LINCOLN, Ala. – Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, LLC today unveiled the all-new 2005 Odyssey, which is being built exclusively at the company’s $1 billion facility in Lincoln. The new Odyssey features advanced safety, performance and comfort technology never before seen in the popular minivan segment of the automotive market. It is set to arrive at Honda dealers nationwide in mid-September. “Today, we continue to build on the success we have achieved in Alabama by proudly revealing to our customers Alabama’s newest Odyssey minivan,” said Chuck Ernst, plant manager at HMA. “I am extremely proud of our associates in the production of this new Odyssey and their ability to maintain a focus on our customers to meet demand for Honda products.”

HMA has been conducting vehicle production trials of the new Odyssey for several months to refine building processes, verify equipment and train associates. On Aug. 13, the company began mass production of the Alabama-built 2005 Odyssey. HMA first started building Odyssey minivans and V-6 engines in Alabama on Nov. 14, 2001. To date, HMA has built more than 375,000 Odysseys at its facility in Lincoln. Currently, HMA employs more than 3,600 associates and will employ approximately 4,300 associates when full production on the company’s two assembly lines is reached in 2005.

The start of production of the Honda Pilot earlier this year at HMA’s second assembly line increased Honda’s capital investment in Alabama to more than $1 billion, expanded the size of the facility to more than 3.1 million square feet and lifted production capacity to 300,000 vehicles and engines a year.