This is the current Civic. Its replacement will be designed in the U.S.
Honda’s American research and development division will quarterback
engineering and other work for the next-generation Civic, says the company’s
U.S.-based head of R&D. Erik Berman, the president of Honda R&D Americas
told an industry conference audience this week that the company’s North American
division had grown enough to handle the next Civic in addition to the Acura NSX
and other luxury products. Automotive News covered the conference and first
broke the story.
The relatively weak value of the U.S. dollar makes it more cost effective for
automakers to center both vehicle development and construction in North America.
Engineers and planners based here tend to understand better the demands of the
American market, too.
