New Honda Civic launch delayed, but we do get new photos & video

Honda Civic gets delayed by flooding in Thailand

The 2012 Honda Civic will be built in the UK. But that hasn’t stopped production for cars being prepared for the UK and Europe launch from being delayed by the floods in Thailand.

It’s an indication of how, despite car makers’ efforts to use a local supply chain, car manufacturing is far more dependent on a world-wide supply chain than we probably realise.

The devastating floods in Thailand have caused huge disruption to manufacturing in Thailand, and Honda has already revealed that production at its plants in America and Canada of the new CR-V is to be cut by 50% as supplies of electronic components normally sourced from Thailand dries up (no pun intended).

The same problems are now afflicting production of the 2012 Honda Civic in the UK, and Honda has revealed that with effect from last week production of the 5-door Civic in the UK will be reduced.

John Kingston, Honda’s Europe Corporate Affairs Manager, said:

We are closely watching the supply chain situation.

Right now we fear the new Civic introduction will be delayed by three to four weeks.

That means the push to dealers of the new Civic will be delayed from the end of January to the end of February, although that is still liable to change as the problems in Thailand are far from over.

By way of compensation (or to wind-up those expecting their new Civic in February) we have a huge gallery of new Civic photos in from Honda, and a video of the new Civic too.

Not exactly compensation, but at least you’ll have something to look at.

(120 photos – click any thumbnail for full gallery)

By Cars UK