Panasonic, Sony, Nissan and now Honda: a recent exodus of Japanese firms from Britain is not solely down to Brexit, analysts say, but it has in many cases accelerated the decision to leave.&nbsp;

On Tuesday, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/honda-to-shut-only-british-factory-mulls-a-move-to-north-america-198289">Honda was the latest Japanese firm to send shockwaves</a> through British industry by announcing the end of its plant in Swindon, where around 3,500 workers have been producing the "Civic" for more than 24 years.

Officials rushed to divert blame from Brexit, with local MP Justin Tomlinson saying the decision was down to "global trends" and pointing out that Honda was transferring all European production back to Japan.

But while there are specific reasons behind each individual business decision, analysts said the spectre of Brexit was haunting Japanese firms across the board.

"Honda seems to have been preparing for this for a long time. Then Brexit happened, which might have pushed the company to make the decision now," said Seiji Sugiura, an analyst at Tokai Tokyo Research Institute.

Both Sugiura and Satoru Takada, an auto analyst at TIW research firm based in Tokyo, noted that Honda had been debating what to do with the Swindon plant for some time.

"It has struggled in recent years. Then came Brexit," said Takada.

"The change in the business environment pushed the company to make the decision now," he added.

Honda's decision came hot on the heels of Nissan axing production at its Sunderland plant in northeastern England.

There are around 1,000 Japanese companies operating in Britain, supporting some 140,000 jobs.

And while firms from Japan are not the only ones pulling out from Britain, a long history of Japanese investment in the country stemming from Japan Inc's boom days in the late 80s makes the exodus all the more painful.

"I think Swindon's finished without Honda," said Sue Davis, a local resident. "My ex-husband works there, has done for 20 years."

Sugiura said Japanese carmakers were attracted by a business-friendly environment under Conservative leader Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s as well as by Britain's access to European markets.

"Originally they decided to go to Britain, rather than the continent, because it offered the merit of an integrated EU. Now, things are the exact opposite," the analyst told AFP.

'Country risk'

When it comes to the automakers, rapid changes in the car industry and the global trade environment are also factors in paring back operations, the analysts said.

A huge EU-Japan free trade agreement that came into effect this month also reduces the incentive for Japanese firms to operate in Europe by phasing out tariffs.

Takada also pointed out that Japanese firms have generally struggled in Europe where they are competing on the home turf of German giants like Volkswagen.

But it is not just carmakers deciding to scale back their presence. Electronics giants Sony and Panasonic have also announced shifts from Britain.

Major Japanese banks are pulling out of London and nuclear firm Hitachi last month announced a freeze in a major power plant in Wales.

Many of these firms said Brexit wasn't the only factor in their decision but it played a part.

"What are the reasons for this pullout? One of them is distrust in Britain itself -- its economy, politics and society are in disarray," said Yosuku Tsuchida, a researcher at Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting.

"It's country risk."

Tsuchida predicted that other firms using Britain as a base for continental Europe would consider pulling out.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has pleaded for clarity for Japanese firms and said "the whole world" is hoping that a no-deal Brexit can be avoided.

Analyst Sugiura from Tokai Tokyo said the future for investment into Britain was far from bright.

"The lack of clarity in Brexit is discouraging businesses from making a fresh investment. Investing in the UK doesn't seem attractive anymore now."

"One has to question if Britain is now a suitable location to have a production hub," said Takada.

Panasonic, Sony, Nissan and now Honda: a recent exodus of Japanese firms from Britain is not solely down to Brexit, analysts say, but it has in many cases accelerated the decision to leave.

Panasonic, Sony, Nissan and now Honda: a recent exodus of Japanese firms from Britain is not solely down to Brexit, analysts say, but it has in many cases accelerated the decision to leave. On Tuesday, Honda was the latest Japanese firm to send shockwaves through British industry by announcing the end of its plant in Swindon, where around 3,500 workers have been producing the "Civic" for more than 24 years. Officials rushed to divert blame from Brexit, with local MP Justin Tomlinson saying the decision was down to "global trends" and pointing out that Honda was transferring all European production back to Japan. But while there are specific reasons behind each individual business decision, analysts said the spectre of Brexit was haunting Japanese firms across the board. "Honda seems to have been preparing for this for a long time. Then Brexit happened, which might have pushed the company to make the decision now," said Seiji Sugiura, an analyst at Tokai Tokyo Research Institute. Both Sugiura and Satoru Takada, an auto analyst at TIW research firm based in Tokyo, noted that Honda had been debating what to do with the Swindon plant for some time. "It has struggled in recent years. Then came Brexit," said Takada. "The change in the business environment pushed the company to make the decision now," he added. Honda's decision came hot on the heels of Nissan axing production at its Sunderland plant in northeastern England. There are around 1,000 Japanese companies operating in Britain, supporting some 140,000 jobs. And while firms from Japan are not the only ones pulling out from Britain, a long history of Japanese investment in the country stemming from Japan Inc's boom days in the late 80s makes the exodus all the more painful. "I think Swindon's finished without Honda," said Sue Davis, a local resident. "My ex-husband works there, has done for 20 years." Sugiura said Japanese carmakers were attracted by a business-friendly environment under Conservative leader Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s as well as by Britain's access to European markets. "Originally they decided to go to Britain, rather than the continent, because it offered the merit of an integrated EU. Now, things are the exact opposite," the analyst told AFP. 'Country risk' When it comes to the automakers, rapid changes in the car industry and the global trade environment are also factors in paring back operations, the analysts said. A huge EU-Japan free trade agreement that came into effect this month also reduces the incentive for Japanese firms to operate in Europe by phasing out tariffs. Takada also pointed out that Japanese firms have generally struggled in Europe where they are competing on the home turf of German giants like Volkswagen. But it is not just carmakers deciding to scale back their presence. Electronics giants Sony and Panasonic have also announced shifts from Britain. Major Japanese banks are pulling out of London and nuclear firm Hitachi last month announced a freeze in a major power plant in Wales. Many of these firms said Brexit wasn't the only factor in their decision but it played a part. "What are the reasons for this pullout? One of them is distrust in Britain itself -- its economy, politics and society are in disarray," said Yosuku Tsuchida, a researcher at Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting. "It's country risk." Tsuchida predicted that other firms using Britain as a base for continental Europe would consider pulling out. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has pleaded for clarity for Japanese firms and said "the whole world" is hoping that a no-deal Brexit can be avoided. Analyst Sugiura from Tokai Tokyo said the future for investment into Britain was far from bright. "The lack of clarity in Brexit is discouraging businesses from making a fresh investment. Investing in the UK doesn't seem attractive anymore now." "One has to question if Britain is now a suitable location to have a production hub," said Takada.

Brexit accelerating Japanese firms' exodus from UK: Report

Honda Motor said on Tuesday that it would shut its sole British plant in 2021 and consider moving existing production to North America and other regions.

In a news conference, CEO Takahiro Hachigo said the decision was not related to Brexit but instead based on changes in the global market. The UK factory currently produces Civic Hatchbacks for global sales, Hachigo added.

The company will also stop making its Civic car model at its Turkey plant from 2021 but plans to continue its operations in the country.

The closure of the Swindon factory in southern England is expected to result in 3,500 job losses and marks a big symbolic blow to British manufacturing amid the tumult of Brexit. Several other automakers were also said to be reassessing their presence in the UK and Europe.

Honda Motor said on Tuesday that it would shut its sole British plant in 2021 and consider moving existing production to North America and other regions. In a news conference, CEO Takahiro Hachigo said the decision was not related to Brexit but instead based on changes in the global market.

Honda Motor said on Tuesday that it would shut its sole British plant in 2021 and consider moving existing production to North America and other regions. In a news conference, CEO Takahiro Hachigo said the decision was not related to Brexit but instead based on changes in the global market. The UK factory currently produces Civic Hatchbacks for global sales, Hachigo added. The company will also stop making its Civic car model at its Turkey plant from 2021 but plans to continue its operations in the country. The closure of the Swindon factory in southern England is expected to result in 3,500 job losses and marks a big symbolic blow to British manufacturing amid the tumult of Brexit. Several other automakers were also said to be reassessing their presence in the UK and Europe.

Honda to shut only British factory, mulls a move to North America

General Motors and Honda have joined forces with the tech firm Cruise to develop autonomous vehicles as the race to market self-driving cars continues, the companies announced Wednesday.

"This is the logical next step in General Motors and Honda's relationship, given our joint work on electric vehicles, and our close integration with Cruise," GM CEO Mary Barra said in a statement.

General Motors and Honda have joined forces with the tech firm Cruise to develop autonomous vehicles as the race to market self-driving cars continues, the companies announced Wednesday.

General Motors and Honda have joined forces with the tech firm Cruise to develop autonomous vehicles as the race to market self-driving cars continues, the companies announced Wednesday. "This is the logical next step in General Motors and Honda's relationship, given our joint work on electric vehicles, and our close integration with Cruise," GM CEO Mary Barra said in a statement.

General Motors, Cruise announce Honda partnership to develop autonomous vehicles

Japanese auto major Honda is recalling 22,834 units of Accord, City and Jazz models in India as part of a global exercise to rectify faulty airbags.

The latest exercise takes the overall number of recalled vehicles, equipped with airbags manufactured by Takata, by the company to 3.13 lakh units in India.

The company, which is present in India through a wholly-owned arm Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL), announced that the latest recall will impact models which were manufactured in 2013.

&quot;HCIL will voluntarily replace Takata passenger front airbag inflators of 22,834 vehicles of 2013 model of Accord, City and Jazz as part of Honda&#39;s precautionary global recall campaign concerning Takata front airbag inflators,&quot; HCIL said in a statement.

According to the company, the recall will affect 510 units of the premium sedan Accord, 22,084 units of City, and 240 units of Jazz.

&quot;The replacement will be carried out free of cost at HCIL dealerships across India in a phased manner starting immediately,&quot; the company said.

Last year in January, HCIL had recalled 41,580 units of previous generation of Accord, Civic, City and Jazz models in India as part of a global exercise to rectify faulty airbags.

In July 2016, the company had recalled 1,90,578 units of the previous generation of Accord, CR-V, Civic, City and Jazz models to rectify faulty airbags made by Takata.

Millions of vehicles globally have been recalled due to defective safety airbag manufactured by Japan&#39;s Takata Corp.

According to the company, the recall will affect 510 units of the premium sedan Accord, 22,084 units of City, and 240 units of Jazz.

Japanese auto major Honda is recalling 22,834 units of Accord, City and Jazz models in India as part of a global exercise to rectify faulty airbags. The latest exercise takes the overall number of recalled vehicles, equipped with airbags manufactured by Takata, by the company to 3.13 lakh units in India. The company, which is present in India through a wholly-owned arm Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL), announced that the latest recall will impact models which were manufactured in 2013. "HCIL will voluntarily replace Takata passenger front airbag inflators of 22,834 vehicles of 2013 model of Accord, City and Jazz as part of Honda's precautionary global recall campaign concerning Takata front airbag inflators," HCIL said in a statement. According to the company, the recall will affect 510 units of the premium sedan Accord, 22,084 units of City, and 240 units of Jazz. "The replacement will be carried out free of cost at HCIL dealerships across India in a phased manner starting immediately," the company said. Last year in January, HCIL had recalled 41,580 units of previous generation of Accord, Civic, City and Jazz models in India as part of a global exercise to rectify faulty airbags. In July 2016, the company had recalled 1,90,578 units of the previous generation of Accord, CR-V, Civic, City and Jazz models to rectify faulty airbags made by Takata. Millions of vehicles globally have been recalled due to defective safety airbag manufactured by Japan's Takata Corp.

Honda recalls 22,834 cars across various models in India

Honda has launched a new robotics program called 3E Concept and has unveiled the new robot called Forpheus which can read body language to gather one&#39;s ability, and offer advice and encouragement.

Honda launched four new robotics demonstrations on Tuesday at Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas which are united under one banner: 3E Concept.

3E stands for Empower, Experience and Empathy, which the Japanese automaker sees as the three ways robotics can enhance our daily lives.

Its new 3E-A18 robot, Forpheus, which &quot;shows compassion to humans with a variety of facial expressions,&quot; was also present at the CES.

&quot;It will try to understand your mood and your playing ability and predict a bit about your next shot,&quot; said Keith Kersten of Japan-based Omron Automation, which developed Forpheus to showcase its technology.

&quot;We don&#39;t sell ping pong robots but we are using Forpheus to show how the technology works with people,&quot; said Kersten.

&quot;He has a complex brain. It will ask for a caress or it will get mad if you poke him in the eye,&quot; Jean-Michel Mourier of French-based Blue Frog Robotics, which makes the companion and social robot called Buddy, set to be released later this year.

The A18 has a round egg-shaped head witch smooth exterior which &quot;invites people to touch or hug the robot.&quot;

The A18&#39;s purpose is to support people by serving as a guide in public places or giving comfort, like a service dog, to humans in distress, reports said.

Forpheus is among several devices shown at this week&#39;s Consumer Electronics Show which highlight how robots can become more humanlike by acquiring &quot;emotional intelligence&quot; and empathy.&nbsp;

The A18's purpose is to support people by serving as a guide in public places or giving comfort, like a service dog, to humans in distress, reports said

Honda has launched a new robotics program called 3E Concept and has unveiled the new robot called Forpheus which can read body language to gather one's ability, and offer advice and encouragement. Honda launched four new robotics demonstrations on Tuesday at Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas which are united under one banner: 3E Concept. 3E stands for Empower, Experience and Empathy, which the Japanese automaker sees as the three ways robotics can enhance our daily lives. Its new 3E-A18 robot, Forpheus, which "shows compassion to humans with a variety of facial expressions," was also present at the CES. "It will try to understand your mood and your playing ability and predict a bit about your next shot," said Keith Kersten of Japan-based Omron Automation, which developed Forpheus to showcase its technology. "We don't sell ping pong robots but we are using Forpheus to show how the technology works with people," said Kersten. "He has a complex brain. It will ask for a caress or it will get mad if you poke him in the eye," Jean-Michel Mourier of French-based Blue Frog Robotics, which makes the companion and social robot called Buddy, set to be released later this year. The A18 has a round egg-shaped head witch smooth exterior which "invites people to touch or hug the robot." The A18's purpose is to support people by serving as a guide in public places or giving comfort, like a service dog, to humans in distress, reports said. Forpheus is among several devices shown at this week's Consumer Electronics Show which highlight how robots can become more humanlike by acquiring "emotional intelligence" and empathy.

Honda unveils new 'emotional' robot which reads human feelings

Pakistani authorities have written to the Punjab home department asking it to take stringent measures for the security of detained Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed, claiming a &quot;foreign intelligence agency&quot; had planned to kill him.&nbsp;

In the letter, the National Counter Terrorism Authority said the foreign spy agency had paid Rs&nbsp;80 million to two activists of a banned outfit for the assassination of Saeed.

It asked the Punjab home department to ensure foolproof security for the Jamat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief.

Saeed has been under house arrest in Lahore since January 30 under the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997.

The home department last month had extended his detention for another 30 days (till November 26) under public safety law.

The department&#39;s notification had said, &quot;There is apprehension that Saeed shall create a law and order situation upon release&quot;.

The JuD has already been declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in June 2014. The JuD chief carries a reward of USD 10 million announced by the US for his role in terror activities.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Honda is recalling about 800,000 of its Odyssey minivans in the United States?over faulty parts blamed for 46 minor injuries, the company said, just a month after settling a huge lawsuit on other defects

Pakistani authorities have written to the Punjab home department asking it to take stringent measures for the security of detained Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed, claiming a "foreign intelligence agency" had planned to kill him. In the letter, the National Counter Terrorism Authority said the foreign spy agency had paid Rs 80 million to two activists of a banned outfit for the assassination of Saeed. It asked the Punjab home department to ensure foolproof security for the Jamat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief. Saeed has been under house arrest in Lahore since January 30 under the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997. The home department last month had extended his detention for another 30 days (till November 26) under public safety law. The department's notification had said, "There is apprehension that Saeed shall create a law and order situation upon release". The JuD has already been declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in June 2014. The JuD chief carries a reward of USD 10 million announced by the US for his role in terror activities.

Honda recalls 800,000 minivans in US over faulty seats

South Korean car manufacturers Hyundai and Kia were <a href="http://www.wionews.com/science-tech/hyundai-kia-ordered-to-recall-vehicles-after-whistleblower-report-15490">ordered by authorities to recall</a> 240,000 vehicles in South Korea. This was a result of several defects discovered, including issues with the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/science-tech/hyundai-kia-ordered-to-recall-vehicles-after-whistleblower-report-15490">parking brake lights</a> and fuel hoses, and would affect models such as the Hyundai Elantra and Sonata.

This recall, though pales in comparison to a recall last month for 1.5 million cars in the US and South Korea from the same manufacturers. This was for 5 models including Hyundai&#39;s Sonata and Grandeur and was done because of potential engine stalling.

Here&#39;s a look at the various recalls that have been issued this year, compiled from news reports.

<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="600" id="datawrapper-chart-NFWbd" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" msallowfullscreen="msallowfullscreen" oallowfullscreen="oallowfullscreen" scrolling="no" src="//datawrapper.dwcdn.net/NFWbd/1/" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="100%"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">if("undefined"==typeof window.datawrapper)window.datawrapper={};window.datawrapper["NFWbd"]={},window.datawrapper["NFWbd"].embedDeltas={"100":652,"200":626,"300":600,"400":600,"500":600,"600":600,"700":600,"800":600,"900":600,"1000":600},window.datawrapper["NFWbd"].iframe=document.getElementById("datawrapper-chart-NFWbd"),window.datawrapper["NFWbd"].iframe.style.height=window.datawrapper["NFWbd"].embedDeltas[Math.min(1e3,Math.max(100*Math.floor(window.datawrapper["NFWbd"].iframe.offsetWidth/100),100))]+"px",window.addEventListener("message",function(a){if("undefined"!=typeof a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var b in a.data["datawrapper-height"])if("NFWbd"==b)window.datawrapper["NFWbd"].iframe.style.height=a.data["datawrapper-height"][b]+"px"});</script>

If you look at the table above, you will see that several recalls have to do with airbags, especially those made by Takata. 13 carmakers issued a recall for <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/business/autos/over-652k-vehicles-involved-latest-takata-airbag-recall-n708811">652,000 cars</a> in the US in March, cars which were fitted with the Takata airbags.

This is actually part of the world&#39;s largest recall, which started <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2016-06-02/sixty-million-car-bombs-inside-takata-s-air-bag-crisis">first in 2008</a> and could potentially affect over 100 million vehicles from several manufacturers. The issue was that because of a volatile chemical in the airbags, it could suddenly explode and send metal shrapnel into passengers. At least<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/majority-of-money-in-airbag-fraud-settlement-slated-for-automakers-not-actual-victims_us_58b3884ce4b060480e090796"> 11 have died and 200 hurt</a> in the US because of these exploding Takata airbags.

Car owners in India have been affected by the Takata recall too in 2017 with <a href="http://www.financialexpress.com/auto/car-news/honda-recalls-41850-units-of-jazz-city-accord-and-civic-over-airbag-failure/532163/">Honda recalling</a> around 42,000 cars&mdash;including models such as the City, Accord and Civic&mdash;and Toyota recalling 23,000 units of the <a href="http://www.financialexpress.com/auto/car-news/toyota-to-recall-over-23000-units-of-corolla-altis-in-india-over-faulty-takata-airbags/618968/">Corolla Altis</a>.

Because there is no official policy on car recalls in India, presently any such recall is <a href="http://pibregional.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1487569">voluntarily done</a> by the manufacturer.

Carmakers Hyundai and Kia recalled 240,000 cars this week. So who else has recalled their cars this year?

South Korean car manufacturers Hyundai and Kia were ordered by authorities to recall 240,000 vehicles in South Korea. This was a result of several defects discovered, including issues with the parking brake lights and fuel hoses, and would affect models such as the Hyundai Elantra and Sonata. This recall, though pales in comparison to a recall last month for 1.5 million cars in the US and South Korea from the same manufacturers. This was for 5 models including Hyundai's Sonata and Grandeur and was done because of potential engine stalling. Here's a look at the various recalls that have been issued this year, compiled from news reports. If you look at the table above, you will see that several recalls have to do with airbags, especially those made by Takata. 13 carmakers issued a recall for 652,000 cars in the US in March, cars which were fitted with the Takata airbags. This is actually part of the world's largest recall, which started first in 2008 and could potentially affect over 100 million vehicles from several manufacturers. The issue was that because of a volatile chemical in the airbags, it could suddenly explode and send metal shrapnel into passengers. At least 11 have died and 200 hurt in the US because of these exploding Takata airbags. Car owners in India have been affected by the Takata recall too in 2017 with Honda recalling around 42,000 cars—including models such as the City, Accord and Civic—and Toyota recalling 23,000 units of the Corolla Altis. Because there is no official policy on car recalls in India, presently any such recall is voluntarily done by the manufacturer.

Analysis: Cars recalled worldwide in 2017

Britain&#39;s Jenson Button will come out of retirement for &quot;one race only&quot; to replace Fernando Alonso in a McLaren at next month&#39;s Monaco Grand Prix, the Formula One team announced Friday.

Alonso, like Button a former Formula One world champion, has been allowed to miss the race to compete instead for British-based McLaren at the Indianapolis 500, with both showpiece races taking place on May 28.

&quot;Owing to Fernando Alonso&rsquo;s commitments with McLaren-Honda-Andretti over the weekend of the Indianapolis 500, which iconic race will take place on the same date (May 28th) as the Monaco Grand Prix, Jenson will take over Fernando&rsquo;s McLaren-Honda MCL32 for one race only: the equally iconic Monaco Grand Prix,&quot; said a team statement.

Button, who had regarded lsast year&#39;s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as the last race of his career, will be one of McLaren&#39;s two drivers at Monaco, with Belgium&#39;s Stoffel Vandoorne in their other car.

The 37-year-old Button remains under contract with McLaren, having agreed a two-year ambassadorial role with the team, but has yet to drive competitively this season.

Button, however, won the Monaco Grand Prix, the most glamorous race in Formula One in 2009 -- the same year he took the world title with the now defunct Brawn team.&nbsp;

&quot;I&#39;m thrilled to be making a one-off return to Formula One racing, and I couldn&#39;t think of a better place to make that return than my adopted home Grand Prix of Monaco,&quot; Button said.

&quot;I&#39;ve won the race before, in 2009, and it&#39;s one of my all-time favourite racetracks.

&quot;I realise we won&#39;t have a realistic chance of repeating my 2009 victory, but I think we&#39;ll have a opportunity to score world championship points, which will be very valuable to the team in terms of constructors&#39; rankings.&quot;

&#39;Supremely fit&#39;&nbsp;

Meanwhile Button, the last driver to win a race for McLaren in 2012, insisted it would not take him long to get used to the feeling of being in the cockpit of a Formula One car once again.

&quot;I&#39;ll drive the McLaren around Monaco in the simulator beforehand, and I reckon I&#39;ll be ready for the race after doing that,&quot; he said.

&quot;I&#39;m supremely fit, having done a lot of triathlon training recently, so I have no worries on that score. And it&#39;ll be nice to say &#39;hi&#39; to all my old Formula One mates, too, and hopefully to give the fans something to cheer about.&quot;

McLaren racing director Eric Boullier was pleased Button had accepted his offer of a one-off return in Monte Carlo.&nbsp;

&quot;I was truly delighted when Jenson accepted our suggestion that he race at Monaco instead of Fernando,&quot; Boullier said.

&quot;Jenson is a class act. He&#39;s a superb driver - fast, smooth and precise - and he won&#39;t have lost any of his competitive edge over the past few months...He&#39;ll do a great job for us, I&#39;m sure of that.&quot;

When McLaren announced on Wednesday that 2005 and 2006 world champion Alonso would miss Monaco to race in Indianapolis, the Spaniard said it was because he wanted to emulate Graham Hill by becoming only the second driver after the late Briton to win the &#39;Triple Crown&#39; of the Monaco Grand Prix, Indy 500 and he Le Mans 24 hour sportscar race.

But the Indy 500 may have looked even more tempting given McLaren are currently last in the Formula One constructors&#39; world championship after two races without a point.

McLaren, the second most successful team in Formula One history after Ferrari, in terms of race wins, have struggled lately, with Japanese engine-supplier Honda under fire for the team&#39;s poor results.

Alonso, 35, is now in the final year of a three-season contract with McLaren.

He joined in the hope of winning a third world title, but his best results with McLaren have been a trio of fifth-place finishes.

The Formula One season continues with Sunday&#39;s Bahrain Grand Prix.

(AFP)

Former world champion Jenson Button will come out of retirement to deputise for Alonso, who will miss the race to take part in Indy 500

Britain's Jenson Button will come out of retirement for "one race only" to replace Fernando Alonso in a McLaren at next month's Monaco Grand Prix, the Formula One team announced Friday. Alonso, like Button a former Formula One world champion, has been allowed to miss the race to compete instead for British-based McLaren at the Indianapolis 500, with both showpiece races taking place on May 28. "Owing to Fernando Alonso’s commitments with McLaren-Honda-Andretti over the weekend of the Indianapolis 500, which iconic race will take place on the same date (May 28th) as the Monaco Grand Prix, Jenson will take over Fernando’s McLaren-Honda MCL32 for one race only: the equally iconic Monaco Grand Prix," said a team statement. Button, who had regarded lsast year's season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as the last race of his career, will be one of McLaren's two drivers at Monaco, with Belgium's Stoffel Vandoorne in their other car. The 37-year-old Button remains under contract with McLaren, having agreed a two-year ambassadorial role with the team, but has yet to drive competitively this season. Button, however, won the Monaco Grand Prix, the most glamorous race in Formula One in 2009 -- the same year he took the world title with the now defunct Brawn team. "I'm thrilled to be making a one-off return to Formula One racing, and I couldn't think of a better place to make that return than my adopted home Grand Prix of Monaco," Button said. "I've won the race before, in 2009, and it's one of my all-time favourite racetracks. "I realise we won't have a realistic chance of repeating my 2009 victory, but I think we'll have a opportunity to score world championship points, which will be very valuable to the team in terms of constructors' rankings." 'Supremely fit' Meanwhile Button, the last driver to win a race for McLaren in 2012, insisted it would not take him long to get used to the feeling of being in the cockpit of a Formula One car once again. "I'll drive the McLaren around Monaco in the simulator beforehand, and I reckon I'll be ready for the race after doing that," he said. "I'm supremely fit, having done a lot of triathlon training recently, so I have no worries on that score. And it'll be nice to say 'hi' to all my old Formula One mates, too, and hopefully to give the fans something to cheer about." McLaren racing director Eric Boullier was pleased Button had accepted his offer of a one-off return in Monte Carlo. "I was truly delighted when Jenson accepted our suggestion that he race at Monaco instead of Fernando," Boullier said. "Jenson is a class act. He's a superb driver - fast, smooth and precise - and he won't have lost any of his competitive edge over the past few months...He'll do a great job for us, I'm sure of that." When McLaren announced on Wednesday that 2005 and 2006 world champion Alonso would miss Monaco to race in Indianapolis, the Spaniard said it was because he wanted to emulate Graham Hill by becoming only the second driver after the late Briton to win the 'Triple Crown' of the Monaco Grand Prix, Indy 500 and he Le Mans 24 hour sportscar race. But the Indy 500 may have looked even more tempting given McLaren are currently last in the Formula One constructors' world championship after two races without a point. McLaren, the second most successful team in Formula One history after Ferrari, in terms of race wins, have struggled lately, with Japanese engine-supplier Honda under fire for the team's poor results. Alonso, 35, is now in the final year of a three-season contract with McLaren. He joined in the hope of winning a third world title, but his best results with McLaren have been a trio of fifth-place finishes. The Formula One season continues with Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix. (AFP)

Button to race in Alonso's absence at Monaco Grand Prix: McLaren-Honda

Honda Cars launched its compact crossover model WR-V in India. The new car is based on the Jazz platform and is priced between Rs 7.75 lakh and Rs 9.99 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

The WR-V comes with both petrol and diesel powertrains. The two petrol variants are priced at Rs 7.75 lakh and Rs 8.99 lakh, while the diesel trims are tagged at Rs 8.79 lakh and Rs 9.99 lakh (all prices ex-showroom Delhi).

The petrol variants are powered by a 1.2 litre engine, while the diesel versions come with 1.5 litre powertrains. The company, however, stayed away from introducing an automatic variant of the model.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Ex showroom prices, Delhi for the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HondaWRV?src=hash">#HondaWRV</a> 
Diesel VX MT- Rs 999900 
Petrol VX MT- Rs 899000 
Diesel S MT- Rs 879000 
Petrol S MT- Rs 775000
&mdash; Honda Car India (@HondaCarIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/HondaCarIndia/status/842283042378989568">March 16, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&quot;The fast evolving Indian market has shown strong demand for compact vehicles that are stylish, comfortable and have premium features,&quot; Honda Cars India President and CEO Yoichiro Ueno told reporters here.

With the launch of the Honda WR-V, the company is offering a vehicle for recreational usage as well as comfortable driving for daily use in the city, he added.

&quot;We are confident that WR-V will help us to fortify our premium image in all segments,&quot; Ueno said.

The model comes with various features like satellite linked navigation, smartphone connectivity, dual airbags, anti lock braking system, among others.

India is the first country to manufacture and launch the Honda WR-V in the world. It is the first model developed by Honda R&amp;D India in association with Honda R&amp;D Co Ltd, Japan.

Ueno said that with the launch of new City sedan last month and WR-V now, the company is poised for a consistent growth in the coming months.

&quot;We have started the year on a positive note. The new City has received an overwhelming response with over 14,000 bookings till date. Around 40 per cent of the total bookings have been made for the top-end variant of the model,&quot; Ueno said.

He added that the company is also studying to bring some premium models into the country.
<style type="text/css">.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }
</style>
<div class="embed-container"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed//8kEaudU8E6s"></iframe></div>

 
Speaking at the launch, Honda Motor Company&#39;s Chief Operating Officer, Regional Operations (Asia &amp; Oceania), Noriake Abe said India is the first country to manufacture and launch the Honda WR-V in the world which is testimony to the Japanese company&#39;s commitment to the Indian market.

Giving an account of Asia Oceania region, he said that countries like Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam posted robust growth while in India, the company faced &quot;tough business environment&quot;.

&quot;Demonetisation led to cash crunch and severely impacted consumer sentiments and our business. From February, the sentiment has improved and so is the business,&quot; he said.

(PTI)

The new car is based on the Jazz platform and is priced between Rs 7.75 lakh and Rs 9.99 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi)

Honda Cars launched its compact crossover model WR-V in India. The new car is based on the Jazz platform and is priced between Rs 7.75 lakh and Rs 9.99 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The WR-V comes with both petrol and diesel powertrains. The two petrol variants are priced at Rs 7.75 lakh and Rs 8.99 lakh, while the diesel trims are tagged at Rs 8.79 lakh and Rs 9.99 lakh (all prices ex-showroom Delhi). The petrol variants are powered by a 1.2 litre engine, while the diesel versions come with 1.5 litre powertrains. The company, however, stayed away from introducing an automatic variant of the model. Ex showroom prices, Delhi for the #HondaWRV Diesel VX MT- Rs 999900 Petrol VX MT- Rs 899000 Diesel S MT- Rs 879000 Petrol S MT- Rs 775000 — Honda Car India (@HondaCarIndia) March 16, 2017 × "The fast evolving Indian market has shown strong demand for compact vehicles that are stylish, comfortable and have premium features," Honda Cars India President and CEO Yoichiro Ueno told reporters here. With the launch of the Honda WR-V, the company is offering a vehicle for recreational usage as well as comfortable driving for daily use in the city, he added. "We are confident that WR-V will help us to fortify our premium image in all segments," Ueno said. The model comes with various features like satellite linked navigation, smartphone connectivity, dual airbags, anti lock braking system, among others. India is the first country to manufacture and launch the Honda WR-V in the world. It is the first model developed by Honda R&D India in association with Honda R&D Co Ltd, Japan. Ueno said that with the launch of new City sedan last month and WR-V now, the company is poised for a consistent growth in the coming months. "We have started the year on a positive note. The new City has received an overwhelming response with over 14,000 bookings till date. Around 40 per cent of the total bookings have been made for the top-end variant of the model," Ueno said. He added that the company is also studying to bring some premium models into the country. Speaking at the launch, Honda Motor Company's Chief Operating Officer, Regional Operations (Asia & Oceania), Noriake Abe said India is the first country to manufacture and launch the Honda WR-V in the world which is testimony to the Japanese company's commitment to the Indian market. Giving an account of Asia Oceania region, he said that countries like Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam posted robust growth while in India, the company faced "tough business environment". "Demonetisation led to cash crunch and severely impacted consumer sentiments and our business. From February, the sentiment has improved and so is the business," he said. (PTI)

Honda launches compact crossover WR-V in India from Rs 7.75 lakh onwards

Honda Motor Co expects to ramp up production of business jets as part of its plan to expand in the growing industry, the head of the Japanese automaker&#39;s aircraft operations said in the United States.

The firm hoped to produce 80 business jets annually by March 2019, from up to 36 currently, Honda Aircraft Company CEO Michimasa Fujino told reporters at its plant in Greensboro, North Carolina.

&quot;By the end of the 2018 financial year (in March 2019), we&#39;d like to be near full production of around 80 units,&quot; he said.

The company began deliveries of its $4.5 million jets in December and says it has received around 100 orders so far, mainly from customers in North America and Europe.

Honda is Japan&#39;s first automaker to develop and market aircraft globally. Its luxury jets seat up to seven people and have engines mounted above the wings, enabling roomier cabins, reduced noise and higher fuel efficiency.

The jet competes with similar-sized aircraft produced by Cessna, Bombardier Inc and Embraer SA.

Honda Aero Inc, which jointly developed the jet&#39;s HF 120 engine with General Electric Co, currently procures all of its parts from outside suppliers, but company President Atsukuni Waragai said it would begin producing a number of parts in-house from next March.

(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Japan's first automaker Honda plans to ramp up production of its $4.5 million luxury jets and begin in-house production of a number of parts

Honda Motor Co expects to ramp up production of business jets as part of its plan to expand in the growing industry, the head of the Japanese automaker's aircraft operations said in the United States. The firm hoped to produce 80 business jets annually by March 2019, from up to 36 currently, Honda Aircraft Company CEO Michimasa Fujino told reporters at its plant in Greensboro, North Carolina. "By the end of the 2018 financial year (in March 2019), we'd like to be near full production of around 80 units," he said. The company began deliveries of its $4.5 million jets in December and says it has received around 100 orders so far, mainly from customers in North America and Europe. Honda is Japan's first automaker to develop and market aircraft globally. Its luxury jets seat up to seven people and have engines mounted above the wings, enabling roomier cabins, reduced noise and higher fuel efficiency. The jet competes with similar-sized aircraft produced by Cessna, Bombardier Inc and Embraer SA. Honda Aero Inc, which jointly developed the jet's HF 120 engine with General Electric Co, currently procures all of its parts from outside suppliers, but company President Atsukuni Waragai said it would begin producing a number of parts in-house from next March. (Reuters)

Honda plans to produce 80 business jets annually by March 2019

honda

Honda, News on Honda, stories on Honda, articles on Honda, Honda stories at Wion, Honda news, Honda latest news