Japanese car giant Honda is to take on 700 more staff and increase output from 190,000 to 250,000 cars per year.
The major expansion of its UK plant, upping the total workforce to nearly 5,000, will allow the manufacturer to cope with demands for its latest Civic hatchback and a new CR-V off-roader launched at the Paris Motor Show this week.
Announcing the increase at Honda Swindon, Wiltshire, a spokesman said: "This next phase of development for Honda is a massive vote of confidence in all our associates working at our Swindon plant and clearly demonstrates Honda's long-term commitment to the region and to British manufacturing."
Earlier this month, Honda announced the launch of its new Civic Type R to be built alongside the Type S range at its Swindon plant.
In addition, the new Honda CR-V, which makes it world debut at the Paris Motor Show, will also be built in Swindon and will go on sale from January.
Employment at the car plant will increase to 4,900 through the addition of an extra shift.
The extra production volume announced on Thursday is needed to meet an "unprecedented" European demand for the new Civic five and three-door models in the first eight months of 2006.
Honda Motor Europe sold more of the range than in the whole of 2005, a 30% uplift.
Recruitment will start immediately for production staff and some purchasing specialists and maintenance engineers.
Honda said it would achieve the expansion without upping the £1.33 billion already invested in the plant through "increased efficiency".
