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New Jazz to have 90 percent localization levels

Honda is bringing back the Jazz - its premium hatchback, to India; the launch is scheduled in July 2015. The company has already begun promotional campaigns and has released a teaser video of the same too. 

In an interview with Business Today, Katsushi Inoue, President and CEO of Honda Car India Ltd, claims that the new Jazz will have 90% localization levels as compared to 70% in the older generation.

The Japanese car maker also plans to expand its dealership network in the country from 232 outlets in 152 cities to 300 outlets in 200 cities in 2015-16.

Honda is also in the process of increasing the manufacturing capacity at its Tapukara plant in Rajasthan in 2015-16. The company has invested Rs. 380 crores for the same. Recently, we had reported that the company could stall the production of the Brio to accommodate the Jazz (link to news article) as the company is operating at 100% capacity at Tapukara as well as Greater Noida.

With higher levels of localization, all we can hope for, is the Jazz to be priced competitively to take on the competition in the form of the Elite i20, which witnesses 5-digit sales month after month, yet commands a long waiting period.

 
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