No Slowing Down For This Local 40 Year Old

SYDNEY – July 5, 2012: Turning 40 is a milestone worth celebrating. Honda’s biggest birthday party is set to take place in local communities around the country to mark the 40th anniversary of one of Australia’s favourite cars, the Honda Civic.

To celebrate, Honda is giving away free Honda Warranty Plus (Five-Year Warranty and Premium Roadside Assistance) for every Civic sedan, including Hybrid, sold between Friday 6 July and Sunday 15 July 2012.

“Civic is 40 years old and showing no signs of slowing down,” said Honda Australia spokesperson, Mr. Lindsay Smalley.

“In 1972, the first Honda Civic rolled off our production line. Since then, more than 20 million have been produced with millions of people enjoying Civic on family holidays, using it to collect their first date and even drive their first born home from hospital.”

The car is a staple of family life in Australia. Back in the early 1970s, other family staples such as a house cost $23,700 in Sydney, petrol was 10 cents a litre, a loaf of bread was just 21 cents, butter was 53 cents and sugar cost 42 cents.

“The cost of living four decades ago was typically funded from the median male weekly wage of $96. It’s a stark contrast to today’s average weekly earnings of $1,345,” Mr. Smalley said.

In 1972, a Honda Civic cost around $2,300, which was the equivalent of 24 weeks’ pay (based on average male weekly earnings). Today, a Civic sedan VTi costs from as little as $20,490, which is only 15 weeks’ pay for the average Australian.

“It is actually easier to purchase a car with today’s wages than it was back in 1972, demonstrating that the price of cars has fallen over time. This is great news for Australian consumers,” Mr. Smalley said.

In contrast, the purchase of a home has moved well out of reach for many. It now takes 477 weeks to purchase an average house in Sydney at $641,037 (APM 2012), compared to just 247 weeks in 1972.

“Back in 1972, our customers enjoyed Honda Civic’s ‘luxury’ features such as single touch opening of the rear hatch, four-wheel independent suspension, a tough monocoque body and a standard side mirror. Air-con and a radio were optional extras!

“Today’s Civic sedan is a world away, with a range of modern day luxuries including power windows with driver’s auto up/down, USB and iPod connectivity, Bluetooth audio and Hands Free Telephone with steering-wheel mounted controls and the Intelligent Multi-Information Display (i-MID),” Mr. Smalley said.

Honda dealers are preparing for onsite Honda Civic birthday celebrations on Saturday 14 July, so check with your local Dealer as to their party plans.

“We encourage communities across the country to share the occasion with us to celebrate this iconic car,” Mr. Smalley said