Motorists in the UK are now able to get behind the wheel of the latest variant of the Honda Civic vehicle.
The Japanese automobile manufacturer has put the SE+ model on the market with greater exterior styling including 16-inch alloys and a body-coloured skirt and spoiler.
According to the head of marketing for Honda in the UK Tom Gardner, the improvement means that the car now represents great value for money for those who opt for it in 2008.
"Customers wanted a higher spec, entry level model that looked even more sporting … The SE+ looks great, offers fantastic value for money and represents the success of our UK manufacturing plant," said the official.
The automaker’s manufacturing plant in the UK is located in Swindon, where workers put together the Civic Type-R, Type-S and standard models for markets in South Africa, Australia and Europe.
Honda has launched a new high-specification version of its Civic Hybrid due to customer demand.
The company has announced the release of the Civic Hybrid EX, available to order from dealers across the UK and hitting showrooms in November.
Featuring leather upholstery, the car gives drivers ultimate comfort when dealing with the wide range of technological wares the firm has packed into the release.
Indeed, the vehicle features a satellite navigation system and Honda’s Hands Free Telephone equipment with Bluetooth connectivity – allowing motorists to be safe while taking calls on the road.
In February, the government brought in strict new regulations outlawing the use of a handheld mobile phone.
A representative for the manufacturer commented that the car is an ideal choice for those who travel on business.
"The new EX will allow us to meet those needs and therefore we should appeal to an even wider range of businesses and user chooser drivers," said Harvey Hughes, corporate operations manager for Honda.
A new model from Honda may be granted an exemption from the London Congestion Charge as part of a series of proposed changes to the road pricing scheme.
Under new plans currently being discussed by Transport for London (TfL), the Civic Hybrid would be exempt from the £8 charge for entering central London.
TfL wants to grant an exemption to all Euro IV compliant cars that emit less than 120g/km of carbon dioxide (CO2), such as the Civic Hybrid, which emits just 109g/km of CO2.
Drivers of cars exempt under the congestion charge scheme must register their vehicles to enable them to travel in and out of London without paying.
The government is currently examining proposals to slash VAT on greener vehicles, such as the Honda Civic Hybrid and the Toyota Prius, from the current 17.5 per cent down to five per cent.
Sales of hybrid vehicles have doubled in just 12 months, while Honda has seen sales of the Civic Hybrid soar by 500 per cent to 1,735 in just one year.
Honda has made its Civic Type R available for sale in Australia, making the nation the only region outside of Europe that will sell the car.
The first shipment of the models, which are manufactured in Swindon, arrived in Melbourne earlier this month and sales will begin on July 1st.
Owing to its "rewarding drive" and top speed of 146mph, Honda predicts that the Civic Type R will achieve sales of 1,200 units per year in Australia.
"The high-revving Type R looks set to make Oz even hotter," the automaker commented.
According to Honda, the hatchback is one of its most popular models in the UK and 12,500 versions of the car will be built in Swindon between now and April 2008.
The plant is also responsible for the production of the five-door Civic, Civic Type S, and CR-V for Europe. The manufacturer expects the hub to soon be producing 250,000 vehicles every year.
The Honda Civic Hybrid has been given the top honour for the second year running in the Environmental Transport Association’s (ETA) latest guide to Britain’s greenest cars.
Honda’s model was named the most environmentally-friendly vehicle for 2007 as well as winning the award in its own small family car category.
Andrew Davis, director of the ETA, said: "We know that increasing numbers of people want to make informed choices about cars particularly in terms of carbon emissions and the damage caused to the environment.
"It is not surprising that the winner this year is again the Honda Civic Hybrid."
Among the other winners was the Vauxhall Corsa 1.3 CDTi, which was victorious in the supermini category and also named the overall runner-up.
The Toyota Rav4 five-door diesel manual was announced as the greenest off-road vehicle in Britain while, in the luxury car sector, the Jaguar XJ 2.7 diesel was found to be the greenest available choice.
Saab was also recognised in this year’s guide, with an innovation award for its BioPower Flex-Fuel technology.
Honda has announced that over 500 people have already placed orders for the new Civic Type R – accounting for more than ten per cent of its annual sales target for the hatchback.
Dealers have been taking deposits for the car since pricing was announced last month and deliveries to customers who got their orders in early will begin on March 1st.
Insurance categorisation for the vehicle has also been confirmed recently – all Civic Type Rs will be in group 17E.
The higher-spec GT version of the car, which most buyers appear to be opting for, combines "blistering performance with improved levels of usability", according to Honda.
Buyers of so called "hot hatches" are also showing a preference for practicality as well as performance, as four out of five customers have chosen the Civic model with more additional comfort features.
Honda hopes to eventually sell 5,000 models in 2007. The entry level Type R costs £17,600 while the GT model is priced at £18,600.
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