Honda Fit Shuttle to Launch June 16

Placed on hold by the March 11 disaster in Japan, the Shuttle version of Honda's Fit model is getting ready to make its big entrance onto the automotive scene. According to just-auto.com, Honda will launch the model on the Japanese market on June 16, a little over two months after the car was scheduled for release.

Despite the near miss on the launch date, details surrounding the model, as well as more detailed photos, are still scarce. What is known is that the Fit Shuttle is 51 cm longer than the hatchback, promising to bring a bit more space for both the passengers and their luggage. The Shuttle can accommodate five passengers.

The Shuttle will enter the hybrid market powered by a gasoline-electric system that comprises a 1.3l engine an a 10 KW electric motor, the same used on the Fit hybrid. The engine lineup will be rounded off by a 1.5l four-cylinder engine and a 1.3l gasoline-fueled unit. Earlier information pointed to the fact that the model would become “the first wagon-type hybrid model in its class.”

Available pricing information points to the model wearing a price tag of 1.61 million Yen ($13,900) for the gasoline version and 1.81 million Yen ($15,800) for the hybrid one.

According to several reports that followed the March 11 disaster, Honda was the second hardest hit automaker. The company has only two factories in Japan and managed to open both of them soon after the quake and tsunami, but the production low rate might have cost it a total of 58,000 vehicles.