Honda to invest £200m in Swindon plant

Facility is to become the world manufacturing centre for its next-generation Civic

Honda has announced that its Swindon plant will be the world manufacturing centre for its next-generation five-door Civic model.

The car giant will invest £200 million in the Wiltshire facility to create a specialist Civic production facility, with production of the next generation CR-V switching to Honda's plant in Ontario, Canada.

Toshiaki Mikoshiba, Honda Motor Europe president, said: "This announcement sends a clear message of the strategic importance that Honda places on producing cars at our plant in Swindon."

Civic production began at Swindon more than 20 years ago. Honda has now invested more than £2.2 billion in the Wiltshire plant since 1985.

The Honda news is the latest in a series of recent boosts to car manufacturing in the UK, with Jaguar Land Rover and Coventry-based London Taxi Company announcing investment plans in the past few days.

Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders chief executive Mike Hawes said: "It has been a fantastic week for UK automotive, with more than £1 billion earmarked by vehicle manufacturers for new model production that will drive further growth for the sector."