Type Private joint venture Area served China Number of employees Approximately 7,000 Founded 1998 | Industry Automotive Products Automobiles Headquarters Guangzhou | |
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Owner GAC Group (50%)
Honda Motor (50%) Parent organizations Honda Motor Company, GAC Group | ||
Guangqi Honda Automobile Co Ltd is a Chinese automobile manufacturing joint venture company based in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.
Contents
Co-owned by Honda Motor and GAC Group, Guangqi Honda operates two plants that, as of 2011, produces Honda-branded models and one car sold under the China-only Everus brand. Its products comprise the Everus S1, Honda Accord, Honda Crider, Honda City, Honda Crosstour, Honda Vezel, Honda Fit, and Honda Odyssey. As of early 2011, some offerings may incorporate Japanese-made parts.
Originally named Guangzhou Honda, this was changed to Guangqi Honda in 2009. As of 2011, the company boasts a per year production capacity of 480,000.
History
Seeking to replace the loss-making of the Guangzhou Peugeot Automobile Company for a joint venture with another foreign car-maker, the government of Guangzhou established Guangzhou Honda Automobile Co Ltd with Honda, which beat out a number of rivals for the privilege, in May or July of 1998. By 1999, Guangqi Honda was producing its first model, an American version Accord.
Making a product that the Chinese consumer had familiarity with through high quality imports as well as a pre-existing sales and service network for these cars may have contributed to the early success of Guangqi Honda. A recently failed joint venture between the Guangzhou Government and Peugeot (Guangzhou Peugeot Automobile Company) also helped to prepare the ground.
Beginning in 2009, Guangqi Honda has distributed automobiles by ship—reducing secondary transport distances and transport losses while also being environmentally responsible. The company also uses rail and road transport.
Everus
Everus (Li Nian Chinese: 理念), Guangqi Honda's first China-only brand, is targeted at consumers in inland cities like Chaozhou and Lanzhou who can't afford its Honda-branded vehicles but desire the cachet and technological underpinnings foreign-tied brands offer. While it was the first China-only brand for any sino-foreign joint venture other, similar marques do exist such as the Dongfeng/Nissan Venucia.
The first Everus model, the S1 subcompact, was unveiled at the 2010 Guangzhou Auto Show. The S1 is based on an old model of the Honda City.
Customer service award
Guangqi Honda ranked highest in customer satisfaction with authorized dealer after-sales service according to the J.D. Power Asia Pacific 2009 China Customer Service Index Study.
Products
Guangqi Honda currently manufactures the following vehicles: