Honda Brio Diesel hatchback in the works for 2012? EDIT: Honda denies plans!

“Better late than later” seems to be the buzzword at Honda SIEL, an automaker whose over reliance on petrol engined models saw its sales slipping when competitors made hay with their diesel powered models. From the end of last year though, Honda has gotten super aggressive in the Indian market with a rash of discounts to spur car sales. Spur it has, with the City clawing back sales while the Jazz too has found plenty of buyers. The competitively priced Brio was the cherry on the topping for Honda, although floods in Thailand have been a big setback for the brand. Come March 2012, Honda will resume full production.

2012 Honda Brio Hatchback

More importantly, the big story emerging today is that Honda is readying up a diesel engined version of the Brio, which could end up being Honda’s first diesel engined model for the Indian market. While it is of common knowledge that Honda is working on a range of diesel engines, even deputing ex-F1 engine designers on the high stakes project, it was always expected that the Civic or the CR-V would be the first Honda cars to go diesel. By announcing that the Brio would get a diesel engine, that too as early as 2012, Honda has just upped the ante and made the Brio diesel a hotly anticipated car for this year.

Honda 1.6 Liter i-DTEC TurboDiesel Engine used as an illustration

Other details as to the technical specifications of the diesel engine that would power the Brio remain unknown at the moment, although one can be quite certain that it will displace under 1,500cc in capacity. If the 1.6 Liter i-DTEC diesel engine that Honda showcased for the 2012 Civic is of any indication, expect a super frugal and torquey engine for the Brio, an engine that could raise the bar in its class. All said and done, the 2012 Union Budget would be an event that all diesel engine planners for automakers in India would be watching out for, as there exists a proposal to dramatically increase excise duty on diesel engined cars.

EDIT: Talking to IndianCarsBikes.in, Honda has denied plans of a 2012 launch for the diesel engined Brio. You can read our story about Honda’s clarification here.

Via TheEconomicTimes

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