Tokyo, February 4, 2004 --- Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today announced plans to transfer the production of small-volume automobile models (NSX, Insight, S2000) currently produced at the Takanezawa Plant, Tochigi Factory to its Suzuka Factory in May 2004. This will result in integrated production from engine to completed vehicle being performed in one location. The transfer was initially scheduled to take place this summer, but as it is now possible to achieve with a shorter lead-time, it has been rescheduled for May. 

This transfer will be followed by the transfer of engine production for small-volume models from Tochigi Technical Center, Honda Engineering Co., Ltd., to Suzuka Factory. Concentration of production in one location is expected to further improve production efficiency and product quality. 

Lines for small-volume vehicle production will be newly established in Suzuka Factory by combining existing equipment with the exclusive equipment transferred from Takanezawa Plant, making it possible to achieve small-volume yet low-cost production characteristics. Concerning engine production, the production equipment for small-volume production models currently used by Tochigi Technical Center, Honda Engineering Co., Ltd. will be transferred to the existing engine plant in Suzuka Factory. Such effective utilization of existing equipment will minimize the costs incurred and result in an efficient transfer of production from one site to the other.