HONDA has revealed a major expansion of its corporate sales department as it looks to increase fleet sales by up to 15% a year. This year Honda expects to sell 60,000 cars in the UK with half going to fleets and small business users. By 2000/2001 it hopes sales will have reached about 80,000 units with the 50:50 split increasing in favour of fleet sales which are expected to spearhead the growth.

Sales growth will be achieved on the strength of the Swindon-built Civic 5-door, the new Swindon-built Accord, which goes on sale on October 1 and has been partly developed on feedback from fleet customer clinics, and a number of 'image' models including an Integra Type-R Accord. In addition an American-sourced Accord Coupe will also go on sale in the UK on October 1 to be followed next year by the JBX supermini and JWJ 4x4, which debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in March, and the JVX sports coupe in about 2000.

Meanwhile, Honda is putting an increasing emphasis on corporate sales and has announced a 40% increase in the strength of its corporate team from 12 to 17 people.