HONDA is celebrating 30 years of its Civic this summer as the popular model notches up two million sales in Europe.

Since first rolling off the production line in Japan in 1972, Honda's most successful model has topped sales of 14 million worldwide.

Now produced in Swindon, the British-built Civic is exported to both Japan and North America.

The plant at Swindon has produced one quarter of the two million sold in Europe to date.

UK sales of the popular model in 2002 have so far exceeded last year's figures by six per cent, a total of more than 20,000 cars, which represents seven per cent of its market sector. Indeed, the Civic accounts for one in every two Hondas sold in the UK.

The first Civic was a two-door model with a 1.2-litre aluminium engine and front-wheel drive a technological revolution in its time.

Later generations saw the introduction of a five-door hatchback with a 1.5-litre engine.

Seven generations later, today's Civic comes in three or five-door versions and boasts top safety features, including pedestrian protection.