PRESS RELEASE
Honda Announces 1996 Sales: Calendar Year Record
8 January 1997
Honda Sets All-Time Calendar Year Sales Record
TORRANCE, Calif., Jan. 6 -- American Honda Motor Company
capped a highly successful 1996 with record vehicle sales and U.S. production
figures, according to information released today.
1996 Year-End Vehicle Sales Highlights:
-- Honda Division set an all-time, calendar year sales record of 735,920,
up 4.9 percent from last year and surpassing the previous record set in 1990
by nearly 20,000 units.
-- Acura Division sales of 108,008 were up 10.2 percent from 1995 levels,
supported by successful launches of the all-new 3.5RL luxury flagship sedan
and the CL Series luxury sports coupes. As the first Acura model to be
designed, engineered and manufactured in the U.S., the CL has been a hit with
consumers, with demand consistently exceeding supply since arriving in
showrooms last March.
-- American Honda's total year-end sales of 843,928 were up 5.5 percent
from last year's levels. This was the second best year ever for the company.
(Record set in 1990 with 854,879 sales.)
-- The Accord highlighted individual model performances with 382,298 total
sales, up 11.3 percent from 1995.
December Vehicle Sales Highlights
-- American Honda total sales of 66,055 were down 8.2 percent from last
year.
-- Honda Division closed the month with 57,591 sales, down 10 percent from
last year.
-- Acura sales of 8,464 sales were up 6.9 percent from a year ago,
representing the best December for the division since 1991.
1996 North, American Vehicle Production Highlights
-- American Honda's total North American vehicle production reached an
all-time high with 778,866 units, up 18 percent from the previous year.
-- Domestic vehicle sales accounted for 82 percent of total U.S. vehicle
sales in 1996. By comparison, domestic vehicles sales in 1995 accounted for
67 percent of total sales that year.
-- Domestically produced Accords and Civics recorded all-time best sales
in 1996, and posted substantial increases from previous years' levels.
American Honda Vehicle Sales For December 1996
Month-to-Date Year-to-Date
Dec Dec DSR** Dec Dec DSR**
1996 1995 % Chg. 1996 1995 % Chg.
AMERICAN HONDA TTL 66,055 71,935 -8.2% 843,928 794,579 5.5%
Total Car Sales 63,782 69,127 -7.7% 813,179 766,398 5.4%
Total Truck Sales 2,273 2,808 -19.1% 30,749 28,181 8.4%
IMPORT CAR SALES 14,043 13,547 3.7% 147,668 255,354 -42.5%
Honda Division 7,707 5,796 33.0% 58,965 158,203 -63.0%
Acura Division 6,336 7,751 -18.3% 88,703 97,151 -9.3%
IMPORT TRUCK SALES
Acura Division 71 163 -56.4% 2,565 200 1174.2%
DOMESTIC CAR SALES 49,739 55,580 -10.5% 665,511 511,044 29.4%
Honda Division 47,682 55,580 -14.2% 648,771 511,044 26.1%
Acura Division 2,057 0 16,740 0
DOMESTIC TRUCK SALES
Honda Division 2,202 2,645 -16.7% 28,184 27,981 0.1%
MODEL BREAKOUTS BY DIVISION
Honda Division Total 57,591 64,021 -10.0% 735,920 697,228 4.9%
Accord * 28,970 34,879 -16.9% 382,298 341,384 11.3%
Civic * 22,979 23,313 -1.4% 281,781 289,435 -3.3%
Prelude 1,532 664 130.7% 12,063 12,517 -4.3%
del Sol 374 4,569
Odyssey 1,534 2,520 -39.1% 27,025 25,911 3.6%
Passport * 2,202 2,645 -16.7% 28,184 27,981 0.1%
* Domestic Vehicle Ttl 49,884 58,225 -14.3% 676,955 539,025 24.8%
Accord 28,964 34,672 -16.5% 381,912 293,898 29.1%
Civic 18,718 20,908 -10.5% 266,859 217,146 22.1%
Passport 2,202 2,645 -16.7% 28,184 27,981 0.1%
Acura Division Total 8,464 7,914 6.9% 108,008 97,351 10.2%
Integra 3,414 4,218 -19.1% 46,966 61,316 -23.9%
CL (Domestic Built) 2,057 16,740
TL 1,507 2,680 -43.8% 24,700 16,539 48.4%
RL 1,386 15,948
NSX 28 135 -79.3% 460 884 -48.3%
Vigor 0 253
Legend 1 718 629 18,159
SLX 71 163 -56.4% 2,565 200 1174.2%
Selling Days 25 25 308 306
** Daily Selling Rate
CONTACT: Art Garner, 313-567-7770, or Andy Boyd, 313-567-7774; or Mike Ackerman, 212-765-3804