Honda JV aims at monthly sales of 7,000 new Fits

Shanghai, July 8 (Gasgoo.com) Guangzhou Honda Automobile Co., Ltd., one of Honda's joint ventures in China, began to sell the all-new Honda Fit in Beijing on July 2. Guangzhou Honda aims to sell an average of 7,000 units of the new Fit to make it a top seller in China's small-car market, said xinhuanet.com today.

The nationwide sales of the new Honda Fit will kick off on July 13, and the first batch of Fit cars on sales will include five models driven by 1.3L and 1.5L engines. Price of the Fit lineup will range from 86,800 yuan ($12,666) to 129,800 yuan in the Chinese market.

Meanwhile the new Fit will come with a three-year or 100,000km warranty like the eighth-generation Honda Accord, and this high-standard guarantee policy, coupled with the high-tech configurations and competitive prices, will help beat the car's rivals and boost its market share.

This all-new Fit is 20mm wider and 55mm longer than its predecessor and the front pillar has been moved forward to create a more spacious interior. Engine options include a 100 hp 1.3L i-VTEC engine that delivers maximum output of 73kW and a new 1.5L i-VTEC engine, capable of 88kW.

Since its launch in Japan in June 2001, the Honda Fit (or Jazz as called in Europe) has sold more than 2.3 million units in 115 countries and regions around the world. In September 2003, Guangzhou Honda began to build the Fit sedan, which has sold more than 330,000 units by far.

Despite the fiercely competitive small-car market in China, Guangzhou Honda is confident of its plan to sell 7,000 Fit cars each month after the sedan goes on sale in China starting this month. The joint venture carmaker is determined to make its new Fit the best seller in the small-car segment.