January 28, 2009 - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today announced a summary of automobile production, Japan domestic market sales, and export results for the calendar year 2008 as well as for the month of December 2008.

{Production}
Calendar Year of 2008
Production in Japan experienced a year-on-year decrease for the second consecutive year (since 2007).

Due primarily to increased production in Asia, production in regions outside of Japan experienced a year-on-year increase for the 12th consecutive year (since 1997).

Worldwide production also experienced a year-on-year increase for the 12th consecutive year (since 1997).

Honda sets an all-time record for calendar year production in regions outside of Japan and worldwide production as well as production in Asia and China.

December 2008
Production in Japan experienced a year-on-year decrease for the second consecutive month (since November 2008).

Production in regions outside of Japan experienced a year-on-year decrease for the third consecutive month (since October 2008).

Worldwide production experienced a year-on-year decrease for the second consecutive month (since November 2008).

{Japan Domestic Market Sales}
Calendar Year of 2008
Due mainly to strong sales of Fit and Freed, total domestic auto sales in calendar year 2008 experienced a year-on-year increase for the first time in four years (since 2004).

New vehicle registrations experienced a year-on-year increase for the first time in four years (since 2004).

Sales of mini-vehicles experienced a year-on-year decrease for the second consecutive year (since 2007).

{Vehicle registrations - excluding mini-vehicles}
Fit was the industry's best-selling car among new vehicle registrations for calendar year 2008 with sales of 174,910 units. Freed had sales of 50,646 units.

{Mini-vehicles - under 660cc}
Life was the industry's fifth best-selling car among mini-vehicles for calendar year 2008, with sales of 97,129 units. Zest had sales of 42,341 units.


December 2008
Total domestic sales for the month of December 2008 experienced a year-on-year decrease for the second consecutive month (since November 2008).

New vehicle registrations in December experienced a year-on-year decrease for the second consecutive month (since November 2008).

Sales of mini-vehicles in December experienced a year-on-year decrease for the first time in two months (since October 2008).

{Vehicle registrations - excluding mini-vehicles}
Fit was the industry's best-selling car among new vehicle registrations for the month of December 2008, with sales of 9,910 units. Freed was the industry's sixth best-selling car with sales of 4,918 units.

{Mini-vehicles - under 660cc}
Life was the industry's third best-selling car among mini-vehicles for the month of December 2008, with sales of 10,652 units.

{Exports from Japan}
Calendar Year of 2008
Total exports experienced a year-on-year decrease for the first time in five years (since 2003).


December 2008
Total exports from Japan in December 2008 experienced a year-on-year decrease for the third consecutive month (since October 2008).

PRODUCTION, SALES and EXPORTS

Last edited by JeffX on January 27, 2009 22:30