Honda's Swindon factory has been chosen to build a new three-door Civic for the North American market. The plan, announced by American Honda Motor Co., represents an expansion of Honda's Global Product Supply Network, and will see about 15,000 Civic Si hatchbacks going to the US and Canada annually from early next year.

The decision follows a previous announcement in October 2000, in which Honda revealed plans to dual-source the next generation Honda CR-V for the North American market from Japan and the UK – beginning in early 2002 – and to export the Civic three-door from the UK to Japan beginning this autumn.

The three-door Civic Si is a North American market only car. There are no plans to introduce the 2.0-litre, 160PS engined model in the UK. A 2.0-litre, 200PS Type-R Civic will go on sale in October.

Honda's new, second plant at Swindon (NEP) is due to start mass production in July 2001 increasing capacity from the current 150,000 to 250,000 cars per annum. Honda has invested £120m in refurbishing the existing number one plant in Swindon and installing the New Manufacturing System. By the end of 2001, total investment in the Swindon car and engine manufacturing facility will reach £1.15bn.