TOKYO Honda Motor Co’s (7267.T) new chief executive said the Japanese automaker has no plans for now to provide financial aid to Takata Corp (7312.T), the air bag supplier at the centre of a costly global safety recall that has dented Honda’s public image as well as its earnings. Just last month Honda had to modify its operating profit for the year ended March to 606.88 billion yen ($4.92 billion) from the previous figure of 651.68 billion yen it announced back in April, as it had to address expanded recall costs.
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The Wall Street Journal reported that Honda has struggled to develop newer models as ex- CEO Takanobu Ito prioritized rapidly increasing sales, having set a target of six million units sold by 2017 after taking over in 2009.
In total, tens of million of cars carrying Takata-made parts have been recalled around the world by a range of auto makers.
Hachigo stated that “Honda will continue to be firmly committed to the creation of “challenging products” unique to Honda'”.
The first Civic Type R rolled off the production line at HUM only last week and speaking at the start of mass production, HUM’s managing director Mr Takizawa said: “The new Civic Type R is a significant model for Honda, representing our racing spirit and demonstrating our commitment to innovation and passion”. Hachigo said in the briefing that Honda does not plan to support the airbag maker. Shouldn’t Honda be more passionate about F-1 racing?
Mr. Hachigo said that when he was an engineer involved in vehicle development, including the USA version of the popular Odyssey minivan, he learned the importance of sharing goals among multinational team members.
In the area of motorcycles, the CRF1000L, a dual-purpose model, is scheduled to be introduced to the European market at the end of 2015 and then in Japan and North America.
He began his career in the research and development section, and was one of the main engineers who worked on the second-generation CR-V sport-utility vehicle for worldwide markets in 2001.
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“I love Honda, and I grew up in Honda”, Hachigo said in his slow purposeful delivery. Now, Honda’s new CEO Takahiro Hachigo wants to change all global communications to the English language by 2020.
