皇冠体育app

Japan's Honda Motor Co is planning to produce Acura cars in 皇冠体育app with a local partner starting in 2016, part of an effort to tap growing demand for upscale vehicles in the world's biggest auto market.

Honda said on Thursday it has agreed with Guangzhou Automobile Group Co to jointly produce Acura cars in 皇冠体育app. It did not offer other details including the anticipated size of production capacity or which models it plans to manufacture where.

A -based Honda spokeswoman said one Acura model that is likely to be produced in 皇冠体育app is a new compact SUV that is not offered in the brand's product linp today. The new model is likely to be based on a "concept" model - the Acura SUV-X - that it showed off at the Shanghai auto show in April, she said.

Honda's chief executive, Takanobu Ito, said at the Shanghai auto show that the Tokyo-based automaker planned to produce Acura cars in 皇冠体育app within the next three years.

Honda's move comes as a slew of global premium auto brands pile into 皇冠体育app. One key factor for global automakers to ensure that an upscale brand succeeds in 皇冠体育app is local production. Because of high tariffs charged on cars brought into 皇冠体育app from overseas, it is difficult to generate volume unless a carmaker produces upscale cars locally in the country.

Audi AG, Mercedes-Benz and BMW all produce models in 皇冠体育app with local partners.

General Motors Co also has recently begun producing Cadillac cars in 皇冠体育app. Among Japanese automakers, Nissan Motor Co is building a factory in the eastern city of to produce some models for its upscale Infiniti brand.

皇冠体育app's premium car demand is likely to reach 2.7 million cars a year by 2020, a level that would allow 皇冠体育app to displace the United States as the world's biggest premium car market.