Honda Civic Canada's best-selling car, for now

I am shocked that the Civic is still number 1 considering we don't even have any 2012 Civic's on our lot that aren't sold! The lack of stock (due to the disaster in Japan) have wreaked havok on supply of these cars, I would say that if we actually had the cars available to sell that the Civic would be #1 by a landslide....
The Honda Civic is still Canada's best-selling passenger car, but could soon lose that title to Hyundai's fast-charging Elantra, industry figures show.

Sales data from DesRosiers Automotive Consultants show that the Civic was the most popular car in Canada last month and for the first nine months of the year.

But Civic sales slumped more than 20 per cent last month and are down almost 12 per cent year-to-date.

The Korean-made Elantra, on the other hand, is enjoying double-digit increases, with sales this year up almost 35 per cent.

It isn't just the Civic that has recorded slower sales. Sales of the two other traditionally big-selling Japanese models — the Mazda 3 and the Toyota Corolla — are all down significantly.
"The three Japanese models are all struggling," says auto analyst Dennis DesRosiers. "Some of this is due to supply issues related to the tsunami, but also with the increased competitiveness from the Koreans and Detroit-based brands."

DesRosiers says the Chevrolet Cruze has entered the top 10 list because General Motors has been "reasonably successful picking up entry level share with the Cruze."

Volkswagen's Jetta has also made an appearance in the top 10. "VW has positioned and priced the Jetta to be more of a mass appeal vehicle and are having considerable success with this strategy," DesRosiers writes.

In the light truck market, the best-selling vehicles continue to be Ford's F-Series pickups — well ahead of the No. 2 Dodge Ram. But DesRosiers notes that Ram sales are up more than 14 per cent this year, which he attributes to Chrysler being "very aggressive with incentives in this segment."

Total vehicle sales in Canada in the nine months ending Sept. 30 came to 1,224,149. That's up 1.5 per cent from the same period last year.

Source;
http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/story/2011/10/17/best-selling-cars.html

Upgraded 2012 Honda Insight Hybrid Offers New High-Tech Look, Improved Fuel Economy and More Features

10/17/2011 - TORRANCE, Calif.
A significantly updated 2012 Insight hybrid debuts today with new exterior styling, an enhanced interior, additional features on select models and an EPA fuel economy-rating1 improvement of 1 mpg. The Insight’s city/highway/combined EPA fuel economy rating1 of 41/44/42 mpg, up from 40/43/41 on the prior model, continues to offer the highest EPA fuel economy rating of any new vehicle currently available with a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) starting under $20,000.

The aerodynamically styled, five-passenger, five-door dedicated hybrid vehicle receives extensive changes inside and out for 2012. Exterior changes include a more distinctive grille design that introduces a thin, blue accent bar representative of the Insight’s high-tech hybrid identity. Restyled front and rear bumpers, along with changes under the vehicle, contribute to a 2-percent increase in aerodynamic performance. New designs for the headlight and brake light internal reflectors further complete the refreshed look. Insight and Insight LX models have new 15-inch wheel covers and the Insight EX has newly styled 15-inch alloy wheels. Slightly wider 185/60R15 tires, up from 175/65R15 tires on the prior model, contribute to confident driving performance.

The Insight’s interior refinements for 2012 include a reconfigured rear seat area for better leg and head room; a redesigned gauge cluster background with a more technically sophisticated appearance; reshaped center-console beverage holders that accommodate larger drinks; and a more supportive front armrest (Insight LX and EX).

The Insight LX has new, more premium seat fabric, while the Insight EX is upholstered with a combination of synthetic leather (new) and premium fabric. Rear-seat headroom improves by 0.6 inches with changes to the rear headliner shape and deeper sculpting of the rear seat cushion to improve rear passenger comfort. Rearward visibility improves with a more compactly mounted rear-wiper motor housing and a thinner rear spoiler that creates a larger viewing area out the lower back window. The Insight becomes quieter for 2012 with increased thickness to the vehicle’s existing noise-insulation materials and additional insulation panels in the cargo area.
Available on Insight EX models, the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System™ with voice recognition2 receives several notable upgrades including the addition of a rearview camera. The system provides routing and guidance to individual addresses and more than 7-million points of interest within the continental United States. A 16-GB flash memory system replaces the 4.7-GB DVD-based system used on the prior model. The new system offers faster route calculation and includes FM traffic, a subscription-free service that alerts drivers to traffic conditions.

The Insight is powered by an Integrated Motor Assist™ (IMA™) system comprised of a 1.3-liter i‑VTEC® gasoline 4-cylinder engine and a 10-kilowatt electric motor. The combination develops 98 horsepower at 5800 rpm and 123 lb-ft. of torque at 1000-1700 rpm. For 2012, friction-reducing measures in the engine and the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) contribute to the new model’s increased fuel economy. A 10.6-gallon fuel tank provides an estimated maximum driving range exceeding 400 miles.

The Insight features the Eco Assist™ System, an innovation that can enhance efficient vehicle operation while providing feedback related to individual driving styles. Eco Assist can help drivers improve fuel efficiency, both by altering vehicle functionality and providing driver feedback, with fuel economy dependent on their given set of driving conditions. Pressing the ECON button can further enhance the efficiency of multiple vehicle systems: throttle control, CVT operation, idle-stop duration, air conditioning and cruise-control operation (if equipped). Eco Assist also provides feedback about driving style via a 3D-like background within the speedometer. The background changes colors from green to blue to reflect how efficiently or inefficiently the driver is accelerating or braking (green is more efficient).

Aerodynamic refinements for 2012 include changes to the shape of the engine bay underbody cover and the addition of air diffusers under the rear bumper to smooth airflow exiting behind the vehicle. The strakes ahead of the front wheels have been extended by 0.4 inches to better direct air around the wider front tires.

Standard safety features on all Insight models include dual-stage, multiple-threshold front airbags; front-side airbags with a passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS); side-curtain airbag system; anti-lock brakes with electronic brake distribution (EBD); driver’s and front-passenger’s active head restraints; and a front body structure designed to mitigate pedestrian injuries. The Insight also features Honda’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure, which provides improved occupant protection and crash compatibility between vehicles of different sizes and ride heights in frontal crashes.

The 2012 Insight is offered in three distinct models. The value-oriented base model, simply designated as "Insight," is well equipped with a 160-watt, two-speaker audio system, automatic climate control, power windows, remote entry and more.

The Insight LX adds a four-speaker audio system, USB audio interface, armrest console, floor mats and a security system. New for 2012, the LX has map lights and steering wheel audio controls.

The Insight EX adds alloy wheels, steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, an audio system with six speakers, heated side mirrors with integrated turn signals and much more. For 2012, the EX gains Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink®3, automatic headlights and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. The Insight EX is available with the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System with voice recognition and rearview camera.

New exterior colors include Frosted Silver Metallic and Truffle Pearl, which replace Clear Sky Blue and Crimson Pearl.

Insight accolades include J.D. Power and Associates "Highest Ranked Compact Car in Initial Quality in a Tie" in their 2011 Initial Quality Study SM (IQS) (the Insight tied with the Civic). The IQS names the highest performers within the first 90 days of vehicle ownership. And for the past three consecutive years, the Insight was named a Top 10 Green Car by Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com4. The Insight was also named one of the "Greenest Vehicles of 2011" by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE).

Honda is a leader in developing cleaner, more fuel-efficient vehicle technologies, including the original Honda Insight, introduced as America’s first mass-produced hybrid car in December 1999. Honda is also a leader in the development of advanced alternatives to gasoline, including the zero-emission, hydrogen-powered FCX Clarity fuel-cell electric car, the world’s most-advanced production fuel cell automobile.

Honda’s diverse lineup of environmental vehicles also includes the Civic Natural Gas sedan, the only retail CNG passenger vehicle currently available from any automaker in the U.S., and three distinct gasoline-electric hybrid models: Civic Hybrid, CR-Z sport hybrid and Insight hybrid.

Honda was named America's "Greenest Automaker" for the fifth consecutive time by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) in late 2010. The award is earned by the company with the lowest combined score of its smog-forming and greenhouse gas emissions (primarily CO2) in its U.S. automobile fleet. Honda has led the UCS rankings of overall vehicle environmental performance since the first UCS study in 2000, marking a decade of Honda leadership in reduced vehicle emissions. Honda earned the recognition with an industry-best score based on model year 2008 data, the latest available for analysis.

Insight Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price*Insight: $18,350Insight LX: $20,125Insight EX: $21,815Insight EX with Navigation: $23,540* MSRP excluding tax, license, registration, $770 destination charge and options. Dealer prices may vary.

Connect with Honda:
Honda Media Newsroom (for journalists): www.hondanews.com
Honda Insight (for consumers): http://automobiles.honda.com/insight-hybrid/
Honda Insight on Facebook: www.facebook.com/hondainsight
Honda on YouTube: www.youtube.com/honda
Honda on Flickr: www.flickr.com/hondanews
Honda on Twitter: www.twitter.com/honda

1 Based on 2012 EPA mileage estimates. Use for comparison purposes only. Do not compare to models before 2008. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.

2 The Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System™ is available on Insight EX models in the United States, except Alaska. See your Honda dealer for details. Certain functions that rely on a satellite signal will not work correctly in Hawaii and Alaska. These functions include, but are not limited to, automatic clock updates and time zone adjustments.

3 The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc., and any use of such marks by Honda Motor Co., Ltd., is under license.

4 For more information about the 2011 Top 10 Green Cars from Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com, visit www.kbb.com. Kelley Blue Book is a registered trademark of Kelley Blue Book Co., Inc.

Source;
http://www.hondanews.com/channels/corporate-headlines/releases/upgraded-2012-honda-insight-hybrid-offers-new-high-tech-look-improved-fuel-economy-and-more-features

Carscoop: New Toyota Prius C: Leaked Brochure Reveals Standalone Small Hybrid Hatch

We got our first taste of the next member to join Toyota's growing family of Prius models with the Prius C concept study that made its debut alongside the Prius V minivan at the Detroit Motor Show earlier this year.

But today, thanks to a tip from a Carscoop reader in Japan who goes by the nickname "i-Ryuji", we can show you the actual production version of the Prius C through a plethora of scanned images from a leaked brochure.

With a big stretch of imagination, you might see the resemblance between the concept study and the production variant of the Prius C that evolves the design language of the regular Prius liftback.

The interior styling is a bit funkier with a center-mounted dashboard and at least in Japan, the ability to customize the look of the cabin with different upholstery and colored trim accents.

You won’t be surprised to learn that the Japanese language is not our forte, but in one of the spec sheets, it appears that Toyota compares the Prius C with several rivals in Japan including the Mazda2 13-Skyactive.

On the same page, the first column (with the G, S and L trim designations) includes the basic specifications of the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) Prius C.

The smallest member of the Prius family measures 3,995mm (157.3-in.) long, 1,695mm (66.7-in.) wide, and 1,445mm (56.9-in.) tall, and has a wheelbase length of 2,550mm (100.4-in.). This means it's barely bigger than the latest Yaris (153.5" long, 66.7" wide, 59.4" tall, with a 98.8" wheelbase).

The brochure also tells us that power will come from a hybrid unit that combines a 1.4-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine delivering 74HP at 4,800 rpm and 111Nm (81.9 lb-ft) of torque at 4,800 rpm, and an electric motor producing up to 61-horses and 169Nm (125 lb-ft) with a CVT. The hybrid system's combined output (in JDM tune) is rated at 100HP.

Toyota estimates that the front-wheel drive hybrid will return a fuel consumption of 35.4 km/lt (equal to 83.3 mpg US or 2.8lt/100km) on the Japanese JC08 driving cycle and up to 40 km /lt (94 mpg US or 2.5lt/100 km) on the 10.15 mode driving cycle.

We would like to stress that the above fuel efficiency numbers should not be used for direct comparison as the Japanese driving cycles differ from the U.S. and European combined measurements. For example, in Japan, Toyota says that the regular Prius returns up to 38 km/lt, which is equal to 89.4mpg and 2.6lt/100km, while the U.S. model is rated at 50mpg combined.

So, when and where will we see the new Prius C making its debut? The JDM model will receive its world premiere at the Tokyo Motor Show in December while Toyota recently revealed that the North American debut would take place in Detroit in January of 2012.

During the U.S. media presentation of the new Prius Plug-in Hybrid in California in mid-September, Toyota Division Group Vice President and General Manager, Bob Carter, mentioned the new Prius C in his speech:

"The Prius v will be followed by the Prius Plug-in next March, and the Prius c will follow in the Spring," said Carter. "The Prius c will offer expressive styling in a city-friendly vehicle that we believe will be the most fuel efficient hybrid without a plug in the U.S. While we showed you a “c Concept” at this year’s Detroit Auto Show, we will be debuting the production Prius c for the first time in Detroit this coming January."

Hat tip to i-Ryuji!
Story References: Ryuji

Source (with the full brochure pic's!);;
http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2011/10/new-toyota-prius-c-leaked-brochure.html

Cars.com™ Names the 2012 Honda Pilot the Best $37,000 SUV

CHICAGO, Oct. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Cars.com, the nation's premier online resource for new and used car buyers announced today that the 2012 Honda Pilot is the winner of its $37,000 SUV Shootout in conjunction with USA Today and MotorWeek. The shootout pitted seven three-row SUV's and crossovers configured with family-friendly features—all under $37,000—against each other in a series of tests.

"The Honda Pilot won for its great mixture of comfort, roominess, features and efficiency," said Patrick Olsen, Cars.com editor-in-chief. "It is the perfect SUV for buyers who want to comfortably haul the entire family and all of their gear.

The seven SUV's were tested over three days in order to measure all of the needs of family SUV buyers including gas mileage, storage, features and comfort. The testing included:
230-miles of highway driving to determine each SUV's accurate gas mileage.
Driving of each car by each expert to measure each vehicle for features, ride quality, styling and comfort.

A day of family testing and driving where a family of four joined our experts to give their impressions of the family-friendliness of the vehicle. They inspected every vehicle and its features and took the vehicles on a test drive.

"Interest in large SUV's took a hit during the gas-price spike in 2008," said Olsen. "However, the reality is that if a family doesn't want a minivan, these vehicles are really the only other option. Manufacturers have realized this and now 3-row SUVs are more competitively price, and more fuel efficient than ever before."

Other vehicles competing for the title included the Chevrolet Traverse, Dodge Durango, Ford Explorer, Kia Sorento, Mazda CX-9 and Toyota Highlander.

For further details and results on this shootout, visit www.cars.com.

ABOUT CARS.COM
Cars.com was recently named the "Best Overall Customer Experience" by Keynote Systems, the leader in internet and mobile cloud monitoring. Cars.com is an online destination for car shoppers that offers information from consumers and experts to help buyers formulate opinions on what to buy, where to buy and how much to pay for a car. With price listings, side-by-side comparison tools, photo galleries, videos, unbiased editorial content and a large selection of new- and used-car inventory, Cars.com puts millions of car buyers in control of their shopping process with the information they need to make confident buying decisions.

Launched in June 1998, Cars.com is a division of Classified Ventures, LLC, which is owned by leading media companies, including Belo (NYSE: BLC), Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI), The McClatchy Company (NYSE: MNI), Tribune Company and The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO).

Source;
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/carscom-names-the-2012-honda-pilot-the-best-37000-suv-131972108.html

For the Full Write up;
http://www.cars.com/go/crp/buyingGuides/Story.jsp?referer=&year=New&year=New&section=SUV&story=37ksuvOverview&su

Next Nissan Sportscar Rendering

Hmmm, looks good.

Source;

http://www.woodyscarsite.com/2011/10/mysterious-nissan.html

Death of Dan Wheldon in IndyCar felt around the world

Sad day for racing, my heartfelt condolences goes out to all of Dan's friends and family....

The car of England's Dan Wheldon flies through the air in a horrific multi-car crash at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Picture: Getty Images Source: Getty Images
THE Gold Coast round of Australia's V8 Supercars championship this weekend, which was to feature an international grid of drivers, is in disarray after one of the competitors, Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon, was killed in a shocking accident during the IndyCar finale in Las Vegas yesterday.

Wheldon was due to travel to Australia this week with six other IndyCar drivers to take part in the Gold Coast 600, where Australia's V8 Supercar stars were to share their cars with a star-studded assembly of international drivers.

Wheldon, 33, a British driver who won the Indianapolis 500 for the second time in May, was slated to partner defending V8 Supercar champion James Courtney in his Toll HRT Holden.

Wheldon was killed in a fiery 320km/h, 15-car pile-up on the superfast Las Vegas track when his open-wheel racer was launched into the catch fencing on the 12th lap of the season's last race.

Announcing the cancellation of the race, the head of IndyCar, Randy Bernard, said Wheldon's injuries were "unsurvivable". Also injured in the smash was Australian Will Power, who was fighting rival Dario Franchitti for the championship and sustained a lower back injury. He has been ruled out of the Gold Coast race.

IndyCar points leader Franchitti was crowned 2011 champion after the race was stopped and the Scotsman wept openly in his cockpit as he prepared to lead the field in a five-lap tribute to the two-time Indy winner and former season champion.

Despite winning the Indianapolis 500 in May, it was only Wheldon's third race of the season after he was unable to secure a full-time drive in the US series.

He had spent much of the year testing a new IndyCar design that was aimed at increasing safety for drivers.

V8 Supercars executives were left scrambling yesterday to salvage the Gold Coast event with many of the IndyCar drivers expected to pull out.

Wheldon was meant to be joined on the grid by Australians Power and Ryan Briscoe, as well as other regular IndyCar competitors Tony Kanaan, Helio Castroneves, Alex Tagliani and Sebastien Bourdais.

V8 Supercars chairman Tony Cochrane said the sport's first concerns were for Wheldon's wife and two children and said that he would understand if any of the drivers, some of whom were close friends with the racer, chose not to compete. "Our foremost thoughts are with Dan's family and what we can do," Cochrane said. "There are six IRL drivers coming and we would totally understand if they did not wish to compete."

He said Wheldon's memory would be honoured at the Australian race.

Holden driver Courtney was devastated at the death of the man who was to share his car on the Gold Coast this weekend.

"I first met Dan when I moved to Europe in karting in the mid-1990s. We knew each other a long time and considered ourselves friends," Courtney said.

Source;
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/death-of-dan-wheldon-in-indycar-felt-around-the-world/story-e6frg7mf-1226169163883

Temple of Vtec Rumour: New Civic to get a 'Refresh' for 2013?!?

Yesterday we received a bit of news that came as a little bit of a surprise. According to a source (who has been reliable in the past), Honda hosted a "Grassroots" meeting for West Coast Honda dealers yesterday. During this meeting, the dealers are said to have shared some of their comments and concerns about the 2012 Civic, and reportedly Honda's response was that a "very refreshed, and more aggressively styled Civic" would make its debut in December 2012, as a 2013 model.

We tried reaching out to some of the contacts we have in other regions to see if they had heard anything similar. The one that I heard back from indicated that they had not heard this information, but they had heard a few months back that there would be some tweaks to the '12 Civics (improved wheels/tires on the Civic LX, possibly some upgraded interior materials) and the car would be "relaunched" sometime in the near term.

Suffice it to say, we will be tracking this one.

Source;
http://www.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=1007927

Event data recorders to be in all new cars starting this year

For years, new car owners have had their data recorded by a little black box similar to the one found in airplanes, but starting with 2011 models, automakers will be required to tell buyers of the presence of these recorders in their cars.

According to CarInsurance.com, event data recorders typically erase driver[, such as their speed and whether their seatbelt is fastened, unless an accident occurs, then the data is stored for use in investigations by attorneys and car insurance representatives.

"EDRs can provide information about a crash that can't be obtained through more traditional investigation techniques," Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said in a statement. "Police, crash investigators, automakers, insurance adjusters, and highway safety researchers can use this information to analyze what occurred during a crash."

Roughly 65 to 90 percent of new cars were equipped with EDRs in 2008, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

According to After Market News, Mazda Motor and Bosch recently entered into a license agreement that would allow Bosch to access EDR information from the Mazda system. The partnership will allow Mazda cars to benefit from the Bosch Crash Data Retrieval tool, which is used by law enforcement, government agencies and insurance companies.

Source;
http://www.fundingway.com/news/624187/event-data-recorders-to-be-in-all-new-cars-starting-this-year/

For more info on EDR's follow the link below;
Event Data Recorders - Technical Report
What are they? Which automakers fit them? And are these devices friend or foe?
By Dennis Simanaitis @ Road & Track
http://www.roadandtrack.com/auto-news/tech/event-data-recorders

Euro 2012 Honda Civic Safety Features

Interesting.... I wonder how long it would take for that to come over to the North American models....
Honda released more details on the new and innovative safety features they’ve packed in the new generation Civic.

That is usually the case with all car makers, to boast their products good features ahead of market launch. People will be searching for details of the new model and these info can help them find out if they want a particular model or not.

Anyhow, the new Civic features new stuff that makes it safe not only for the passengers onboard, but also for the pedestrians and cyclists. It has Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure, which is according to Honda: "a front-mounted polygonal frame that is designed to prevent the cabin becoming deformed by distributing forces away from the passenger compartment."

The little hatchback also features a collision avoidance system – Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) – which used to reserved for big, expensive cars. It monitors the distance and closing rate between your vehicle and the car directly in front of it, warning the driver when a collision is likely and helping reduce impact when a collision becomes unavoidable.

The car also comes with a clever pedestrian safety system which include windscreen wiper pivots designed to break away on impact and energy absorbing front wing mounts.

2012 Honda Civic goes on sale in Europe from January 2012.

Source;
http://www.motorward.com/2011/10/2012-honda-civic-safety-features/

GM Gets Pranked at Chevy Event

By SHARON TERLEP

DETROIT—General Motors Co. officials were red-faced on Wednesday after software on a network at its headquarters was programmed to insert a derogatory remark on computer browsers after any mention of Chrysler Group LLC and several other competitors.

The prank came to light at GM's unveiling of a battery-powered version of its Chevrolet Spark small car at a five-day event marking the 100th anniversary of GM's Chevrolet brand. The event drew more than 200 journalists from around the world.

Selim Bingol, a GM spokesman, said the auto maker had nothing to do with the prank. GM has since corrected the problem.

GM officials said computer technicians found an unauthorized software program had been installed on a wireless router, and the program was altering the way Web pages were displayed to insert the word "sucks" after any mention of certain rivals on computers linked to the network.

Later in the day, GM said it had identified the culprit—a subcontractor who had helped set up the wireless network. GM didn't identify the company but said the subcontractor had admitted its role and intended the prank to be humorous.

"These guys are learning the definition of sucks," Mr. Bingol said.

Computers accessing the Internet via other networks at the company's headquarters were unaffected.

The word "sucks" appeared after mentions of Chrysler, Ford Motor Co., Toyota Motor Corp., and Honda Motor Co. on any searches or references to those companies conducted on computers using the GM network. Web references were not permanently altered because the word was inserted only onto the displays of computers using that one network.

The word did not appear after mentions of Nissan Motor Co., Hyundai Motor Co., or Volkswagen AG.

Source;
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204002304576626982322048592.html

New Honda NSX confirmed (again)....

Honda's R&D chief Mibe Toshihiro has confirmed to Autocar that work is underway to produce a new sportscar in the mould of the iconic Honda NSX - and separate reports suggest it could be on sale as early as next year.

Responding to comments made by Honda president Takanobu Ito about the new NSX, Toshihiro said that Honda was ready to start work on the next generation of its electric and hybrid vehicles, and suggested that a new sportscar would be evaluated as part of that project.

"We are now at a point where we can consider the next generation of electric and hybrid vehicles," said Toshihiro while speaking at the Global Automotive Forum in Chengdu, China. "President Ito has already mentioned a new NSX, and we have looked at that in the R&D department. It would be an interesting project - electric or hybrid vehicles can be fun as well as economical. More than that I cannot say."

Ito previously suggested that the new NSX would be a different vehicle to the original NSX, which weighed 1350kg and had 290bhp.

Reports have suggested that a concept car hinting at the new Honda NSX could be shown at next month's Tokyo motor show, with a production car being shown early in 2012, ahead sales beginning later next year. However, timescales for the project are said to be flexible, as Japan continues to recover from disruption following the earthquake earlier this year.

Honda has also confirmed it will put its first full electric vehicle and a plug-in hybrid on sale in limited numbers in Japan, China and the US next year.

For the full story on the next Honda NSX, including Honda president Ito's thoughts on the car and its possible powertrain, buy Autocar magazine or download the digital edition, available today.

Source;

http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/Honda-NSX/259530/

Honda’s durability tested with 1M mile target mileage

Built with high-grade materials and innovative engineering, Honda vehicles are commonly regarded as reliable and with high re-sale value.

A Honda owner from Maine, U.S.A. stands by the brand’s reputation and geared up for a personal challenge to register one million mile reading in his 1990 Accord. That translates to over 1.6M kilometers.

Now known as Million Mile Joe, Joe LoCicero is an insurance claims adjuster who logs around 62,500 miles a year in driving from dealer to dealer. “I feel like a human ping-pong ball crossing the state,” said Joe. His mileage is more than 4x farther than an average driver’s 14,000 miles per year.

It all originated when his Accord logged 300,000 miles. He started keeping track of his mileage and now has 661 photos of his car’s odometer. Million Mile Joe showed Honda’s Ron Russell the odometer of his car.

Initially, Russell saw nothing extraordinary with his Accord as he thought seeing 93,800 miles on the odometer. What he thought was 93,800 was actually 938,000 miles. With only 1,551 miles to go, Million Mile Joe expects to reach 1M miles anytime soon.

“It is not everyday that we see one million reading on the odometer. What is common though is a Honda vehicle that you can rely on to withstand the test of time and provides you with high resale value,” said Voltaire Gonzales, vehicle sales and corporate communications head of Honda Cars Philippines, Inc.

Honda’s build quality has earned the motorists’ confidence through the years. To ensure continued excellent running condition, proper maintenance must be diligently observed.

Honda vehicles are actually affordable to maintain as it comes every 10,000 kilometers or 6 months, whichever comes first.

Unlike other vehicles that require service visits every 5,000 kilometers, Honda entails lesser visits that result to lesser cost, lesser downtime, more savings and more time with family and friends.

Source;
http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php/motoring/15225-hondas-durability-tested-with-1m-mile-target-mileage

SPIED: Subaru BRZ Coupe Shows its Face

Upon viewing these pictures of the Subaru BRZ prototype we can hear some of you shouting, "just come out with it already", and we couldn't agree more. The same can be said about for the BRZ's twin sisters, the much-teased global Toyota FT-86 and the North American Scion FR-S.

Anyway, if the current buzz is to be believed, then we should catch our first glimpse of the BRZ in concept form at the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show in mid-November with the final production model to make its world premiere alongside the FT-86 at the Tokyo Motor Show in December.

If you're having a hard time figuring out the differences between the swirly covered BRZ test car and the FT-86 prototypes, that's because the two models will be almost identical minus some extremely subtle cosmetic differences.

If you compare these pictures with our previous spy shots of the FT-86, you will see that the BRZ seen here features a slightly different nose with a reversed grille (and by that we mean that the upper side is longer than the lower side) and redesigned fog lamp housings.

The mechanics are already known with all three cars featuring a Subaru-sourced, 2.0-liter naturally-aspirated flat-four matched to a standard six-speed manual or an optional (depending on the market) automatic transmission that will power the rear wheels only.

Source;
http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2011/10/spied-subaru-brz-coupe-shows-its-face.html

GM to produce all-electric Chevy Spark

(Reuters) - General Motors Co confirmed it will make its first all-electric vehicle, a version of the Chevrolet Spark minicar that will debut in 2013 and take aim at Nissan Motor Co Ltd's Leaf.

"Chevrolet will produce an all-electric version of the Spark minicar for selected U.S. and global markets, including California," Jim Federico, Chevy's global vehicle chief engineer for electric vehicles, said at the company's Detroit headquarters on Wednesday.

Electric cars have been slow to catch on. In the U.S. market, demand has been held back by the lack of models to choose from, skimpy infrastructure for charging the vehicles, high sticker prices, and low gasoline prices compared with other industrialized nations.

News of the electric Spark continues GM's push to seize the mantle of "greenest automaker in the world" from Toyota Motor Corp, which makes the popular Prius hybrid car.

GM, like other major automakers, also needs more fuel-efficient cars as the industry pushes toward more stringent U.S. requirements that will be in place by 2025.

Further details about the electric Spark, including driving range and price, will be released closer to introduction.

The Volt has a 400-pound lithium-ion battery that provides an electric-only range of up to 50 miles. After the battery is depleted, a 1.4-liter gas engine provides power.

Nissan launched the five-passenger Leaf in Japan and the United States in December 2010. The vehicle has an EPA-certified driving range of 73 miles.

Marketing an all-electric vehicle will mark a break for GM. It has emphasized the Volt's ability to continue driving under gas power even after its electric charge has been used as a way to prey on consumer anxiety about being stranded while driving an all-electric car.

Leaf's U.S. sales through September were about 27,500, seven times higher than the larger Volt. The Leaf's U.S. price starts at $32,780 before a $7,500 federal tax credit.

"We welcome competitors into the market," Mark Perry, director of product planning for Nissan Americas, told Reuters. "We're glad that GM has decided to go pure electric. This brings further validity to the segment."

Ford Motor Co will introduce an electric Focus by the end of this year, and ramp up production in early 2012. The small car's driving range has not yet been certified by the EPA, but the company expects it can travel up to 100 miles on a full charge, depending on conditions.

Toyota will offer a plug-in version of the Prius that can drive up to 15 miles on a charge starting next year. Other automakers also are rolling out plug-in hybrid vehicles.

Federico said the electric Spark's global rollout will be similar to that of the plug-in electric hybrid Chevy Volt, which started in the U.S. market and has expanded from there.

The gasoline-powered Spark is now sold only in China, India and South Korea. A new version of the gas-powered Spark will debut next year and be introduced in the United States and other markets.

Federico declined to say where the electric Spark will be built, but the gas version is currently assembled in South Korea.

GM Chief Executive Daniel Akerson has driven the company more aggressively toward electric vehicles since taking the top job about a year ago.

The U.S. automaker's push under Akerson has centered on rolling out plug-in hybrid technology in a broader range of vehicles to recoup its investment in the money-losing Volt. By using its electric-vehicle technology in more cars, GM could reap more profits and drive down the technology's cost.

In August, GM said it would build a Cadillac ELR luxury coupe based on Volt's plug-in hybrid technology.

A123 Systems Inc will provide the lithium-ion battery for the electric Spark, Federico said.
In August, GM said it had awarded A123 a contract to build battery packs for future electric vehicles, but it did not say which vehicles would use the batteries.

Sources told Reuters that GM executives were studying plans for an all-electric small car for the Chevy brand that included an A123 battery.

Source;

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/12/us-gm-spark-idUSTRE79B4I220111012

Honda Insight with 1.5 liter IMA system to debut soon?

Check out the Honda Insight section on Honda Japan’s website and you’ll be greeted by the teaser image above, which seems to indicate that an Insight with a larger 1.5 liter i-VTEC IMA engine will be available soon. So far, most Honda hybrids including the Honda Insight sold here in Malaysia use the 1.3 liter system, while the 1.5 liter system is reserved for the sporty Honda CR-Z.

A larger more powerful system in the Insight would certainly be welcome for those looking for a little more fun in their green motoring, but do not want to go for the 3-door body of the CR-Z. With the hybrid tax exemptions just recently extended by the Malaysian government, perhaps Honda Malaysia can introduce this 1.5 liter variant of the Honda Insight as well? I’m sure there’s a market!

Source;
http://paultan.org/2011/10/11/honda-insight-with-1-5-liter-ima-system-to-debut-soon/

Next Honda Civic Type R will be firm’s first-ever turbo road car

The Honda Civic Type R already has a formidable reputation but the tuning experts at Mugen still think it could be improved. Sources in Japan divulged that Mugen has started development of a package for the model. Actually, the next Honda Civic Type R is believed to be its fastest version ever and is expected to be Honda’s first-ever turbo road car. The Type R is famous in the UK for its high-revving naturally aspirated engine and aggressive styling. To be able to comply with strict emissions standards, there will be some modifications.

A 2.0-litre turbo meant to comply with Euro V emissions regulations will be used instead of the 2.0-litre naturally aspirated engine, according to AutoExpress. Honda’s 2012 British Touring Car Championship challenger will also be tweaked and will use a similar engine. Because of the turbo, there will be more torque lower in the rev range. This means that a higher gear can be used more frequently to improve efficiency. It’s also expected to have stop-start.

The Type R’s output will increase slightly to 210bhp, enabling the vehicle to accelerate from zero to 62mph in less than 6.5 seconds and to reach a top speed nearing 150mph. The Type R will feature the standard car’s front grille, slim headlights and LED daytime running lights. However, most of the bodywork will be uprated. It will appear more stunning with a front end with large mesh air intakes, a lower chin spoiler and chunky side skirts. It will be more stable at high speeds due to its rear diffuser and extended spoiler. To improve the balance in corners, it will have the standard Civic’s longer, wider chassis. As a result, ride comfort and grip are improved as well.

Source;

http://www.4wheelsnews.com/next-honda-civic-type-r-will-be-firms-first-ever-turbo-road-car/

Honda Says No Mugen CR-Z

Brace yourself, car fans, because there’s some bad news from Honda. Top Gear recently reported that the automaker has decided not to bring the CR-Z Mugen RR Hybrid Concept to production–ever. There had been indications that the Mugen CR-Z wouldn’t go into production, but a lot of industry watchers were hoping against hope that Honda would reconsider in the face of consumer demand. Apparently, though, car enthusiasts will have to soldier on without the option of owning one of the hybrid.

Mugen serves as Honda’s official tuning arm, but it also engineers and produces unique models of its own, based on Honda vehicles. The CR-Z Mugen offers 197 horsepower, ready and rarin’ to go, and makes the trip from zero to sixty in 6.6 seconds, thanks in part to its reliance on carbon fiber. The CR-Z’s hood, fenders, doors and body tray are all made of carbon fiber; and when the vehicle is driven in Eco mode, it delivers a walloping 50 mpg.

The hybrid CR-Z, designed by Mugen’s European division, was unveiled at the Goodwood Festival of Speed earlier this year. Although the CR-Z kept the hardware of the previous model—including the iMA electric motor and the 1.5-liter gas engine—the vehicle’s performance was increased more than 50% as it was loaded with a supercharger and lots of internal upgrades. The Mugen CR-Z not only gets about 200 horsepower, but also boasts 158.6 pound-feet of torque.

Mugen’s engineers also widened the CR-Z’s tracks and added 5-step adjustable dampers, larger brakes, and a limited-slip differential—all of which combine to improve the CR-Z’s driving dynamics. The vehicle’s charms are enhanced by a twin central-exit exhaust and vented front bumpers. The four-piston monobloc brake calipers are painted a bright and distinctive orange, and paired with 18-inch forged alloy wheels. Mugen engineers modified the exterior and the interior of the CR-Z, too.

Honda didn’t play coy; the automaker always said that they had no plans for a production model. But they indicated that they might reconsider, depending upon the customer feedback they received.

Honda decided, and the CR-Z is not to be.

Source;
http://automotivediscovery.com/honda-says-no-mugen-cr-z/9210447/

Japan's plants hum, but hurdles remain

By Hans Greimel
TOKYO -- Playing a frantic game of catch-up, Japan's automakers are running assembly plants at a pace faster than pre-earthquake schedules in order to boost inventories and recoup sales.

Toyota and Nissan are leading the surge, with output in Japan not only back to normal but exceeding year-ago levels. Mazda and Suzuki have reported their first year-over-year production increases since the March 11 quake, and Honda, Subaru and Mitsubishi are close behind.

But even as the companies return to full domestic output, big hurdles remain.

Some model variants are still in limited production because of lingering shortages of parts, especially microcontrollers. And even with output restored, it could take months for carmakers to rebuild prequake inventory levels, especially at U.S. dealerships.

Suppliers may struggle to keep pace with the surge. And automakers are rejiggering supply chains so they won't get burned again.

They are racing to find multiple sources for parts; tighten control over lower-tier suppliers; buy more parts overseas; and even bolster stockpiles, an abrupt change from Japan's treasured just-in-time approach.

Building inventories
Toyota is among the most aggressive in its supplier overhaul.

"We have instructed them to have a plan that allows them to go back to normal operations within two weeks of a major disaster," Shinichi Sasaki, Toyota Motor Corp.'s executive vice president for global purchasing, told Automotive News.

Toyota's domestic output rose 12 percent in August -- its first year-over-year increase since the earthquake. But it does not expect normal U.S. inventories until March.

Nissan's domestic production actually edged ahead of last year's in May. But not even Nissan says it can make all the car variants it wants. Because of pinched pipelines for some microcontrollers, the small computer chips that control everything from engines to entertainment systems, Nissan does not expect to return to unrestricted production until later this month.

Subaru says its Japan plant will be back to normal by the end of October. But it will take until March for the brand to achieve prequake U.S. inventory levels, especially for Japan-made models such as the Forester SUV and Impreza sedan.

Chips still down
Output of most models at Honda is almost back to normal. But it is still facing shortages of the redesigned Civic in the United States and the Brio small car for Asia. Because those cars were introduced after the quake, Honda couldn't stockpile enough microchips. Civic production should return to normal by the end of this month, and U.S. inventories of the model are expected to be restored by late November.

Nissan spokesman Toshitake Inoshita said: "In terms of raw production numbers, we have more than full production. But we are still waiting on some electronic chips."

Chip maker Renesas Electronics Corp. of Tokyo remains a bottleneck, but that will ease soon. The supplier, which controls about 41 percent of the global market for automotive microcontrollers, returned to prequake output at the end of September, spokeswoman Kyoko Okamoto said. That means a normal flow of chips will start to reach automakers this month.

But Renesas is far from recovered. It recouped prequake output by shifting work from its damaged Naka factory in Japan's quake zone to chip foundries in Singapore and Taiwan. The Naka factory is still limping along at just over half its prequake capacity. Until the factory is fully restored, it may be hard for Renesas to meet increased demand as automakers ramp up.
Masaya Yamashita, Honda Motor Co.'s global purchasing boss, says: "In order to supply to the carmakers, I think Tier 1 suppliers are really struggling to make deliveries to all of us. The parts are reaching us. But the inventory of parts in the chain is pretty tight."

The pinch has Toyota revising its famous low-inventory, just-in-time production system.

Normally, Toyota carries a two-month inventory of Renesas chips, global procurement chief Sasaki says. But it will raise that figure to as high as four months.

"Right now we are recalculating the optimal volume of inventory that is necessary based on our estimate of how long it will take production at our suppliers to resume after a disaster," he said.

Another new norm: paternalistic big-footing of lower-tier suppliers, a practice previously all but unknown.

Take Nippon Chemi-Con Corp., a maker of aluminum foil for electrolytic capacitors for the electrical system. Its factory was wiped out.

Toyota, which is accustomed to working intimately with Tier 1 and 2 suppliers, decided to get active with lower-tier suppliers that had been flying far below the radar. But when Toyota stepped in to help Nippon Chemi-Con, the industry supplier rebuffed Toyota as an interloper, according to an internal Toyota report reviewed by Automotive News.

Only after weeks of arm-twisting by did the supplier acquiesce to Toyota's help in pumping out 700 tons of liquid waste that had flooded the factory.

Paint battle
Toyota also butted heads with pigment maker Merck, which makes a pearl luster pigment called Xirallic. Merck's kilns in Onahama, Japan, were damaged and unable to supply the pigment, which is a component in many paint colors and is used in about 20 percent of Toyota's vehicles.

Merck rejected Toyota's offers of assistance, according to the Toyota report. So Toyota tried making its own pigments -- with mixed results. Of 67 missing colors, Toyota could successfully substitute only 37.

That was enough to tide Toyota over while Merck recovered. But Sasaki said Toyota asked Merck to establish a backup production site in Germany, the supplier's home country. Merck agreed.

Expect all automakers to keep lower-tier suppliers on a tight leash. Toyota, Nissan and Honda are demanding more control over where suppliers get their components.

"The parts and materials that remained the biggest issues for the longest time after the earthquake aren't the parts that we buy, but the parts or materials that the Tier 1 or Tier 2 suppliers buy," says Honda's Yamashita. When possible, he says, "we want to have dual sources."

Bouncing back
Change in monthly production in Japan, vs. 2010

April June Aug.

Toyota
–75% –13% 12%
Nissan
–49% 2% –3%
Honda
–81% –51% –17%

Source (via Carscoop);
http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111010/OEM01/310109970/1117

Honda NSX Eco-Friendly Supercar – A Sneak Peek

When it comes to all things cutting edge, and includes motorsports, there is not much Honda has not done. However, Honda may have outdone themselves with their latest “supercar”. Set to be released in 2014 the new Honda NSX or as many know it Acura NSX, well lets just say it is bound to be a success. The eco-friendly supercar will feature a 3.5 liter V6 rear wheel drive powerplant. For anyone that is a car buff probably saw the debut of this gem in 01 at the tokyo motor show. Along with the RWD V6, Honda will also include electric motors to help drive the front wheels, which the theory in itself is quite unique.

But, good people thats not all. For those who want a super car that is hybrid friendly, Honda is also thinking about a plug-in system for some spare lithium ion batteries, just in case you get stranded somewhere with no power. For now though we must wait for the release which is another 3 years away. Make sure to catch a peek either on a search engine or in Robert Downey Jr.s newest movie “The Avengers”.

Source;
http://stupiddope.com/2011/10/07/honda-nsx-concept-a-sneak-peek/

HondaJet Likely To Be First Of A Family

By George C. LarsonGreensboro, N.C.

As Honda Aircraft begins its sixth year, it is advancing cautiously but relentlessly toward the 2012 scheduled certification of its $4.5 million HA-420 HondaJet.

One pacing item for the airplane’s overall approval is its turbofan engine, the HF-120. A product of GE Honda Aero Engines, the powerplant, equipped with a full authority digital engine control (Fadec), first ran in 2009 and became available for testing on a conformal aircraft for the first time in 2010. Its developers report “steady progress” and expect to receive FAA certification of the 2,095-lb.-thrust engine by year-end.

Although the aircraft program has been delayed by more than a year, the Honda organization appears to be unhurried—paced, no doubt, by the precipitous drop in the global economy and subsequent fall-off in light-jet sales. Meanwhile, it continues to be guarded about the precise health of the order book, which has stood at “over 100” for years now.

The company says aircraft testing has proceeded on schedule, and the conformal aircraft, which first flew in December 2010, recently surpassed its specified 420-kt. true airspeed with a flight to 425 kt. Five aircraft are to be involved in the certification trials.

In an industry familiar with failed startups, a visit to Honda Aircraft’s Greensboro, N.C., headquarters at Piedmont Triad International Airport makes clear very quickly that one of the world’s largest automakers is in the aircraft business for the long haul. The tidy campus, and the offices and workspaces contained therein, are austere and functional, in keeping with the company’s culture. But the amount of investment in evidence and 263,000-sq.-ft. production facility leaves no doubt that Honda is looking beyond this first light jet and toward follow-on products.

CEO Mishimasa Fujino only hints at that scenario, saying, “We cannot sustain a company with one product.” Future models might not feature the HondaJet’s unique engine-over-wing design, he has said, but would likely incorporate concepts that are equally innovative.

The company could have reduced the amount of its bet by outsourcing much of the testing and research on both its original proof-of-concept aircraft and the production conforming models in FAA certification testing now. But Honda decided to do it all in-house, and has not scrimped in the process.

One employee estimates the total investment in buildings and equipment at roughly $100 million, but that seems low. On campus are complete full-scale structural test rigs equipped with dozens of computer-controlled actuators, an advanced system-integration test facility that “flies” a virtually complete airplane as represented by its principal systems, and a fully staffed telemetry facility that can capture 2,500 data streams.

This is not to say that Honda is not availing itself of numerous suppliers from all over the world.

The plant as configured now is planned around assembly of finished components, not ab initio manufacture. Just one example: Hampson Aerospace of Grand Prairie, Texas, a subsidiary of a parent company in the U.K., will provide completed empennage assemblies. And more: GKN Aerospace, a composites fabricator in Tallassee, Ala., supplies fuselage components. Avcorp, a subcontractor in British Columbia, will supply parts of the wing. Garmin’s G3000 avionics will light up the panel.

Aircraft will follow two parallel paths and emerge from the now completed final assembly facility, empty for the moment, then undergo systems installation, completion and painting at Greensboro.

Fujino expresses satisfaction with the Carolina workers, citing “good quality” and “a strong work ethic.”

The workforce is young—tablet notebooks are everywhere—with some notable experienced heads such as Mark Ard, vice president of engineering and a former Gulfstream executive, in key management slots. Fujino notes that just four years ago the company had 40 employees; now the figure is 600-700, with another 200-300 expected in 2012 when production gets under way in earnest.

The light jet’s legend started as Fujino’s vision and a cursory sketch in 1997. The unconventional engine arrangement employing overwing mounting is said to save room in the fuselage for a total of 66 cu. ft. of baggage (9 cu. ft. in a forward compartment and 57 aft of the cabin; it’s not accessible in flight). The combination of drag-reducing natural laminar flow over the wing’s advanced airfoil and the unusually shaped bulbous nose are what Honda says provides up to 30% gains in efficiency over the competition. Efficiency may sell on paper, but Honda appears to be placing more of its marketing bet on cabin appeal. To that end, the Greensboro facility has a complete and well-equipped design studio.

Fujino says the single-pilot-certified version is marketed primarily to individuals and corporations rather than to fleet buyers, but the company portrays a 2+6 seating arrangement as well. The HondaJet faces stiff competition, particularly from Embraer’s Phenom 100 and the M2, Cessna’s new successor to the Citation CJ1+.

Photo Credit: George C. Larson/AWST
GEORGE LARSON/AVIATION WEEK

Source;

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_generic.jsp?channel=awst&id=news/awst/2011/10/10/AW_10_10_2011_p61-375968.xml&headline=HondaJet%20Likely%20To%20Be%20First%20Of%20A%20Family&next=10

Another 20013/2014 Honda/Acura NSX Rendition....

Well, can't say that I've ever seen this variation of the next generation NSX.

Ozzy Osbourne Crazy Train Honda ad

Honda is using the Ozzy Osbourne classic 'Crazy Train' done a cappella by a family in the new commercial for the Honda Pilot.

The ad is done Wayne's World style but with a family gradually all vocally doing the instruments in the song. Wayne's World kicked off the format all those years ago with Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody'.

Bob Daisley and Randy Rhodes wrote the song with Ozzy in 1980, a year after Osbourne left Black Sabbath. It first appeared on the 'Blizzard of Ozz' album. It is now considered Ozzy's signature song.

'Crazy Train' has grown over the years, especially in the USA, to fall into that wonderful genre . classic rock.

Source;
http://www.music-news.com/shownews.asp?H=Ozzy-Osbourne-Crazy-Train-Honda-ad&nItemID=44608

Honda UK; Honda powers up Accord range for 2012

Honda in Ireland has introduced a new 180bhp Type S diesel version of the Accord for 2012. The car aims to be an alternative to the BMW and Audi options with a more powerful engine and improved driving feel and plenty of extras as standard for a list price of €39,465 plus delivery charges.

The exterior of the Type S 180PS, with its 18” alloy wheels and aero bumpers and side sills, has a sporty look that reflects the power under the bonnet. The car is equipped with a high beam support system with Bi Xenon head lights and active cornering lights. Standard features include leather seating and electrically adjustable heated front seats. The car has an advanced dual zone climate control linked to the satellite navigation system to detect the position of the sun and set the temperature accordingly. Cabin noise has also been reduced through a new floating sub-frame structure with insulated carpets, all adding to an enriched driving experience.

Type S 180bhp is combined with a 6-speed manual gearbox. Honda claims that the aim of the engine and transmission development was to maintain the high performance driving experience whilst improving the overall efficiency of the engine resulting in lower running costs. Power output is at 180bhp at 4,000 rpm while peak torque is 380Nm at between 2000 and 2750rpm. That delivers an improved acceleration performance of 8.8 seconds in a 0-100km/hr race and a top speed of 220km/h.

Despite the extra power the CO2 emissions are below Euro 5 levels at 147g/km putting the car into Road Tax Band C with an annual road tax cost of €302. The combined fuel consumption is rated 17.8km/litre (5.6l/100km) so it’s very frugal for a big high performance car.

Source;
http://corkindependent.com/stories/item/4833/2011-40/Honda-powers-up-Accord-range-for-2012

Crash Test: Ford F150 VS Honda Civic

Both vehicles do quite well and the Civic is from 2001-2005, before the ACE Body Structure....

Honda to cut exports from Japan

Honda plans to reduce exports from Japan to as little as 10% of domestic production as the strong yen erodes earnings from overseas shipments.

Honda aims to sell 80% to 90% of Japan-made vehicles in its home market, spokeswoman Tomoko Uchida said. Last year, the carmaker shipped 310,254 vehicles, or 34% of its Japanese production, overseas.

Japanese carmakers including Honda, Toyota and Nissan are moving more production out of Japan to counter the effect of the strong yen. Honda plans to maintain domestic production of about 1 million vehicles a year, Uchida said, reiterating a previous statement by the company.

Source;
http://www.freep.com/article/20111006/BUSINESS01/110060539/Honda-cut-exports-from-Japan

Steve Jobs: 'No big deal. Just three stories from my life' [Tribute to Steve Jobs]

Very powerful. To all those that dared to dream.... Rest in peace Steve Jobs....

Detroit News: Honda says slow-selling Ridgeline stays

Honda Motor Co. refuted reports Tuesday that it was phasing out its Ridgeline pickup.

"The reports in the media that we have plans to discontinue the Ridgeline pickup truck are false," said Sage Marie, manager of truck product planning at American Honda.

"To the contrary, Ridgeline has a significant role in the Honda lineup, and it is expected to continue in the foreseeable future," he said.

Marie noted that Honda had already announced the 2012 Ridgeline will feature new styling cues, improved fuel efficiency and a new Sport variant.

U.S. sales of the Ridgeline, an unusual, award-winning pickup designed and built on a unibody platform, have slumped by half this year to 6,500 from 12,700 compared with the first nine months of 2010.

Honda has struggled this year with output disruptions because of the March earthquake, and it halted production of the Ridgeline for three months in March. During that period, the tooling to make the truck was moved to another line at the Lincoln, Ala., plant, and production resumed in August.

"It is too early to talk publicly about the details of our future plans for Ridgeline," Marie said. "It will remain an important part of the Honda product portfolio."

Source;
http://detnews.com/article/20111004/AUTO01/110040402/Honda-says-slow-selling-Ridgeline-stays#ixzz1a0e0HLYh

Honda Civic Type R is back

Hot hatch Honda legend is set to return – and the new Civic Type R will have a turbo engine
The next Honda Civic Type R will not only be the fastest version yet – it’s tipped to be Honda’s first-ever turbo road car. And our sources in Japan say tuning expert Mugen is already well underway with development.

The Type R has already achieved cult status in the UK – Europe’s biggest hot hatch market – thanks to its combination of a high-revving naturally aspirated engine and aggressive styling. But in order to meet emissions regulations, this latest model will tweak the formula slightly.

Instead of the previous 2.0-litre naturally aspirated engine, it will use a 2.0-litre turbo designed to comply with Euro V emissions regulations. A similar engine will feature in Honda’s 2012 British Touring Car Championship challenger.

Adding a turbo will give more torque lower in the rev range, so a higher gear can be used more often to boost efficiency. Stop-start is also likely to be fitted.

Just as VW hiked power with its latest Golf GTI, so Honda will increase the Type R’s output – but not by much. A figure of 210bhp would allow a 0-62mph time of less than 6.5 seconds and a top speed approaching 150mph.

Based on the new Civic seen at last month’s Frankfurt Motor Show, the Type R gets the standard car’s front grille, slim headlights and LED daytime running lights, although most of the bodywork will be uprated.

A front end with large mesh air intakes, a lower chin spoiler and chunky side skirts will boost the visual impact, while a rear diffuser and extended spoiler aim to increase stability at high speeds. Also helping the car’s balance in corners is the standard Civic’s longer, wider chassis; this should also improve ride comfort and grip.

Don’t expect refinement to match a Mercedes S-Class, however. The Type R has always been an extreme proposition and that’s the way it will stay.

The steering is set to be pin sharp, while the six-speed manual box will use a stubby gearlever for snappy changes. Plus, the suspension will be firm, to cope with track work as well as blasting down B-roads.

In a break from tradition that matches the turbocharged Ford Focus ST – a key competitor for the Type R – Honda will offer the car as a five-door only. Prices are expected to start from around £23,000 when it arrives in 2013.

Source;
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/273562/honda_civic_type_r_is_back.html#ixzz1a0cqzBM9

Rumours: Honda NSX returns

Avengers movie car previews new supercar. It’ll get new V6 engine with twin electric motors

By Peter Lyon

The legendary Honda NSX supercar is back. These spy shots, taken on the set of the new Avengers movie, show a new Acura-badged Audi R8-sized supercar that previews a successor to the NSX.
Acura is Honda’s US-only luxury brand and the sports car was spotted in Central Park, New York, with actor Robert Downey Jr at the wheel. Its appearance is hugely significant for fans keen to see Honda return to the supercar arena.
Honda CEO Takanobu Ito recently hinted at the NSX’s revival, when he revealed: “We’re making progress with plans for an exotic sports car.” And six months ago, Ito said Honda was keen to relaunch a high-performance sports car like the NSX.
A Honda source told us that the Dual Note 4WD hybrid concept from the 2001 Tokyo Motor Show was our first glimpse at the technology that will underpin the NSX. It used a 3.5-litre V6 to drive the rear wheels and in-wheel electric motors to turn the fronts, generating over 400bhp.
Ten years later, Honda is still perfecting the technology. A source said: “Honda wants to build a supercar that breaks the mould while creating a new technological package.”
Honda is working on a VTEC V6 engine of between 3.5 to 3.7 litres, while the twin electric motor set-up will be powered by lithium-ion batteries and employ a plug-in recharge system for a small electric-only range. The result will be huge amounts of torque, but also the high-revving character Hondas are famous for.
The car will also have a weight-saving aluminium body, and is set to go sale by 2014, priced at a Nissan GT-R-rivalling £65,000.
Source;

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/273565/honda_nsx_returns.html#ixzz1a0bFcanO

Ford F150 Badly Damaged Driving Off Debris On 3 Wheels.

Wow....


Source;
http://jalopnik.com/5845835/watch-a-heavily-damaged-ford-truck-remove-itself-from-hurricane-wreckage

2012 VW Passat 3.6 vs. 2011 Honda Accord V6, 2012 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T - Comparison Tests

Middle Class Acts: Can VW's Passat satisfy the mainstream without pandering to it? We bring along two 10Besters to find out.
BY MICHAEL AUSTIN, PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN ROE August 2011

Volkswagen has big plans for the United States. Big, as in 800,000-sales-by-2018 big, which is more than three times what it sold here in 2010. First came the Jetta, price-cut for the American market, universally unloved in the C/D office, and selling like hotcakes to the car-buying public. The new Passat takes the Jetta approach a step further, not just reconstituted for our bland, ketchup-loving palates but specifically built for and in America.

VW set pricing low, at a suggested $20,765 to start, $7180 less than the 2010 Passat. But we’re hardly interested in the Walmart model, with its anemic 2.5-liter inline-five making a meager 170 horsepower. And the Passat TDI, as the only affordable mid-size diesel on the market, is quite literally in a class of one. That leaves the Passat 3.6, fitted with a 280-hp, single-head narrow-vee six-cylinder and a six-speed dual-clutch transmission.

The powertrain is pure VW, the perfect foil for determining whether the rest of the car is true to the brand that brought us the GTI. A Passat 3.6 in SE trim starts at $29,765. Our particular car, a $33,720 as-tested SEL model, includes amenities such as keyless ignition, remote start, leather seats, a 6.5-inch navigation screen, power passenger seat, wood inlays, and extra chrome interior trim.

Whether the Passat is a worthy VW may be something only a die-hard few care about; how it compares with the competition is much more significant. So we invited comparable versions of the two family sedans on the Car and Driver 10Best list: the Honda Accord and the Hyundai Sonata. In EX-L V-6 form with a $2200 navigation option, the $32,600 Accord checks every factory-equipped option box.

The Sonata, introduced last year as a 2011 model, is similarly loaded in 2.0T Limited guise, albeit with the lowest price in the group, at $31,285. Running changes for 2012 Sonatas include a panoramic sunroof; a bigger, seven-inch touch screen; and a 1-mpg bump in EPA highway fuel economy to a best-in-test 34.

If the Passat can hold its own against two of the best in the family-car segment, it stands to reason that Volkswagen’s ambitions could be realistic. There’s only one way to find out.


2012 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T Limited - Comparison Tests
Third Place: Middle Class Acts

Highs: Good value, attractive inside and out, buttoned-down chassis.
Lows: Compromised rear seat, disconnected steering, droning engine note.
The Verdict: A worthy effort in need of some polish.

Full write up on Sonata;
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparisons/11q3/2012_vw_passat_3.6_vs._2011_honda_accord_v6_2012_hyundai_sonata_2.0t-comparison_tests/2012_hyundai_sonata_2.0t_limited_page_2

2011 Honda Accord EX-L V6 - Comparison Tests
Second Place: Middle Class Acts

Highs: Well-tuned suspension, natural driving position, comfortable rear seat.
Lows: Interior is plagued with buttons, excessive front-seat lumbar support.
The Verdict: Aging gracefully, but aging nonetheless.

For the full write up on the Accord;
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparisons/11q3/2012_vw_passat_3.6_vs._2011_honda_accord_v6_2012_hyundai_sonata_2.0t-comparison_tests/2011_honda_accord_ex-l_v6_page_3

2012 Volkswagen Passat 3.6 SEL - Comparison Tests
First Place: Middle Class Acts

Highs: Cushy ride, smooth engine and transmission, high-class interior.
Lows: Lots of body roll, non-centered steering wheel, full-time stability control.
The Verdict: VW aims wide and hits the mark

For the rest of the Passat write up;
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparisons/11q3/2012_vw_passat_3.6_vs._2011_honda_accord_v6_2012_hyundai_sonata_2.0t-comparison_tests/2012_volkswagen_passat_3.6_sel_page_4