Honda and Indiana start your engines ! F1 Free tickets

American Honda Motor Company will (after a lot of nail biting) build its sixth North American plant (and an an as yet unknown vehicle) near Greenburg, Indiana, half way between Indianapolis and Cincinatti.

Honda say they had enjoyed record auto sales in each of the past 9 years. In 2005, American Honda sold a record 1,462,472 new Honda and Acura cars and light trucks... Hondo head honcho Koichi Kondo said "I am pleased to announce that we will establish in Indiana a new automobile manufacturing plant to begin production in 2008," Koichi Kondo said Wednesday. "This new factory will be built on a 1,700 acre site in Decatur County."

The $550 million factory will eventually employ 2000 workers and produce 200,000 vehicles annually. The Indiana plant will employ advanced methods of energy and emission reduction with the goal to become a "zero waste to landfill" factory.

Governor Mitch Daniels (back a day early from his trip to Japan) said, "Years from now, when the history of this great comeback is written people will say there was no bigger step that the one we take today. Mr. Kondo, welcome to the state of Indiana."

"We are excited about the future in Indiana. And with our racing streak in mind, today I am happy to be able to say Honda and Indiana start your engines," said Honda president & CEO Hiroyuki Yoshino.

Honda already has 5 plants in North America after starting manufacture in 1985. Pity that lanky limey heart throb, Jenson Button can't steer their F1 car to victory - be nice to think that he will when the F1 circus comes to the Brickyard this weekend. Pic of him practice this week.

Mitch Daniels has given free F1 tickets to Lord Patel to give away - that's the sort of guy he is !