© 2024 WYSO
Our Community. Our Nation. Our World.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Honda Announces Another Ohio Auto Plant

Honda announced yesterday it will bring back its so-called “supercar” Acura NSX after suspending production in 2005. And the new high performance two-seater will be built in Ohio.

“We will renew the dream and build this high-tech supercar right here in Marysville, Ohio," says Honda executive, Hidenobu Iwata

Hundreds of employees cheered Honda of America CEO Hidenobu Iwata as he announced that the company will spend 70 million dollars to build the Acura NSX in Marysville. The NSX was manufactured in Japan from 1990 to 2005. Governor John Kasich called Honda’s decision a “home run” for Ohio.

“This is as good as it gets. I mean this is Ohio really continuing to be defined as cool, a cool place to be. So hopefully a lot of these young people on the coasts will want to come to a place like Marysville,” says Kasich.

Honda will hire 100 existing workers to develop the car. A concept model on display is low-slung, seats two, features LED headlights and a speckled metallic finish.  Spokesman Ron Lietzke says Honda’s skilled workforce in Ohio and its existing supply chain convinced top executives to produce the car in Marysville. It will be Honda’s 3rd auto plant in the state. Lietzke says the NSX will hit showrooms in 2015.

“We’re two years away from producing the car. So as we get closer to production we’ll be evaluating what the market is and what the actual sales will be. We’re also not going to be announcing the price of the vehicle until we get closer to the on sale timing in about two years,” says Lietzke.

Lietzke says Ohio will be the only assembly plant for the NSX. So, some of the cars produced at Marysville will be exported.