Honda Warns Dealers About Civic Supply

William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com

May 3, 2011

Honda has put a warning out to their dealers with the 2012 Civic. In a memo sent to dealers, American Honda Motor Co. sales boss John Mendel said the supply will be “severely restricted, with limited availability of certain models.”

The memo also states production of the new Civic will, “be at significantly reduced levels at least during the summer months,” because of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in March. As a result, analysts said sales of the new Civic could drop below 2010 sales of 260,000 units.

“With an all-new and improved model, Honda of course targeted to sell more,” said the Manager of Honda Public Relations, Christina Ra.

When asked about how much damage to sales would happen due to the supply restriction Ra said,

“Obviously, if a customer really needs to make a purchase, wants the Civic and can’t get it… there are choices that must be made on the customer’s part.”

Ra would not comment on how dealers would cope with the problems, only saying the dealers would be left to govern themselves.

However there is some good news. Ra said that Honda hopes to get production up to normal levels by the end of the year.

Source: Auto Guide

It's ultra lame. There is almost no inventory available right now, and it's all LX/EX automatic sedans. Not a single coupe, only a few manual transmission trims scattered throughout the country. When the Si goes on sale, it will probably be very limited in supply as well.

I still haven't test driven one. No point in driving an automatic for me.