The Honda Jazz came to Swindon in 2009. |
Honda's decision to start manufacturing in the UK was mainly thanks to their collaboration with Austin Rover (later Rover Group). The two manufacturers joined forces in 1979, with the first offspring being the Triumph Acclaim. This car was built at Austin Rover's Cowley factory and was essentially a Honda Ballade (a saloon version of the Civic, not sold in the UK) with minor differences. Honda's Swindon factory opened in 1989, initially to supply D-series engines to go in Honda Concerto and Rover 200/400 cars which were built by Rover Group at Longbridge. The engine plant, which is now capable of making 1000 engines a day, was joined by a car manufacturing facility in 1992. Honda's link with Rover was severed in 1994 when Rover was bought by German car maker BMW, but Honda have remained committed to UK manufacturing, with a second car assembly plant on the same site opening in 2001.
HUM's website is well worth a look, giving many photographs of the factory and production processes: www.hondamanufacturing.co.uk |
