| Raising investment in its U.S.-based airplane unit to | | | | largest business-jet maker. Honda has said it has |
| $100 million as the company expands into aviation | | | | more than 100 orders for its $3.65 million HondaJet, |
| from autos, car parts like Honda floor mat, | | | | which can accommodate as many as eight people. |
| motorcycles and engines, Honda Motor Co. will spend | | | | The company has said that its aircraft, which is |
| nearly $40 million for its first jet-aircraft factory. | | | | powered by two Honda- designed engines mounted |
| In a statement, the company said that the plant | | | | over the wings, will be more fuel- efficient and offer |
| construction began in June 27 on the Honda Aircraft | | | | more standard features than competing small jets. |
| Co. facilities in Greensboro, North Carolina. The first | | | | The Japanese company is preparing three of the |
| phase of the project will be finished next year and | | | | planes for test flights before 2008 ends for U.S. |
| HondaJet deliveries will start in 2010. Consequently, | | | | Federal Aviation Administration certification. |
| the Tokyo-based company said that eventual | | | | In February, the company said that it would spend |
| workforce will total to about 350 people. | | | | almost $60 million on the aircraft facilities, with |
| Spokeswoman Alicia Jones said in a June 27 interview | | | | additional investment for the manufacturing portion |
| that the factory portion should open by 2009 in | | | | which will be announced later. |
| order to allow them to meet their target of delivering | | | | With the company’s U.S. operations based in |
| HondaJets by 2010. At the site, Honda is also building | | | | Torrance, California, its American depositary receipts |
| the unit's headquarters. | | | | climbed 39 cents to $35.6 at 4:02 p.m. in New York |
| The largest engine producer in the world and Japan's | | | | Stock Exchange composite trading. This year, they |
| second-largest carmaker will compete in aircraft | | | | have fallen 9.8 percent. |
| manufacturing with Textron Inc.'s Cessna, the world's | | | | |