The Acura ILX now in production in Indiana is important because it isn't made in Japan with its strong profit-sapping yen. The ILX, starting under $30,000, will be Acura's least expensive model when it goes on sale in May.
Honda Motor Company today announced that global automobile production declined to 12% to 3.1 million vehicles for the Japanese fiscal year ended 31 March 2012. The setback – induced by natural disasters in Japan and Thailand – stopped the recovery Honda experienced in 2011, after a decline in 2010.
Exports from Japan also decreased – a profitability problem since the upscale Acura brand is largely produced there. In the most important luxury market, Acura sales in the U.S. declined to 123,000 vehicles, from 134,000 in 2010 on a calendar year basis. Honda has yet to report financial results.
However, now that supply chain issues have resolved, Honda worldwide production showed a year-on-year increase for the third consecutive month since January 2012, setting an all-time March monthly record. Acura in the U.S. is boldly predicting that sales will increase 45% to 180,000 units.
