Honda Motor Co. President Takeo Fukui

"Overseas sales are expected to expand," Honda President Takeo Fukui said at a news conference at company headquarters in Tokyo. "We will produce cars where there is demand."

Fukui said the company will begin selling a cheaper, new hybrid model aimed at families in 2009.

Honda hopes to sell 200,000 of the new models, including 100,000 in North America, he said.

Honda's existing hybrid, the Insight, is not selling well and the company appears to be banking on the new model to help it catch up with Toyota Motor Corp., whose Prius is dominating the hybrid market.

The Japan Times Weekly: May 27, 2006
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