CR-V production bound for USA

HONDA is to shift production of its CR-V sport utility model from Swindon to the US to make room for a surge in demand for diesel engines.

The Japanese company’s Wiltshire factory has been exporting 70,000 units per year to North America.

The entire manufacturing facility is to be switched to meet expected demand for diesel versions of the next new Civic – the fourth model to offer Honda’s first in-house heavy-oil engine. The plant switch will not affect jobs at Swindon, where diesel engine manufacturing gets under way in September to coincide with the all-new Civic going into production.