Pilot will fly from America

Honda Motor begins the fight against Moscow “gray” dealers

The Japanese automobile manufacturing concern Honda Motor will begin deliveries to Russia this fall of the largest SUV from its model range - the Pilot, which will be assembled at the concern's plant in Lincoln (Alabama, USA). Bloomberg reported this yesterday. Now this SUV is presented in Russia only on the “gray” market. However, Honda intends to put an end to this and establish supplies, because, according to representatives of the concern, a middle class has emerged in Russia, ready to buy prestigious cars.

The Pilot was first presented at the Detroit Auto Show in 2001, and serial production of the car began in 2003. The manufacturers themselves then positioned the new model as “the best American car for family and adventure” and planned to sell it exclusively in the USA. However, it became so popular that Honda gradually began supplying it to other markets. The first generation Pilot was sold in Canada, Mexico, Latin America, and some countries in the Middle East.

According to Honda representatives, a special group of the company from the USA and Japan, having conducted extensive marketing research on the Russian market, came to the conclusion that a new middle class with a stable level of income is being formed here, interested in profitable investment of their capital. According to Honda, its new SUV is just what this consumer is looking for. Russian “pilots” will be somewhat different from American ones. It is already known that Honda will equip them with headlights with retractable washers, heated rear seats, install light reflectors on the rear bumper (in accordance with domestic requirements), and also provide anti-corrosion treatment to the body. The 3.5L V6 engine can switch off two or even three cylinders to save fuel. In general, the production of the Russian version of the Pilot will take into account the specifics of operating the car in Russian conditions, which require its increased strength and reliability.

In 2009, it is planned to supply 3.25 thousand of these cars to Russia, and by 2011 - up to 4.65 thousand per year. However, how much the Honda Pilot will cost is still unknown. In the American market, retail prices for this Pilot model, depending on the modification, are 28-33 thousand dollars.

According to experts, the start of official deliveries should warm the soul of a Honda car enthusiast, because when buying a car you like from a “gray” dealer, you can hardly count on warranty service. However, there are also advantages for Honda: through supplies to Russia, where the concern does not yet have assembly plants, it can compensate for the decline in sales in the United States - where the demand for large SUVs, such as the Pilot, has dropped noticeably due to rising prices on fuel and a general economic slowdown. In Russia, last year, sales of imported cars increased by 61% compared to the previous year, to 1.6 million units. And in the first quarter of this year, according to the Association of European Businesses, by 54%, to 454 thousand. The best-selling Russian-assembled foreign car in Russia remains the Ford Focus.

Irina TSYRULEVA