Inside Line tests hundreds of vehicles a year, but not every vehicle gets a full write-up. The numbers still tell a story, though, so we present "IL Track Tested." It's a quick rundown of all the data we collected at the track, along with comments direct from the test drivers. Enjoy.
It was one of the original performance hatchbacks and it has survived for more than two decades in various states of tune. Offered for the first time as a sedan in 2006 as a 2007 model, the Honda Civic Si has been largely overshadowed by the more powerful sport sedans from Mitsubishi and Subaru.
Sure, they're faster, but they're also heavier and more expensive. The Civic Si remains one of the few lightweight performance cars that makes the best of a high-revving four-cylinder engine. In this case, it's a 197-horsepower 2.0-liter with dual overhead cams and Honda's i-VTEC system.
All Civics received a mild face-lift for 2009, but this Si is no faster, as all the upgrades were either cosmetic or electronic. Still, with a six-speed manual transmission, limited-slip differential and an 8,000 rpm redline, the Si remains a performance bargain for $23K. See what our test drivers thought of its track performance after the jump.
Looks like Consumer Reports has finally caught up with reality. In its latest review of the 2010 Honda Insight, the magazine takes the car to task calling it a, "noisy, stiff-riding car with clumsy handling." First time in a hybrid CR?
As much as we appreciate the technology offered by vehicles like the Prius and the Insight, we've always considered them a huge compromise. You don't get that kind of mileage without giving up a few things, it's not a free ride. Unfortunately, many of the things hybrids ditch in the name of mileage are the very things that make driving enjoyable. Looks like CR isn't ready to make the trade just yet.
Mugen thinks the three-door Civic Type R is weak sauce. Since it should be the peak performer in the Civic lineup, we understand how the Honda gurus can feel 198 horsepower and 142 pound-feet is not enough.
To cure this lack of power, Mugen is transplanting a few of its parts from the 2008 Honda Civic Mugen RR, and outfitting the Type R with huge Brembos, a carbon-fiber body kit and 18-inch alloys. It will also strip down the interior by removing the rear seats. Apparently 237 hp and 160 lb-ft makes the Japanese parts specialist happy.
The U.K. will get a few of these bad boys this fall at a ludicrous price. Expect it to run as much as $65,000.
We heard it was coming, but we didn't think it would look quite like this. This 2010 Honda Accord hatch, or Crosshatch, or whatever it's going to be called was spotted on a trip through Las Vegas.
It was probably on its way to Death Valley for some last minute hot weather testing before it goes on sale later this year. No doubt designed to take on the Toyota Venza in the "cool wagon" category, this Accord hatchback is more carlike than even the Venza. Fine if that's what you're into, but we kind of prefer the real Accord wagon that Europe gets. We'll see how this version goes over in the States soon enough.
The Insurance Institure for Highway Safety (IIHS) has just released bumper tests on 7 "minicars" as it likes to call them and the results weren't pretty.
Smart Fortwo -- Acceptable Chevrolet Aveo -- Marginal Mini Cooper -- Poor Toyota Yaris -- Poor Honda Fit -- Poor Hyundai Accent -- Poor Kia Rio -- Poor
In the case of the Kia Rio, IIHS noted that repair costs from a 6mph frontal impact would result in $3,701 in damage, which equates to rougthly 30% of the car's original cost. The solid rating for the Smart car was largely a consequence of its easily replaceable pre-painted body panels.
Honda celebrates the 50th anniversary of its arrival in the United States this week. On June 11, 1959, American Honda Motor Company, Inc. was established in a small store front at 4077 West Pico Boulevard in Los Angeles.
Kihachiro Kawashima was joined by seven employees in the former photo shop. He bought the building instead of simply renting it because he felt that Honda needed to commit itself to this new market in America.
Although the plan had been to sell motorcycles larger than 300cc, the Honda study group noticed that Americans seemed to be more interested in the Honda C100 Super Cub, a small, step-through moped with a relatively clean, quiet, 50cc four-stroke engine. The Super Cub would become the most popular motorcycle in the world in 1959, as more than 500,000 examples poured out of the Honda factories. Kawashima's group sold 1,700 C100s in the U.S. that year.
Writing about the best used performance cars for $5,000 was a challenge. At that price point, you're either going to get lucky and find a gem, or get unlucky and end up shelling out another $5,000 to keep a basket case running.
So with that in mind, we decided to bump the price floor to $10K to start and see what we could find. The talent pool is much deeper for sure, although the possibility of a clunker is still there if you're not careful.
So take a look at our list and see what you think. Anything we missed?
Compared to last year, May's sales numbers were miserable. Let's face it, when a 19% drop somehow looks good, there's still a problem.
We've come to expect such misery these days, but as AutoObserver points out, there are a few glimmers of hope in May's sales numbers.
- The Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate (SAAR) is at its highest point of the year at 9.9 million.
- Most sales numbers beat analyst's expectations.
- The stock market is up and car sales typically rise with the markets. Consumer confidence is also up.
Hard to tell if this trend will continue at this point. It could be a result of bargain hunting or a little pent up demand. Either way, it's the kind of news we need at this point given how deep taxpayers are now entrenched in the business.
Inside Line tests hundreds of vehicles a year, but not every vehicle gets a full write-up. The numbers still tell a story, though, so we present "IL Track Tested." It's a quick rundown of all the data we collected at the track, along with comments direct from the test drivers. Enjoy.
With the impending doom known as CAFE regulations bearing down upon us, we figured it was a good time to put aside all those gas-guzzling performance cars and take a look at a typical family sedan. And what could be more typical than a four-cylinder Honda Accord?
Although this is a slightly higher-spec LX-Premium model, it still carries a price that barely tops $23,000. Nicely trimmed and spacious inside, the Accord is a perfectly adequate commuter car. But as the test results show, a four-cylinder Accord isn't much when it comes to stopping, going and turning.
Were we expecting anything more? Not really. The Accord wasn't designed to excel at the test track, but in the back of our minds we're always hoping that even the most basic four-cylinder sedan will have a little capability buried deep inside somewhere. The Accord isn't one of those sedans.
This is the long-rumored Honda hatchback/crossover/wagon thing. As you can see, it was shot by one Mr. M. Balisky, apparently while he was vacationing in the Great Smoky Mountains, one of America's most popular national parks.
We're guessing it won't be quite so popular with Honda engineers from now on, as they've done a pretty good job of keeping the lid on this new model up to this point. Most speculation points to a fall debut for this variation of the Accord, but as usual Honda is saying much for now.
Despite earlier reports to the contrary, the Honda Fit Hybrid may arrive in the U.S in less than two years time. At least that's what a wire report from Japan indicates. It pegs the arrival of the Fit Hybrid in Honda's upcoming 2010-2011 fiscal year.
According to our own Green Car Advisor, the move could be an immediate response to the recent announcement of more restrictive CAFE regulations. Honda is already has one of the most efficient car lineups in the business, but it's still a way off from the 2016 requirements. A Honda Fit Hybrid is expected to achieve even better EPA numbers than the slightly larger Insight sedan.
It's not as simple as you might think. Base price is one thing, but depreciation, insurance, gas costs factor in there too. Edmunds own John Giamalvo spoke with CNBC recently and profiled several cars that represent the best value in their segment.
Honda has continually said that plug-in hybrids are an unnecessary step on the road to hydrogen-fueled vehicles.
Now it's changing its tune given the U.S. government's preference for plug-in hybrids as a short-term solution. Green Car Advisor has the full story on Honda's about face.
A report by Doron Levin at Bloomberg says Toyota plans to cut the base price of the third-generation Prius by $1,000 in a bid to compete with the new Honda Insight. The current base price of the Toyota Prius is $22,000 while the Honda Insight starts at $19,800.
Yet another reminder that the best minds at Honda aren't always fixated on cars. Honda is ready to show the latest incarnations of its walking assist devices at the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) World Congress at Detroit's Cobo Center April 20-23. They represent 10 years of development work, and Honda says many of those long hours tapped the services of its lovable humanoid robot Asimo.
Here we bring you Honda's cheerful demo of Stride Management Assist and Bodyweight Support Assist.
In what can only be described as a case for Captain Obvious, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has just released a report that shows the reduced crash worthiness of smaller, subcompact cars compared to larger, midsize cars.
According to the report, "The Honda Fit, Smart Fortwo, and Toyota Yaris are good performers in the Institute's frontal offset barrier test, but all three are poor performers in the frontal collisions with midsize cars. These results reflect the laws of the physical universe, specifically principles related to force and distance."
Ah yes, those annoying laws of the physical universe, not much we can do about those.
#NYIAS Although it's true that the Dog Friendly Honda Element concept shown here in New York will be an option package for the 2010 Honda Element starting this fall, Honda hasn't yet finalized the package contents or the price. But we have photos of the cute doggy named Sam.
Here you can see Sam on the fold-out ramp for the cargo bay. It leads to an integrated pet bed with restraints designed by Takata, a longtime manufacturer of seatbelts for humans. A non-spillable water dish is included back here, and an auxiliary 12-volt fan keeps your Element from smelling like dog.
There's another set of restraints in the Element's second row intended for a smaller dog. The seat covers are machine-washable, with a doggy print. And the floor mats are heavy-duty rubber with a chew-bone pattern. We'd guess that Honda will let owners specify the restraint setup based on the size of their dog.
Honda doesn't have plans to expand the Dog Friendly option package to its other dog-friendly models (CR-V, Fit, Odyssey, Pilot). Though the Element is getting on in years, it's evidently a magnet for dog owners. Based on company research, 62 percent of Honda Element owners have pets. -- Erin Riches, Senior Editor
According to a report in Automotive News, Toyota has told its dealers in Japan that the redesigned Prius will carry a price very close to the new Honda Insight. At just over 2 million yen, the base 2010 Toyota Prius will have a price equivalent to a mid-level Insight.
Pricing in the U.S. has yet to be announced, but the aggressive numbers announced in Japan are a good sign that Toyota intends to battle Honda head on with its redesigned Prius. Honda is currently touting the new Insight as the lowest-priced hybrid in America.
Honda is no stranger to innovative and modestly heart-warming commercials. From its helpful sales people in blue shirts to its walk through history with the "Impossible Dream", it's had a good run of memorable clips.
This could be yet another. It's a promotion for the new 2010 Honda Insight and it looks quite unbelievable at first. It's real, sort of. Check out how they did it after the jump.
We already gave you the full low down on the 2010 Toyota Prius, now see how it fares in the face of its new rival, the 2010 Honda Insight. Neither car gets much for style points, but in this matchup it's all about fuel economy and clean emissions right?
Senior Editor Erin Riches gets to the heart of the matchup and ends up with some surprising conclusions. Get all the details in our latest comparison test of these two iconic hybrid hatchbacks.
Think the new Honda Insight looks affordable at $20,470? Well, don't write that check just yet. Japan's Nikkei business daily is reporting that Toyota is prepping a new version of its upcoming Prius that could cost as low as $20,510. Oh the decisions.
Official pricing for the 2010 Honda Insight was announced today and as expected it will be the cheapest hybrid vehicle on the market when it goes on sale later this year.
Of course, Honda will boast that the base Insight LX starts below $20K, but adding the unavoidable destination fee pushes the base price to $20,470.
The higher end Insight EX will run you $21,970. Add navigation and the price tops out at $23,770.
You may have seen the thought-provoking headline, "Hybrids Gather Dust at AutoNation Dealerships," on the Marketwatch website last week. The article describes a recent speech by AutoNation CEO Mike Jackson in which he supposedly said that his dealerships have some 600,000 hybrids "that no one wants."
A frightening number eh? Well, it was to John O'Dell who authors our own Green Car Advisor site as that number would amount to roughly half of all the hybrids ever sold in the U.S. With that in mind, O'Dell called an AutoNation spokesman to get a little clarification.
Turns out, Mr. Jackson didn't say his dealerships had 600,000 hybrids on hand. What they have is a 60-days supply, which according to O'Dell's calculation equates to roughly 34,000 hybrids based on current sales rates. So yeah, slightly less than readers of the Marketwatch article were led to believe.
It's been rumored for weeks and now it's official. Honda has announced the sale of its Honda Racing Formula 1 (HRF1) team to Ross Brawn, the former team principal.
Hopefully this means Honda will be able to redirect some resources into more important projects, like a revived NSX program and better looking Acuras.
The 2009 Geneva Auto Show occupied most of our time this week, so when the February sales numbers came out on Tuesday we overlooked the bad news.
And bad it was, with almost all major automakers reporting double-digit drops in year-over-year sales. And it wasn't just the domestics either, as Honda, Nissan and Toyota all crashed by more than 37%.
Clearly, it's going to take more than just bailout money to get the auto industry going. Without foot traffic, no car company will be able to sustain its current operations. Any suggestions?
We've got some serious number crunchers around here at the Edmunds corporate megaplex. So serious, in fact, that they don't even have to wait until the end of the month to call the sales numbers.
And their predictions for February? Not surprising, yet still slightly shocking.
How about Chrysler down 53.1% year over year? And Ford? Down 47.5%, GM off 46.2%.
A Big Three problem? Not really.
Try Toyota down 38.9% while Nissan is expected to drop 32.9%. Even Honda could be off 32.1%.
Then again, these are only predictions. It could be worse.
Amidst one of the worst automotive markets in the company's history, Honda once again turned to its engineering ranks to for a CEO. Takanobu Ito, a senior managing director and former head of Honda's R&D operations, will take over from current CEO Takeo Fukui in June.
With little experience in marketing or finance, it is unclear how Ito will attempt to improve Honda business operations. If anything, his appointment reaffirms Honda's quaint belief that knowing something about cars is essential to running a car company.
Expect to see continued devotion to research and development on Ito's watch. No word yet on the fate of Honda's social media efforts, but don't expect this engineer to grasp the transformational power of the emerging medium.
It's the European version of our Acura TSX, of course, but it has a more potent version of Honda's 2.2-liter i-DTEC diesel four-cylinder engine that is definitely not for us. For starters, it only comes with a manual gearbox. If you wanted to keep arguing, we'd refer you to the economy, high diesel prices, the economy, tough U.S. emission standards and the economy.
But it's nice to imagine how our TSX would feel with this turbodiesel four, which is rated at 177 horsepower at 4,000 rpm and 280 pound-feet of torque at 2,000 rpm. That's not much hp, but torque is what our TSX needs more of, given its modest 172 lb-ft at 4,400 rpm.
Eventually, though, Honda will get around to putting a V6 in the TSX and we'll forget all about the Euro-spec Honda Accord Type S. You're not seeing the actual Type S here, of course, as that car will have a new 18-inch wheel design and special badging, along with two exclusive paint choices -- Premium White Pearl and Basque Red. We'd be shocked if the car in the show booth wasn't Basque Red, and even more shocked if it wasn't the Tourer (wagon) body style.
The 2010 Honda Insight went on sale today in Japan with a sticker price of 1.89 million yen. Convert that to good ol' American dollars and that's only $20,640 at current conversion rates.
Honda has said that the Insight will be the least-expensive hybrid in the U.S. when it goes on sale this spring, so don't be surprised if the American side of the operation finds a way to get that price down to $19,999.
The 2010 Honda Insight is scheduled to go on sale in the U.S. on April 22, but Honda officials told us that the company will start shipping them to dealers as soon as the first boatload makes landfall which could happen in late March.
If Honda's internal focus groups didn't already conclude there's a need for an Accord wagon, this hapless L.A. resident is proof positive that an Accord wagon would be a welcome addition to the Honda lineup.
Even without such obvious examples of need, Honda was already hard at work on a new Accord-based crossover. A U.S. patent application was approved two weeks ago complete with sketches of what looks like an Accord wagon.
And then just last week, Temple of VTEC secured some clear spy photos of a more utilitarian-looking Accord wagon. It's a dead ringer for the production model and far better looking that the Toyota Venza. Expect to see it on sale as early as the fourth quarter of 2009.
The Honda S2000 is officially dead. In a brief statement released today, Honda said 2009 will be the final model year for its high-performance roadster. No reason was given for the termination, but Honda did mention that the program was originally conceived as a limited-edition tribute to the company's 50th anniversary.
The announcement effectively puts Honda out of the sportscar business entirely given the recent termination of the NSX program. For a company that has drawn so much inspiration from its racing activities, this can't be good for morale.
There could be some hope on the horizon, however, if recent rumors of an Acura-badged roadster similar to the S2000 are indeed true. Then again, other rumors suggest that Honda is scraping the planned roll out of rear-wheel drive Acuras and their corresponding V8 engines, so the planned revival of the S2000 seems unlikely to escape the axe.
According to Automotive News the Tokyo Motor Show, currently scheduled for October 23rd through November 8th, might be cancelled due to lack of manufacturer interest.
This might say all sorts of things about the current state of the car world, the current state of the world economy or the current state of other big, important things. What it says to us however, is that we might be deprived of the one of our favorite auto shows.
What will the world be without Tokyo-show concept cars that glow-in-the-dark, are powered by mutant squirrels and can be folded up to fit in a suit case? We do not want to consider such a fate. And who will step in to provide replacements the world's greatest car names such as D-Bone, Fuya-jo and Begin Funkybox? Nobody, that's who.
A decision on whether to go ahead with the show is expected within a month. In the meantime we've gathered some examples of what will be lost should this come to pass.
Well, no one was really expecting a huge showing from the Big Three, but it's the absence of several of the Asian automakers that will really make this year's show seem slow. With nothing from Acura, Hyundai, Infiniti, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan or Suzuki, the show schedule is a little light. Much of the void will be sucked up by some major debuts by Honda and Toyota along with a few interesting additions from Kia and Subaru for good measure.
Osamu Suzuki, president of Suzuki Motors, is quite worried as to what the Detroit domino effect may have on the smaller Japanese brands.
His feeling is that it could result in fewer Japanese car manufacturers. Smaller brands like Suzuki, Subaru, Mitsubishi, Mazda and Isuzu could be impacted in a way in which they may not survive; at least as we currently know them, or at all.
Says Suzuki: "There is a time-lag between what is happening with the Big Three US carmakers and the impact that will have in Japan. It is as if tsunami waves are rolling toward Japanese shores. I believe a real wave will hit us around July or August next year, with car sales hitting rock bottom."
He went on to say that the world was "entering a period in which more than ten Japanese carmakers could be consolidated into a Japan Big Three."
Images from the JDM-spec Honda Insight brochure have popped up over at Temple of VTEC (here), a Honda/Acura fan site. In addition, there's a video that shows the Insight as it progressed from the concept to what will go on sale.
Thanks to the poor exchange rate of the strengthening yen, the UK importer of Subaru has put the importation of the new Impreza diesel on hold.
"At the current rate we would have to charge vastly more than we can justify for the diesel Impreza if we were to make a profit. As a result we can't guarantee when the car will go on sale as we can't predict when the economy will change."
The situation with the yen is causing problems with other Japanese automakers as well. In fact Straightline just reported that Honda may be forced to more some of their operations out of Japan if things don't change. (Might Honda's headquarters leave Japan?).
Honda's Chief Executive Takeo Fukui is hinting (threatening?) that Honda might move their corporate headquarters out of Japan, as a protest to the Japanese government's strengthening of the yen.
"If the government is saying, 'We don't care about the export industry', then that's fine -- we'll act accordingly," Chief Executive Takeo Fukui told a small group of reporters in an interview on Friday.
"If we go beyond (100 yen), we would simply have to transfer more production overseas, cut more temporary workers and even start laying off permanent jobs," he said.
"Beyond that we could switch to importing more cars into Japan, bring research and development facilities overseas, and in an extreme scenario move our headquarters offshore. It would cause nothing short of a hollowing out of Japanese industry."
This time last year, would anyone have predicted what's transpired over these last 12 months in the financial or auto industry? Amazing. Simply amazing.
Chevy will debut an all-new 2010 Equinox CUV at the upcoming NAIAS. The vehicle will be available with either a 2.4L, 182 hp, 4-cylinder model; or a 3.0 V6 putting out 255 hp. Both models have direct injection, will be available in either FWD or AWD, and will be coupled to a 6-speed automatic.
The vehicle looks good and the spec sheet is pretty impressive. The question is, can Chevrolet convince customers cross-shopping the CR-V, RAV4 and Escape to pick this new Equinox over those models?
Chalk it up as being one more victim of the lousy economy. Acura has canceled plans for the front-engined V10 supercar. Look for Honda/Acura to put far more focus in hybrids, rather than horsepower in the future.
A little over a week ago Honda announced that they were dropping their F1 team (Audi and Honda drop racing teams), and now they have announced that they are also pulling out of AMA road racing with their bikes (here). With the bikes there is a sub-plot in that there are a lot of bike teams upset with the new AMA road-racing governing body (Daytona Motorsports Group), so I guess this financial mess was the last straw.
Porsche and Subaru too!
After the announcement of Audi pulling out of the American Le Mans Series, we now have learned that Porsche too is pulling out of this racing venue (here).
Subaru is leaving the WRC as well (here). This is a company that has spent 20 years in the WRC!. At least SOA is continuing with their effort in the American Rally series. Wow, talk about a collapse of the racing industry.
Well, this is good news. Subaru, unlike many other automakers, is not bailing from the 2009 NAIAS. In fact they will have a new concept to be displayed.
My guess is that it will be a close-to-production--much like several recent Honda and Acura concepts (Pilot, Ridgeline, TL, etc.)--2010 Legacy or Outback. The last time these models were introduced, back in 2004, the Legacy was introduced first at Detroit with the Outback being announced a month later at Chicago. I suspect that will be the case again this time.
A sure sign of the lousy economic times, Audi has announced that it will not support a factory effort in the 2009 Le Mans racing series. No word as to whether a private team might pick up where Audi is leaving off.
Honda has released an image of the production version of their Prius-fighter, the Insight hybrid.
Some may say it's a Prius rip-off, and that's cool. I don't think so. Regardless it's still better looking than the Prius. I predict Honda has another hit on their hands here--if they can convince people to buy cars once again.
When was the last time that you saw Ford having a better month than either Toyota or Honda, at least in terms of sales loss percentages?
"I've been in the industry nearly 28 years and never have seen anything even remotely close to this," states Mark LaNeve, GM's North American vice president of sales. "It's breathtaking."
It just gets uglier every month, and one has to wonder how much worse will it get? Oh wait... Domestic Motors and Congress have yet to do their second Doe-See-Doe. It could get much worse folks...
The new Honda Insight hybrid will monitor your driving via a color-coded instrument cluster. Called Ecological Drive Assist, the speedometer will change color as you drive more aggressively. If you're playing by the rules (being good) the background will display green. If, however, you drive with more abandon, the background color will change from green to various shades of blue, depending on how aggressive your driving is.
That's what AutoObserver is reporting--and it's sure to have more than a few Honda and Acura fans more than just a tiny bit upset.
Why wait until 2015, is what they will be crying? That engine should have debuted with this generation Acura RL, and now they have to wait another 7 years--SEVEN YEARS!
Perhaps finally putting an end to rumors that unibody trucks can't cut it (um, nah... that'll never happen...), a Honda Ridgeline took first place in the "Stock Mini Class" in the 41st SCORE Baja 1000. Piloted by Gavin Skilton, the Ridgeline battled Rod Hall in Hummer H3, and Ryan Millan in a Toyota FJ Cruiser, for the win.
To me--as a potential customer--this is far more meaningful than an overall win by some purpose-built off-road racer. At least vehicles in this [Stock Mini] class are reasonably close to something that you and I can buy.
One of the trends at this year's L.A. show was active fuel economy coaching. Honda showed its FC Sport fuel-cell prototype with its videogame-like eco assist system. The display shows your eco score with blossoming flowers. A similar system will be on the new Insight hybrid. Ford has its own coaching system on the 2010 Fusion/Mercury Milan hybrids with EcoGuide (shown below). So if you have to drive a boring fuel sipper, at least you can entertain yourself by making a game out of your hypermiling.
Albert Austria, Senior Vehicle Evaluation Engineer
When Honda lifted the cover from their FC Sport concept, someone behind me let out an involuntary "whoa!" We weren't expecting anything as extreme as this when Honda veep Dan Bonawitz teased the concept's unveiling as "something to think about and hope for."
This sports car exercise by Honda's Southern California design center was spearheaded by designer Jason Wilbur, who claims inspiration from "hexagonal cellular structures" superimposed on a more organic form. The result is stunning -- the FC Sport is radical, like a Civic Si Transformer whose robot form is a stormtrooper.
Pictures don't do this concept justice, but I snapped a bunch of them so that your mind can try to get around it.
Retired F1 champ Michael Schumacher will ride a Honda in the World Superbike Championship next year. Schumacher has dabbled in bike racing before, as reported here on Straightline (Michael Schumacher to race Honda CBR1000RR).
"Michael is convinced that the German championship is right for him at the moment," Honda Racing's Carlo Fiorani was quoted as saying by Gazzetta dello Sport. "For the moment he has not asked us to race in the 2009 world championship.
"But if he wants to, there is a way for him (to do it). All he has to do is ask us."
Schumacher has stated that he's not looking for a new career here, but rather this a "hobby" for him. Not a bad way to keep busy in retirement, I'd say...
Think a collapse of one or more of the Detroit automakers would be a good thing for Toyota, Nissan or Honda? If you do, you would be wrong. Very wrong. All the automakers are tied into suppliers which service all these brands. It would be a lose-lose situation for all involved.
"We're deeply concerned," said Mike Goss, a spokesman for Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Inc. in Erlanger, Ky. "Seventy-five percent of the vehicles we build in North America are sourced in North America, and many of those suppliers are shared with the Big Three."
The supply industry, which is made up of roughly 6,000 firms in North America, two-thirds of them in the United States, "is an integrated system," said Sean McAlinden, vice president of research at the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor. "It's a house of cards. You knock down enough of the cards in the bottom rows and it all goes down for months," he said. "It's going to cost Toyota and Honda a great deal if this happens," McAlinden said. "They're incredibly worried."
Honda is advancing humanoid robotic possibilities with the announcement of a walking assist machine. It's aimed at factory workers and the elderly. While still in the experimental stage, don't be surprised if you see Honda offering something like this in the future.
Honda introduces an all-new Life minicar for the Japanese market. The new Life is the first minicar in Japan to include an audio system with a backup camera as standard equipment. As you can see by the link, there are several faces one can choose.
With the Smart already on sale, and Toyota considering selling their iQ, do you think Honda should consider selling something like this here?
Amidst the overwrought, the overweight and the over-the-top at the 2008 SEMA Show, the Honda Civic HFP Concept appears to be an oasis of simplicity. It is a Civic Si sedan with some weight taken out of it.
Addressing the crowd at Honda's SEMA booth, James Roach, senior vice president of parts and service for American Honda, said that, given the inevitability of high gas prices (and general doom, we imagine), "it is likely that consumers seeking to maximize the performance of their vehicle will want to do it without compromising fuel economy."
So the Civic HFP Concept has a lightweight exhaust system and lightweight wheels with aerodynamic covers. No mention of brakes, but we wonder if cooling might be an issue. The skirts on the car are also aero pieces, and even the seats are lighter than the Civic Si's stock seats. Not many details on suspension, other than a mention that it's an adjustable setup from Showa.
We have a feeling that "lighter" may soon become the performance-enhancing philosophy of almost every manufacturer.
Honda is keenly aware of the fact that some of you are buying its subcompact Fit simply because you like small, efficiently designed cars -- rather than because it's an economic last resort. Hence, at the 2008 SEMA Show, you're seeing the Mugen Accessories 2009 Honda Fit Sport, which has all sorts of cosmetic enhancements that you can buy from dealers a la carte or as a kit in the spring of 2009.
On the outside, there are 16-inch "black metal coat" wheels that look suspiciously chrome-y (and presumably are the same size as the Sport's stock wheels), all manner of underbody spoilers and oh-so-stylish trapezoidal exhaust finishers that are only a tad disingenuous on a car with a single exhaust. Inside, there's an aluminum-topped short-throw shifter and aluminum-trimmed pedals, which are quite tasteful. But the lighting was too harsh in Honda's booth, so you'll have to take our word for it.
Is Honda going to scrap their U.S. diesel plans? Maybe. Straightline just reported that Acura may not offer a diesel automatic (Acura TSX engine news), and now we get this news as well. The rising cost of materials and diesel fuel has Honda taking a second look on offering diesels here.
Recent media reports that Honda has been suppressing proliferation of its Civic GX, hailed by environmental advocates as "the greenest car in America," have stung the otherwise respected carmaker. It has refused to answer those in the CNG industry and media asking for a response and has dubbed some of its critics as "extremists" that the company need not answer or engage. At the same time, the company has persisted in its refusal to sell GX cars to those who want them and has now abruptly terminated the much-touted deal to sell T. Boone Pickens its control of the Fuelmaker company which produces the all-important home refueling device, Phill. Sources at Honda suggest the firm may be waiting to see if the negative attention dies down.
It's well known that racing has contributed heavily to the design and engineering of vehicles that you and I drive. With that thought in mind the LA Auto Show will feature a display of what future race cars might be like in 2025, what they may offer in terms of technology and safety; and ultimately, how that might be applied to ordinary cars sometime in the future.
The designs are part of the fifth annual Los Angeles Auto Show's Design Challenge, where studios including Audi, BMW, GM, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and Volkswagen are pitted against each other to showcase their talents and further explore new ideas in automotive design.
According to Jalopnik, (via PriusChat.comhere) this is the real deal.
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We sat down with Toyota PR this morning, showed them the pictures and they've confirmed that yes, this is the new 2010 Toyota Prius set to be revealed officially at the Detroit Auto Show in January. And yeah, that's all they're willing to tell us at this time.
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Okay, so there you have it. The only image link here that I question is the first thumbnail which clearly shows a different headlight and foglight treatment from the full-view image.
Interesting that a Toyota spokesman confirmed this with both Inside Line and Jalopnik. The fact that the Toyota guy didn't seem upset, and wiith all the "buzz" surrounding the new less expensive (and very handsome) Honda Insight, you gotta wonder if the leak was planned.
Because of the ongoing auto sales slump, Honda will re-focus on selling sedans, and will cut production on SUV and minivans.
That's both bad news and good news. The bad news is Honda will be selling less high-profit vehicles. The good news is that more Honda sedans that will be built will come from Honda's American factories. That means few if any American Honda factory workers will lose jobs, as these formally building SUVs, etc., will now be reassigned to building cars. It also means that 80% of all Hondas sold will be built domestically, as fewer units will be imported.
"We are trying to use our plant flexibility to minimize the effects of the market going down and satisfy our customers' desire for more cars and fewer trucks," said Honda spokesman Ed Miller.
Lots of rumors flying about as to what the replacement for the Honda S2000 might be. One of which is a 3.0 V6-powered sports car. Other rumors include a larger 2.5 4-cylinder engine, a convertible version of the CR-Z sports car, as well as a sports car with styling cues taken from the OSM (pictured).
So, if you were heading Honda's S-2000 replacement team, what would you push for? What kind of vehicle do you think would be a worthy successor to the S-2000?Full story here.
Now before you write this off as merely a silly stylistic concept, you just might want to hold off a bit. Yeah, it's only a "dream bike" which hints at what Honda may be up to with their two-wheelers, but it's more than that--much more.
What's really unique here is that Honda may be reviving their oval cylinder engine design once again. Anyone who has followed Honda's 2-wheeled GP history knows that back in 1979 Honda experimented with an oval cylinder V-4 GP racer called the NR500 (here) (engine pictured below); and without much success, I might add.
Why oval cylinders, you ask? It allowed for the use of 8 valves per cylinder as well as 2 plugs per cylinder, In doing so Honda was able to get power levels comparable to an 8-cylinder engine of that era, but without the size and weight of an 8-cylinder engine. So imagine an 32-valve, 8-plug, sorta 8-cylinder, 500cc engine, if you will.
Apparently this oval cylinder concept has not died, but rather has been honed over the intervening years to the point in which it may see production some day. Now fast-forward this thinking a bit, and imagine an oval-cylinder, 8-valve/2-plug Honda car. It's not as wild as you may think, as much of the high-tech engineering that you see in Honda cars first started on their bikes.
This new Honda concept is being shown at Intermot, a.k.a. the Cologne Motorcycle Show.
Now that all the cars have been laid bare for everyone to see, oggle, berate or just ignore, AutoObserver offers their opinion as to what works and what doesn't work at this latest Parisianne offering.
So what's your take? Do you agree with AO? Or do you have some favorites that you just love to hate, or love to love?
As to me? I disagree with them on the Honda Insight, even though it may well resemble a Prius. Both these cars were wind tunnel-designed--and when you're going for max fuel mileage, the wind tunnel will always win over visual distinction. Prius-like or not, the Insight (left) is better looking than the Prius; plus I see a lot of Honda FCX Clarity (right) styling there as well.
Helio Castroneves, two-time winner of of the Indy 500, and winner of Dancing with the Stars, has along with two others, been indicted for tax evasion.
Castroneves, a U.S. resident, was indicted by a grand jury on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States of income taxes and with six separate counts of income tax evasion for tax years 1999 through 2004. Also charged in the indictment were Helio Castroneves' sister and business manager, Katiucia Castroneves of Miami, and his attorney, Alan R. Miller of Michigan.
It's alleged that Castroneves, by using an offshore Panamanian shell corporation -- Seven Promotions Corporation (Seven Promotions) -- fraudulently concealed from the IRS income received from two sources: Coimex Internacional SA (Coimex) and Penske Racing Inc. (Penske).
Castroneves, if convicted, could be facing serious jail time.
"Taxpayers, small and large, famous and not famous, should be aware of the enormously severe consequences they face if they fraudulently use offshore accounts to hide income, including potentially going to prison, paying back all their taxes plus interest and penalties, and being branded a felon for the rest of their lives," said Nathan J. Hochman, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department's Tax Division.
There's an interesting comment over in AutoObserver today, regarding the just-introduced at Paris Honda Insight concept:
Fuel economy? Somewhere close to the Civic hybrid,...
Okay, if that's the case, then what's the point? Shouldn't this car get better--if not significantly better--gas mileage than the Civic hybrid? Is this just going to be a styling statement much like the original '60s-era Karmann Ghia VW, a "designer hybrid," so to speak? Is this Insight merely something in which owners can drive around whispering to the neighbors that, hey, I'm green?
Sort of reminds me of a while back when Bentleys and Roll-Royces were identical, save for the grille. It was often said that Bentley owners were a bit more restrained, and that they, unlike RR owners, didn't want to announce their wealth so much.
For the big six automakers, September 2008 was a month that couldn't have ended soon enough. It was bad, folks. Really bad. First it was the fuel crisis, and then a sucker punch better known as the financial and credit debacle was all it took for it to get Quasimodo-like ugly. In fact this was the first time in more than 15 years that fewer than 1 million units were sold.
CNW Research said in an e-mail report that "during the final 10 days of September, floor traffic (in auto dealerships) fell more than 50 percent versus a year ago -- the worst showing since CNW began keeping track in 1986." CNW Research's Art Spinella said, "Manufacturer incentives aren't pulling in the crowds."
And I suspect it may get worse. Speaking as someone who may very well be forced into the car market because of my recent accident -- I haven't a clue as to what I'm going to do if that comes to pass. The credit situation is so screwed up, I don't know if I will be able to qualify for a car loan; and if I do, what sort of strings are going to be attached to the loan agreement? Will I be able to get the loan amount that I want/need? Will I be forced into buying something I really don't want?
Now just imagine a nation of car buyers who are in similar shoes that I'm wearing. Nope, the future looks pretty grim for carmakers for some time to come.
Weeks ago Honda released images and basic information on its Insight hybrid concept. So what can we add, having now seen it in person? Well, it's a fair bit more glittery than we expected, what with its searing white LEDs front and rear. Also, the wheels, which are unlikely to make it to production, are really very unattractive.
The production version, which goes on sale next year, is powered by a 1.3-liter engine along with Honda's familiar IMA electric-motor assist. Honda has taken a page from Toyota's book, making a specific body for the hybrid (as it did back before the turn of the century with the original two-seat Insight). The similarities to the Prius in its basic shape are undeniable once you see the thing in person. It's not a pretty thing. But Honda will do Toyota one better by undercutting the Prius' price. It's expected to start at less than $20,000. -- Daniel Pund, Senior Editor, Detroit
Like most people, it looks like the Honda Element is getting conservative with old age. Autoblog has posted a scan from the 2009 Element brochure, and as you can see, some of the more "youthful" styling cues have been put out to pasture.
So does this mean that Honda has discovered that the Element is more appealing to geezers than youngsters? Or has Honda discovered that there's more bucks in appealing to an audience with, well, more bucks?
Honda has declared that the upcoming all-new Fit hybrid is not a good fit for the United States. Why? It will compete with the also all-new Honda Insight hybrid, which will be launched next spring.
"There are no plans to bring it to the U.S.," states Honda spokesperson Sage Marie.I'm not sure I agree with that, as the Fit offers customers different packaging in terms of interior. I think there's room for both models. I say bring in the Insight first. Let it get all the initial press and hoopla; then bring over the Fit hybrid once the Insight is firmly established here.Here's Green Car Advisor's take: Dashing Hopes, Honda Says Fit Hybrid is Not for U.S.
As promised, Honda lifted the curtain today on their all-new Prius-fighter hybrid. In doing so Honda resurected the name Insight, which was first applied to their 70 mpg 2-seat hybrid of a few years back.
This concept, like all recent Honda concepts is almost showroom-ready. Also like all Hondas, it is far more attractive (in my eyes) than the corresponding Toyota model that it would compete with.
The Insight will go on sale next spring, and is expected to undercut the Prius by $2K or so, starting at just under $20,000.
As in July, only Nissan of the Big Six automakers, showed a profit. As compared to August of last year, sales for the auto industry are down roughly 15 percent.
One of the surprises here is that, unlike the rest of the industry, several of Nissan's trucks and SUVs had a really good month. Their formerly slow-selling Frontier midsize pickup broke out with 56-percent leap in August, totaling 9,140 sales. The Xterra SUV showed an incredible 77-percent increase with 8,208 units sold. One thing I'm happy to see is that Subaru continues to surprise with a 14 percent gain over last August. The new Forester had a 73 percent increase over last August!Here's AutoObserver's take: Auto Sales Still Dismal in August - But At Least It Wasn't July
Originally planned to debut at the Paris auto show, Honda is now planning on teasing us with some pictures of their new hybrid-specific sedan on September 4. It should be noted, as per recent Honda debuts, that what will be shown will be a close-to-production "concept," and not the finished product. Don't you just loved to be toyed with this way?
Whatever. We'll take it. The actual concept--in 3-D, will be on display at the Paris show.
John Kingston, Honda UK environmental manager, said the new model was critical to Honda's future. "It is a very important car for Honda and our future direction," he said, adding: "This is a car that will change customer perception of hybrids."
AutoExpress is stating that the next-generation Civic will borrow styling cues from the recently shown OMS concept. Four comments:
1) It's AutoExpress, a Brit car site, so take that for what it's worth.
2) The Euro-Civic is a very different car from the Civic we get. So these illustrations, if anywhere near true, likely reflect what Europe might get--and not us. Then again, who knows? There is certainly a resurgence of interest in this type of stubby hatchback here in the USA.
3) It makes sense. Why else would Honda show this OMS in at the British Motor Show if they didn't have some ulterior motive?
4) It looks great! If you want to see something like this here, ya gotta pray to the Honda God.
Not much on this other than a couple of links, but it sounds like Subaru may be considering a building a small business jet, something along the lines of the HondaJet.
Mechanical engineer Matthew Saroff is reporting it on his blog. He got the info from Aviation Week (here registration required).
This is not entirely surprising, given Subaru's aeronautical background. I do agree with Saroff that it seems to be a pretty risky endeavor, but I also admit to knowing nothing about that market.
Apparently there is a new "Super" lithium-ion battery on the horizon, and Honda is hot to get there hands on it for their next-generation hybrids.
The new battery will allow the batteries to charge much more quickly. This, in turn, will allow for an increased amount of battery capacity that can be assigned to actually powering the motor. And more power means that the Honda's Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system can be employed for larger, heavier vehicles.
Nissan has been relatively quiet when it comes to some eco-tech stuff, at least in comparison to Toyota and Honda, which are Nissan's primary competitors. That's about to change, as they just showed an all-electric car prototype, which is reportedly going on sale here in 2010. The car is FWD and uses lithium-ion batteries and a newly developed 80kW motor and inverter.Here's Inside Line's take: Nissan Previews Its Chevrolet Volt Fighter
Honda has tweaked their mid-size/full-size-lite Ridgeline for 2009.
Beside the new front facia and rear bumper, the interior gets massaged as well. Interior enhancements include revised gauges, a new steering wheel design, and improved HVAC, audio, cruise and headlight controls. Also new for 2009 is the addition of Bluetooth HandsFreeLink on the Ridgeline RTL equipped with the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System, a 115-volt power outlet on the Ridgeline RTL and an MP3/auxiliary input jack on the Ridgeline RTS and above. The '09 Ridgeline also gets active front seat head restraints and daytime running lights.
Finally, the vehicle gets 3 more horsepower (now 250), 2 more foot-pounds of torque (now 247) and revised gear ratios for better acceleration. 18" wheels come with top trim models. Some folks were predicting a V6 diesel might show up, but not this year apparently.
The above cell phone image of a JDM Honda Odyssey was spotted in Palos Verdes, CA recently. The car was wearing "3421" manufacturer license plates, which apparently Honda uses.
So what's going on here? Might Honda be considering bringing over their smaller more wagon-like home-market Odyssey.
Good news on the carbon fiber front: There's a news report saying that Toray Industries Inc., Nissan Motor Co. and Honda Motor Co. will be working as a team to develop a new carbon fiber material for use in auto bodies; the goal being to develop mass-market carbon fiber cars.The hope is to create mass production technology for the new material by the mid-2010s. If successful, they could save up to 40% lighter than their steel counterparts--and that's huge folks!Carbon fiber is one-quarter the weight of iron, but is 10 times as strong. High prices have been a major obstacle to the widespread use of carbon fiber in cars, but that's changing as the price of steel continues to rise.Full story here.
Honda says their eco-friendly OSM, or Open Study Model, (Honda teases with OSM sketch) is merely a concept, exploring new design themes. That's hard to believe as this car looks almost production-ready as is. Many think this hints at what the next S2000 might evolve into, or even at the up-coming CR-Z.
Honda has a pair of new hybrids that will soon be hitting dealers. The first being an updated version of the existing Civic hybrid, and the second to be a true dedicated Prius-fighter.
From the image above, the Civic appears to be getting a mild facelift. As to whether there are any mechanical upgrades, that's not known at the moment.
The as of yet unnamed Prius-fighter (top image) is the one that's sure to get the most attention, as it was designed from day one to be a hybrid--and only a hybrid. It's expected in dealers around the end of 2010. It was also designed to do battle with the incredibly successful Toyota Pruis. Heck, it even looks a bit like a Prius in overall shape.
If you're wondering what the 2009 Honda Ridgeline is going to look like, here's your answer. Caught during hot weather testing in Death Valley, this Ridgeline prototype had so little camouflage that we suspect its official unveil is imminent.
Other than the Pilot front end, we don't expect many changes for the unibody pickup. It will most likely get the same engine upgrades found in the Pilot, so expect a V6 with 250 horsepower and 253 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed automatic will feed a full-time all-wheel drive system. Expect to see the 2009 Honda Ridgeline at dealers this fall.
Might this be a hint of the next Honda S2000? No according to Honda spokesman Steve Kirk. Well, then, what about the upcoming CR-Z? Might we see some styling cues from this end up on that model? Don't know, and Honda ain't tellin.'
This OSM (Open Study Model) will be shown at the upcoming London show. So I guess we'll just have to wait until then to learn more.
More evidence of the world-wide popularity of the Korean auto giant Hyundai-Kia, as they passed Honda in global sales in 2007. Hyundai-Kia is now ranked fifth in terms, which is previously the rank Honda held.
The Korean automaker was ranked 11th place in 1999, but moved up to 5th place in 2007 by out-selling rivals such as Honda, Nissan, PSA / Peugeot, Chrysler and Fiat.
Now Hyundai-Kia's global sales for 2007 were 3,961,629, whereas Honda sold 3,831,000 vehicles. Hyundai-Kia has shot up six places in just eight years, according to Automotive News' 2008 Global Data Book.
The upcoming hybrid Honda CR-Z 2+2 sport coupe won't have that market to itself for long as Nissan is working on a direct competitor. Not much is known at the moment other than it will be small, FWD and it will be a hybrid. Rumors include a 6-speed DSG, possible Brembo brakes, and the engine will be around 1500cc.
While these images are pure speculation, it's interesting to to note that the grille strongly hints "Infiniti," and not "Nissan." Hmmm...
Here's something I bet you didn't know: 82 percent of Honda and Acura vehicles are shipped via rail.
The reason behind this is that rail shipment of vehicles is the most environmentally-responsible way to get their vehicles to the dealers, and with Honda being the "green" company that they are, this is the "natural" choice. So Honda has developed a new type of multi-level rail car, called Auto-Max, that can hold up to 22 vehicles, both cars and trucks, with the result being less fuel being used per vehicle during transport. In comparison, a normal rail vehicle carrier can only hold 10 vehicles...
A couple of days ago Straightline posted an entry in which Honda CEO Takeo Fukui had issued an edict stating that the new NSX "must" beat the Nissan GT-R's "Ring lap record (Honda NSX "must" be faster than GT-R at the 'Ring). Now we learn that Honda, with their first trip to the Nürburging with this new car, just posted a 7:37 lap, which is within eight seconds of the Nissan GT-R's 7:29 lap record for a production car.
So if you had any doubts before, this is a sure indicator that the 'Ring lap time race is off and running...
Man, this Nürburgring lap record thing has really taken off. Might the word "obsession" be even a better descriptor?
Ever since the Nissan GT-R recently posted a record-breaking time, we've Cadillac, Honda and others going after the 'Ring's brass ring, so to speak... So here's Porsche too trying to cash in here—which makes sense, as they have perhaps the most to gain (or lose) by posting record lap time times there...
The upcoming Honda NSX "must" be faster than Nissan GT-R around Nurburgring is the ultimatum set forth by Honda CEO Takeo Fukui.
The NSX project engineers have their work cut out for them, for sure. Early info on the car suggest it will have a front-mounted 550 hp 5.5L V10 with cylinder deactivation capability, and will use a 8-speed paddle-shifting automatic. All that power will be sent to all four wheels via a beefed up version of the Acura SH-AWD...
In a ceremony in Japan, and amidst some celebrity customers, Honda has announced that production of their fuel cell-powered FCX Clarity has begun. U.S. sales (leases actually) will be limited to SoCal, as that's where most of the hydrogen refueling stations are located, plus it makes it relatively easy for Honda to keep tabs on these vehicles.
AutoObserver is reporting that the new Honda Hybrid (a.k.a. Prius fighter) may resurrect the name 'Insight.' Not a bad idea if you ask me, as that name is clearly associated as being one of the "greenest" names in all of automotivedom. However, unlike the original 2-seat Insight (pictured), expect this version to be a 5-seat hatchback, and therefore having a much wider appeal.
The vehicle is expected to be shown at the next Detroit auto show in January...
Great news for fuel cell advocates, as Honda has announced that deliveries of the fuel cell-powered Clarity will begin in July, as well as providing news as to where these cars can be obtained here in the USA.
Film producer Ron Yerxa will take delivery of the first FCX Clarity in July. Other early adopters for Honda's next-generation fuel cell vehicle are author and actress Jamie Lee Curtis and her filmmaker husband Christopher Guest; business owner and car enthusiast Jim Salomon; actress Laura Harris; and Jon Spallino, who was already the world's first retail fuel cell vehicle customer. He had been been leasing a current generation FCX since 2005...
Now this is interesting: Honda is racing a Euro-Civic in the 2008 Intercontinental Rally Challenge. The car is racing in a class designed specifically for production 2WD cars with engines no more than 2.0 liters. The car is being campaigned by the Italian team Procar and JAS Motorsport. Reading this you gotta wonder if Honda has bigger plans for rally racing...
For the first time since 1991, the Ford F-150 has been pushed out of the number one selling slot by the Honda Civic (53,299). In fact the F-150 was also passed by the Toyota Corolla (52,826), Toyota Camry (51,291), and the Honda Accord (43,728). The F-150 came in fifth just 800 shy of the Accord (42,928). This just more evidence that the established order in the auto industry is quickly falling by the wayside...
Honda of Japan is targeting dog owners by offering dog-friendly accessories for your pooch. The program is called HondaDog.
I did a blog on this a year or two ago, but maybe it's time to revisit this site for those who didn't catch it the first time around. Besides I'm sure they've added some new dog goodies by now...
Yeah, the Ridgeline is posting a year-to-date loss in sales like other trucks, but not nearly as bad as a number of other trucks are. It seems like the public is taking a closer look at the Ridgeline these days, and is liking what they see; or at least liking it better as compared to what else is being offered out there.
As PickupTrucks.com noted, Honda has just released a new version of the Pilot, which builds upon the previous models strengths. A new Ridgeline is surely in the works as well...
Many of you may be too young to remember this, but that slogan and the 50cc Honda Cub, together, put Honda on the map here in the USA. The Cub dates back to 1958, and was sold here beginning in the early 1960s if memory serves me correctly. So, yeah, this is where it all began with Honda in the United States.
Much to my surprise, Honda is still selling the Cub in other markets, mostly Asian...
Here are some recent Honda news items that went up on Inside Line:
Priced: 2009 Honda Pilot Had a chance yesterday to check out the new Pilot. I didn't drive it, but I did examine it pretty throughly.
If I were in the market for a mid-size SUV—and based upon what I discovered in my admittedly brief encounter with the vehicle—the Pilot would likely be my choice, or at least be on my short list.
XM's NavTraffic feature is gaining popularity by leaps abounds. For 2009 it will be offered on more than 40 vehicles. Those automakers include GM, Honda/Acura, Nissan/Infiniti, and Toyota. The upcoming Hyundai Genesis will offer it, and GM is including the feature in 22 new vehicles this year...
Autoblog (via Motorcycle News) is reporting that seven-time F1 champ Michael Schumacher is to race a Honda CBR1000RR superbike this weekend at the IDM International German Motorbike Championship.
The relationship between motorcycle racing and car racing is nothing new. Many former bike racers, John Surtees and Mike Hailwood just to name two, all went on to become great car racers. What's unusual here is we have one of the best car racers ever going on to race a bike, which is the other way around...
Fresh off her Japanese IndyCar race win, Danica Patrick may be considering a possible run at F1. Back in 2005 Patrick had said:
"Every driver would love to drive a formula one car at some point in their life, so yeah. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a real, proper test.” Late last month she said she was "dead set" on giving it a try at some point.
Nick Fry, chief executive of Honda's F1 team recently stated:
"We haven’t instigated anything, but if Danica wanted to be test driver then we’d be more than happy to talk about it.”
While Honda and others are reaping the benefits from selling loads of smaller cars, the makers of big trucks an SUVs are taking it it on the chin. In it's latest move GM will cutting one shift in all four of their factories that make full-size pickups and SUVs. The cuts will occur at Pontiac, Flint, MI; Janesville, Wis; and Oshawa, Ontario.
States GM North America President Troy Clarke: “With rising fuel prices, a softening economy and a downward trend on current and future market demand for full-sized trucks, a significant adjustment was needed to align our production with market realities.”
Just the other day while out driving it seemed like at just about every other corner or block I was seeing a new Accord. I was thinking to myself that Honda must have struck gold with this latest makeover.
Well, it looks like I was right, as the new Accord outsold every vehicle—including the F-150, during the month of March. Perhaps a bigger surprise is the V6 model is selling in higher numbers than what Honda expected, even with the high gas prices...
In Japan Honda has announced a true "mini" minivan called the Freed. It's based on the Honda Fit, and will seat 5, 7, or 8 people depending on the configuration. It's powered by a 118 hp 1.5L engine, hooked up to a CVT.
Is this something Honda should consider selling this over here?
Here is a translated version of the French-speaking site Le Blog Auto that reported it, so bear in mind that there are a few goofy phrases in it...
Boy, do you think this would fly over here? That being a navigation unit that warns you that you are about to enter a high crime area? You can bet that civil rights advocates would jump on this like bees at a honey festival.
I guess that's not considered a discrimination issue in Japan, and it will be interesting to see how Honda does with this...
I think executives at Honda's Swindon, UK factory having been eating too many Twinkies (or not enough Twinkies?), as they have banned many forms of chocolate and cakes from the workers break rooms. That's right, employees no longer can chow down on these sweets while taking a bit of R&R at work.
A Honda spokesman said: "Our overall objective is to always deliver the highest quality product and we cannot compromise on achieving this." He added: "Therefore our company standards are an essential aspect of our business."
Jim D'Avila of Unite told BBC News: "They've barred things like fruit or any product with a biscuit in it so it's got to the ludicrous state where a Mars bar is ok but a Twix bar, because it has a biscuit base, isn't allowed.
There are stories up on the Net that, back in 1985, VW's Chairman Ferdinand Peich had wanted to buy Italian motorcycle maker Ducati. This was back when Ducati was in financial trouble, and could have been bought for a song.
...And apparently VW is still interested in acquiring Ducati according to a recent Bloomberg.com news item.
"I would still like a small, valuable motorcycle manufacturer," says Peich, who, at the age of 71, owns and rides a Ducati...
A week or so before the 2009 Honda Pilot was to debut, images of the production version have popped up on the Net. As you can see, not much has changed from the prototype that debuted at the Detroit Auto Show. The headlights, taillights, fog lamps, wheels and tires, along with a few other details have been tweaked, but that's about it.
As to what's under the skin, I guess we'll have to wait until April 15, which is when that info will be released...
Edmunds.com is conducting another consumer comparison test.
We want you to test-drive these 2008 economy sedans:
Honda Civic, Mazda MAZDA3, Mitsubishi Lancer, Toyota Corolla
Just like our last consumer test, we will send you to Willow Springs Raceway in California where you'll get to test the cars in a number of situations.
All you have to do is write an essay telling us why we should choose you. Make it good because competition will be stiff...
There remains much debate over the merits (and demerits) of lithium ion batteries as a viable power source for hybrids. Honda, a company often associated with being on the cutting edge of technology, is not so sure about lithium ion batteries, at least not just yet. Their upcoming Prius-fighter is likely to use proven battery technology, that is until lithium ion batteries have proven themselves.
Honda didn’t feel the need to make a fuss over the debut of the 2009 Fit today. No flashy displays, no weird dancers, not even throbbing music accompanied its unveil. Instead, Dick Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda, pretty much got up and read the press kit off a teleprompter. More room, more power, cleaner emissions, blah, blah, blah...
DISCLAIMER: Yes, this is a Subaru video. Yes, I'm a Subaru fan. Yes, the Forester and Legacy GT have different AWD systems (VDC on the GT which allows for 1-wheel traction, and not on '08 Forester, but is on '09 Forester). Yes, the Highlander and VW here are 2007 models, and therefore may not represent what's currently being sold...
A while back there were some rumblings about a possible Kia pickup. Now PickupTruck.com (here) has some more info on this vehicle.
Apparently it will be based on the next generation Kia Sorento, which will move to a FWD-based unibody. So it sounds like Kia is following the Honda Pilot/Ridgeline formula here...
We've done something a little unorthodox. Instead of comparing direct competitors, we put different types of vehicles together to find the best family car...
I'm all for extended test drives, as that's the only way to really get to know the vehicle before laying out the hard cash, but this is ridiculous...
Apparently an Australian took a new Honda Accord from a dealer in Melbourne to the town of Tennant Creek, which is deep into the Outback before being stopped by police.
The car dealer owner Ian McKenzie said the man would have had to have been in the car all day, every day to reach Tennant Creek. "He seemed a legitimate gentleman...
Interesting. Mitsubishi has invited Toyota to invest in a passenger jet plane project.
Toyota spokeswoman Kayo Doi said: "Mitsubishi Heavy has invited us to invest (in the venture) and we are considering it." To date no decision has been made by Toyota.
If Toyota decides to go forth with this, I wonder if FHI (Subaru) might also be involved, as they have a ton of aircraft experience, and are partially owned by Toyota?..
Although the official debut of the 2009 Acura TSX will happen at the 2008 New York Auto Show in a couple weeks, the European Honda Accord unveiled today in Geneva is a pretty good sneak peek. Its exterior is virtually identical as it uses the same shield grille up front and a sharply creased rear end. Inside, it’s all Accord though as the cabin looks identical to our larger U.S.-market version.
Like our TSX, the European Accord will offer a 197-hp 2.4-liter engine, but it also marks the introduction of Honda’s latest i-DTEC diesel engine...
Honda will be shifting all their motorcycle production back to Japan. This is a surprise—and is sure to get Harley Davidson riled up, as this means more "import" competition. Workers currently building bikes at their Marysville, Ohio plant will shifted over to the automobile side, so no jobs will be lost. The bikes that are affected are the large touring Gold Wings and VTX cruiser bikes...
Honda is looking into ways of using the heat energy lost through a car’s exhaust to help generate electricity and power an electric motor for future hybrid cars. Conventional internal combustion engines waste a lot of energy in creating heat. Applying a ‘Rankine cycle,’ which is a process in which hot exhaust gases are used to heat up a water reservoir, thus creating steam to spin a turbine, whereby electricity can be generated. This electricity can then be used to charge up an array of batteries and help power a hybrid-electric powertrain...
When I had my '98 Explorer, I kept my Class III trailer hitch attached to the vehicle. It was a good thing I did, as I was rear-ended several times during the time I owned it, and that rear hitch took the brunt of the hit, thus never damaging my vehicle.
Now there's a rear trailer hitch designed specifically for such impacts, in that it compresses to some degree when hit. This portable spare bumper protects your vehicle from rear end collision damage caused by tailgaters, uninsured motorists, bumper-to-bumper traffic, distracted drivers, inattentive cell phone users, drivers with poor judgment, text messengers and lousy parallel parkers...
An Autoblog reader sent them this shot of the next European Honda Accord Tourer getting gas. And as most of you know, the Euro-Accord is sold here as the Acura TSX. As you can see, there don't appear to be any surprises in terms of styling. No word yet as to what's under the skin...
In the spirit of the VW camper bus, Ursa Minor has converted the Honda Element into a mini camper of sorts, the ECAMPER.
Now on the surface this all sounds pretty cool. Keep in mind, however, that the Element has the worst payload rating of any truck on the market of just 675 pounds. So whatever you add in terms of vehicle curb weight, you must subtract from that payload rating; not good in this case...
Early reactions to the 2009 Honda Pilot concept that was shown at Detroit have been overwhelmingly negative. Much of the criticism has centered on the front end styling, but even the rest of the vehicle has taken hits by consumers.
There's been a lot of comments about it being too boxy, as many seem to prefer the swoopy styling of other vehicles like the Mazda CX9 and Nissan Murano. I disagree with that...
The Mugen Honda Fit F154SC is a pocket rocket that I could easily see in my garage, even if it is FWD and not AWD. As per other Mugens, it's a Honda that's been put on fast-forward.
The 1.5 engine has been supercharged, and now gives off 150 hp and 136 lb-ft of torque. It has the obligatory Mugen aero enhancements with the fenders getting STI-like blisters with exit scoops (front and rear) on the trailing edges, that surround some rather meaty tires...
This is a working prototype of Panasonic's new 16-inch in-car video screen. It can split and play two video sources or play one source in a variety of aspect ratios. This demo vehicle is a Saturn Outlook but look for it to show up in other all-new vehicles Panasonic already provides video screens for -- Chevrolet, Nissan, Honda, Lexus and Toyota. In fact, the Nissan Quest will soon be getting an entertainment system branded as Panasonic...
"Cleaner, safer... and funner." That's how American Honda boss John Mendel described the 2009 Honda Pilot Prototype.
Aside from this minor grammatical faux-pas, Honda's press conference was pretty straightforward. No jugglers. No steer. And certainly no heart-stopping "booth assistants."
You've read the consumer comparison test, where six Edmunds.com readers were given the opportunity to drive, test, and review the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Chevy Malibu.
Well, now the Inside Line crew has tested the same cars and put them through our usual round of instrumented track testing. How close did the consumers come to the physical test results?
A guy who goes by the screen name of "basjoos" has modified his '92 Honda Civic to achieve 95 mpg at 65 mph, or so he claims. It should be noted that basjoos is also a hypermiler, which is someone who goes to extraordinary lengths to get the best possible fuel mileage from their vehicle.
So do you think it was worth the effort? Would you want to drive this, or something like this, just so you can say: "Screw you OPEC!"?
On December 7, we told you about the Edmunds Consumer Comparison Test and asked you what car you thought would win. Would it be the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry or the new Chevy Malibu?
Well, your guesses were pretty accurate.
Read the reviews written by our six consumers and see if their opinions matched up with yours.
This could be a big year for the General at the Detroit Auto Show, as they have secured four of the six contender slots for the 2008 North American Car and Truck of the Year. The Chevy Malibu and Cadillac CTS will face off against the Honda Accord for 2008 North American Car of the Year award; and the Buick Enclave, Chevy Tahoe Hybrid will take on the Mazda CX9 for 2008 North American Truck of the Year award. The winners will be announced at the NAIAS in Detroit.
So, what do you think are the chances of GM sweeping these awards?
My first thought is that I think we really do need a new
definition of what a "truck" is, as I sure don't consider the Enclave
or CX9 trucks; but that's an entirely different discussion...
Probably one of the "more studied" new concepts at this year's NAIAS will be the Honda Pilot concept. Like many recent Honda concepts, this is expected to be a thinly disguised version of what we'll see in showrooms in the not too distant future.
The rendering and press release hint at a slightly more "butch" vehicle. I'm hoping that it actually "is" a bit more butch. I'd like to see his new Pilot offer—at least as an option—the same SH-AWD found on the MDX, but also including a low-range.
According to Consumer Reports, Honda Ridgeline owners are the most satisfied truck owners, followed by Toyota Tundra owners. Least satisfied are owners of domestic trucks. CR states that the Most Satisfying vehicles are those where at least 80-percent of owners said they would definitely buy or lease the vehicle again.
Full story here at PickupTruck.com, and for the complete results of all the most/least CR satisfied vehicle category ratings, click here...
The 2009 Honda FCX Clarity is an electric sedan powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. It's fun to drive and uses no gasoline. It gets 68 mpg fuel economy with zero emissions and without sacrificing power.
Honda's new Fit wins this award despite strong competition from a number of other very worthy challengers. Runner-up to the Fit, and winner of the Import Car of the Year was the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Honda Wins 2007-'08 Japan Car of the Year
