Jazz build is music to industry’s ears

02nd October 2009

Get ready for the Jazz age! Honda’s popular supermini is set to be built in the UK for the first time from today, by workers at the Swindon plant.

The car will become the third model made at the company’s South Marston factory in Wiltshire, alongside the Civic and CR-V. The 1.2 and 1.4-litre engines used in the Jazz will also be built there.

Honda’s top brass decided to bring the model’s manufacture to Britain only 12 months ago, as dealers in Europe and particularly the UK were rapidly selling stocks imported from Japan. That meant the facility’s 3,400 staff had to prepare to build the car in record time.

The move has been welcomed at the plant, which was forced to close for four months earlier this year.

Grant McPherson, director of manufacturing, said: “To have a third model secures the future of the factory. People are paying more attention to where their car is made and they are looking to support British industry, so we’re excited to start manufacturing the Jazz.”

The first Swindon-built cars will arrive on forecourts within two to three weeks.

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