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March 19, 2003
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This Week:

• 2004 Cadillac XLR - Set To Become An Icon For Cadillac's New Era

• Land Rover Shows Broadest Line Ever At Atlanta Auto Show

• DaimlerChrysler acquires a 43 percent holding in Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC)

• Nissan announces management changes to support the successful implementation of NISSAN 180

• Renault and Idro envisage manufacturing a common platform and vehicle together in Iran

• Planned BMW Group production in China approved by State Council

• Volkswagen presents second best results in its history

• Mercedes-Benz C-Class Production Passes the Million Mark Less Than Three Years after Manufacturing Launch

• BMW Group improves profit before tax to euro 3,297 million

• New President of Honda Motor Europe North

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New President of Honda Motor Europe North
 

Hideo Tanaka takes over from Hiroshi Kobayashi Offenbach - Hideo Tanaka will take over the helm of Honda Motor Europe North on April 1, 2003. Like his predecessor, he will be President for Germany, Austria and the Benelux countries. Tanaka will use his knowledge of the European markets acquired at the Overseas Operation Office No.1 of Honda Motor Co. Ltd in Japan to push ahead Honda's successful consolidation in Germany, Austria and the Benelux countries and lead it into the next phase of the process, with the aim to expand Honda's market position in this region.

Tanaka's predecessor, Hiroshi Kobayashi, will be appointed Executive Vice President of Honda Motor Europe Ltd at the beginning of the new fiscal year. In this function, he will also be President of Honda Motor Europe (UK) as well as Honda UK Ltd. From June on he is expected to become Director and Member of the Board of Honda Motor Co. Ltd. Under the aegis of Kobayashi, Honda Motor Europe (North) GmbH initiated and successfully completed the necessary restructuring of its dealer network in Germany. Honda currently has 269 dealer partners with a total of 335 branches that market both cars as well as cars and motorcycles in this region. During Kobayashi's presidency, Honda also redefined its distribution strategy: Since 1999, Honda has been successfully focusing on end users, while largely retiring from fleet business and almost completely withdrawing from the "one-day registration" market. Today, clearly over 80% of Honda's customers are end users.

In 2002, Honda's car sales in Germany increased by 2.2% to 32,574 units, meaning that Honda was one of the few brands which moved against the current trend. A driving force behind this development was certainly the expansion of its model range, including the Jazz, CR-V and the new Accord, but also the successful introduction of the seventh generation of the Civic. In spite of the general sales decline in the motorcycle market, Honda increased its market share for motorcycles > 50 cc to 17.2%.

(March 14, 2003)