Lincoln, Ala. 04/27/2004 -- Honda Manufacturing of Alabama LLC, (HMA) today began mass production of Honda's popular Pilot sport utility vehicle and the V-6 engine that powers it on the company's new second production line.

The first Alabama-built Pilot - a 3.5-liter V-6 powered Redrock Pearl, 2004 EX model with Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System and four wheel drive - drove off the new assembly line at 8:55 a.m. It will eventually be placed on display in the plant's lobby.

The beginning of mass production comes just 17 months after HMA began construction of the 1.3 million-square-foot expansion of the Alabama facility, which is also home to Honda's popular Odyssey minivan.

HMA started building Odyssey minivans and V-6 engines in Alabama on Nov. 14, 2001. To date, HMA has built more than 327,000 Odysseys and engines at the 1.7 million-square-foot Line 1 facility. Currently, HMA employs more than 3,300 associates and will employ approximately 4,300 associates when full production on both lines is reached in 2005.

The start-up of HMA's second assembly line boosts Honda's capital investment in Alabama to more than $1 billion and HMA's combined annual production capacity to 300,000 vehicles and V-6 engines.