The Mexican plant will produce both the Fit and a new crossover based on the same small platform.
Honda has begun construction of a new transmission plant in Celaya adjacent to the new automobile plant that will begin mass production early next year of the all-new 2015 Honda Fit in the spring of 2014, as well as a Fit-based crossover vehicle next autumn.
Rick Schostek, Honda North America senior vice president, said increasing sales of the Fit and the new crossover next year are a key element in Honda’s plans for growing sales across North America. The demand for small vehicles will grow and the new operations in Mexico will help Honda reach its objectives, he said.
“We want to introduce a new generation of customers to the Honda and Acura brands,” Schostek said. “Our product has never been better. Nevertheless, we’re facing a challenging marketplace,” added Schostek, who added Honda will continue to emphasize retail sales.
By establishing a production base for CVT manufacturing in the same location as the new $800 million automobile plant, Honda de Mexico will operate a production structure that maximizes local content in Mexico, the rest of North America and globally. Honda will employ approximately 4,700 associates in Celaya when the auto, engine and transmission plants are in full operation.
The CVT transmissions to be produced in Celaya are part of Honda’s Earth Dreams Technology series which Honda designed to balance sporty performance and a high level of fuel efficiency.
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The new transmission plant in Mexico will join existing Honda transmission manufacturing operations in Ohio and Georgia, increasing Honda’s annual transmission production capacity in North America from the current 1.375 million units to more than 1.7 million units in 2016, and to more than 2 million units when the Mexican plant reaches full capacity.
The transmission plant will begin producing continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) in the second half of 2015 with an initial annual production capacity of 350,000 units. Honda plans to more than double annual output of CVTs produced in Celaya to approximately 700,000 annually.
Honda established its first Mexican manufacturing operations in September 1985. Two years later, Honda de Mexico started motorcycle import sales and, in March 1988, began production of motorcycle products and automobile service parts in El Salto, Jalisco. Automobile production began in 1995 with the Accord and, in 2007, production switched to the CR-V. The auto plant in El Salto has an annual capacity to produce 63,000 automobiles.
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With the new 200,000-unit Celaya automobile plant scheduled to begin operation early next year, Honda de Mexico’s annual production capacity will increase to a total of 263,000 units. In 2012, Honda sold 54,000 units in Mexico (up more than 150% from 2011), with sales volume steadily increasing.
With the production start-up of the new Fit in Mexico next year, Honda in North America will be manufacturing automobiles for all sales segments, from subcompact to light truck models. In addition to expanding capacity. In the last three years, Honda has announced investments in North America totaling nearly $2.7 billion for the innovation and expansion of its operations, including $1.27 billion for the new plants in Celaya.