SUGO GT 300km Race held on July 28-29, 2012.

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Honda to Begin Sales of All-new "N BOX +" Mini-vehicle

Honda to Begin Sales of All-new "N BOX +" Mini-vehicle

TOKYO, Japan, July 5, 2012 - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced it will begin sales of the N BOX + (“N BOX plus”), the second model of the new mini-vehicle N Series, at dealerships across Japan on July 6, 2012. Following the introduction of the N BOX, which realized one of the largest^*1 interior spaces among all mini-vehicles in the market through adoption of newly-designed platform and powerplant, Honda is now introducing the N BOX + which was developed under the concept of “adding (“plus”) new possibilities.”

N BOX + 2-tone color style (FWD)

Interior of the N BOX +

Two innovative ideas were added to the large cargo area made possible by the combination of Honda’s innovative packaging technology, the center-tank layout, and the newly-developed powerplant. The “Universal Bridge^*2” combines a sloped floor and an attachable aluminum slope^*3, which makes the loading and unloading of luggage and other items easier. The “Multi-space System^*2” realizes versatile space arrangements with three different sized boards.

The addition of these innovative ideas enables the N BOX + to accommodate diverse customer needs in a wide range of vehicle uses including daily routines, recreational activities and special needs care-giving.

The 2-tone color style , which has different color combinations for the body and roof, was established to enable each owner to more strongly express their personality in a fun way, expanding the potential for the joy of customers.

The N BOX, the first model of the new mini-vehicle N Series, was Honda’s proposal for a “mini mini-van” which leverages its overwhelming spaciousness beyond the concept of mini-vehicle to enhance occupant comfort. The vehicle has been well received by a large number of customers, especially families with children, and cumulative sales since the sales launch in December of last year has already reached approximately 100,000 units.

*1

Honda’s internal research (as of July 2012), comparison based on the interior size (length, width, height)

*2

The Universal Bridge and the Multi-space System are registered trade marks of Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

*3

Aluminum slope is available as a dealer option

[ Key features of N BOX + ]

The “Multi-space System” realizes versatile space arrangements with three boards:

• A wide variety of arrangements including several cargo modes or a bed mode which folds flat can quickly be made using large and small multi-boards and an end board.

The “Universal Bridge” combines a sloped floor and an attachable aluminum slope, to improve the ease of loading and unloading:

• In addition to sloping the low floor which was realized by the center-tank layout, Honda’s innovative packaging technology, an aluminum slope was made available to bridge the vehicle floor and the ground, making it easier to load and unload heavy items on wheels such as a small motorbike.

Visibility and sense of security beyond the mini-vehicle category:

• In addition to realizing an eye point as high as that of a mini-van, installation of mirrors which help eliminate blind spots around the left-front wheel, left-rear wheel, and lower rear make it easier to pull up closer to an object on the side or to park.

A high-performance powertrain realizes both excellent driving performance and fuel economy at a high level:

• Smooth and powerful driving was realized through the combination of a high-output/high-torque DOHC engine which generates output and torque at the top level of the class and a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) with high power efficiency. Excellent fuel economy of 21.2km/L^*4 was realized through adoption of various features including the idle stop system and ECON mode system.
• A DOHC Turbo engine with high-performance turbo charger is available in all grades.

*4

N BOX + and N BOX + Custom FWD vehicles (excluding turbo model) measured in JC08 mode (Testing by Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism)

High safety performance and enhanced safety features:

• Class-leading omni-directional collision safety performance was realized with the newly-designed engine and new load distribution structure.
• VSA (Vehicle Stability Assist) system is standard equipment on all types.
• HSA (Hill Start Assist) that temporarily prevents the vehicle from rolling backward when starting on an upward incline is installed as standard equipment on all types.
• Driver-side i-SRS airbag system (with continuously staged inflation) and SRS airbag system for front passenger are standard equipment on all types.
• The impact-mitigating headrests in the front seat which are designed to help mitigate the likelihood of a neck injury in the event of collision, and the interior which protects occupants’ heads from impact are adopted.

Environmental performance:

• All types are certified by Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism as complying with the 2005 - 75% emissions standard.
• G and G・L Package (FWD/4WD) for both N BOX + and N BOX + Custom comply with the 2015 fuel economy standard.
• More than 90 percent of the entire vehicle is recyclable^*5.

*5

Calculated based on the “Definition of and Guideline for Calculating the Percentage of Recyclable Materials in New Automobiles” (Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inc., 1998)

Honda to participate in the 2013 Dakar Rally

Honda to participate in the 2013 Dakar Rally

July 2, 2012 - Honda has announced its intention to participate as a works team in the motorcycle class in the Dakar Rally to be held in January 2013 in South America, travelling north to south through Peru, Chile and Argentina. Honda competed nine times in the motorcycle class in the forerunner of the present Dakar Rally, the Paris-Dakar Rally, from 1981 through to 1989, and was a winner five times during that period. Honda's return to Dakar Rally next year will be the first in 24 years since 1989.

Image sketch

The Honda team, to be called Team HRC, will include Portuguese rider Helder Rodrigues, who took third place in the 2012 Dakar Rally, and Brazilian Felipe Zanol, who brings a wealth of experience in motocross and enduro race events, as well as Sam Sunderland (United Kingdom) and Javier Pizzolito (Argentina). They will ride a prototype machine developed and produced by the Motorcycle R&D Center at Honda R&D. The prototype machine is based on the CRF450X, the popular worldwide enduro racing model that combines ease of handling with superior competitive strength. Kit parts designed for use on the standard CRF450X model have also been developed and will be made available to a limited number of teams.

Tetsuo Suzuki, President, Honda Racing Corporation, commented “The Dakar requires competitors to cover several hundred kilometers per day for more than two weeks. It needs a totally different type of vehicle from events such as motocross, trials and road races. Honda has put a great deal of effort into designing and building a powerful and winning machine. We are aiming for the championship from this first year.”