Friday, October 31, 2014
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Consumer Reports: Reality check on new-car reliability 2014
Annual Consumer Reports reliability survey
Published: October 27, 2014 12:45 PM
Visit ConsumerReports.org for more information.
Source;
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2014/10/reality-check-on-new-car-reliability/index.htm#
Honda cuts sales forecast as recalls delay new model roll-outs
 |
| Tetsuo Iwamura, Executive Vice President of Honda Motor Co, walks
into a news conference at the company's headquarters in Tokyo October
28, 2014. Honda Motor Co Ltd cut its sales forecasts for this year
citing competition in Japan and China as well as the impact of recalls
on new model launches, but said a weak yen will help it stick to its
operating profit estimate at 770 billion yen.
Credit: Reuters/Yuya Shino
|
TOKYO
(Reuters) - Honda Motor Co Ltd (7267.T) has trimmed its full-year sales forecast citing "tough" competition in Japan and China as well as the impact of recalls on new-model development, but said a weak yen would help it maintain its operating profit goal.
The Japanese automaker also said on Tuesday that operating profit fell 4.1 percent to 164.4 billion yen ($1.52 billion) in the second quarter, missing the 184.1 billion yen average estimate of 14 analysts polled by Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
The results came on the day Honda was named as a defendant in a proposed class-action lawsuit over recalls of vehicles with air bags made by Takata Corp (7312.T) that have been linked to four deaths, all in Honda cars. Honda said it had not received the lawsuit and therefore could not comment.
Honda has also been struck by five separate recalls for the same car - the hybrid version of its Fit subcompact - in just a year since its launch. Chief Executive Takanobu Ito and 12 other executives have taken responsibility in the form of pay cuts.
"As a result of this (latest Fit) recall, we have had to do a full inspection of all the new models" in the pipeline, Honda Executive Vice President Tetsuo Iwamura said on Tuesday. "This has caused a delay - and it differs according to model - but some by as much as six months."
The direct consequence is Honda selling 80,000 fewer vehicles in Japan this business year ending March, Iwamura said.
FORECAST CUT
Overall, Honda cut its sales forecasts for Japan and China by 100,000 vehicles each, and left its North America estimate unchanged. It lowered its global forecast by 4 percent to 4.620 million vehicles.
Honda now expects revenue of 12.75 trillion yen rather than 12.80 trillion. It still expects 770 billion yen in operating profit, but now sees net profit of 565 billion yen, 5.8 percent less than forecast in July.
Operating profit is likely to be buoyed by a weak yen, which makes Japanese exports more affordable. But slumping sales in Japan since a consumer tax hike in April as well as in China contributed to the decision to cut forecasts, executives said after the earnings results.
"The overall market in China is growing, but that growth has slowed a bit. We, as well as some other car makers, have not been able to keep pace with the overall growth," Iwamura said.
On a quarterly basis, operating profit fell in July-September after weaker sales in Japan and North America compared with the year prior, Honda said. Profit was also constrained by higher purchase incentives, particularly in the United States.
Shares of Honda closed 0.7 percent lower before the earnings release, compared with a 0.4 percent decline in Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei index .N225.
TAKATA RECALLS
Clouding the outlook is the risk of more Takata-related recalls in the United States - Honda's biggest market - where the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating reported failures of Takata air bag inflators in places with hot, humid weather.
The investigation is centered on whether hot and humid conditions cause the inflators to explode with dangerous force in the event of a collision.
Around half of Honda vehicles produced in 2014 used Takata air bags. Of that total, half use Takata's inflators, while the rest use inflators supplied by Daicel Corp (4202.T), Iwamura said.
Honda expects to collect all recall-related costs from Takata, another executive told reporters.
(Editing by Christopher Cushing)
Source;
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/28/us-honda-results-idUSKBN0IH0DF20141028
Monday, October 27, 2014
WorldCarFans: Camouflaged Honda/Acura NSX prototype spied undergoing testing
To offer 458 performance for R8 price
A camouflaged prototype of the Honda/Acura NSX has been caught on camera testing near the Nürburgring in Germany.We won't blame you if it's getting a bit boring to see the NSX revival still hiding underneath the camo taking into account the concept was unveiled almost three years ago and updated in January 2013 for NAIAS.
Spotted here is a prototype carrying the production body while undergoing final testing ahead of next year's programmed market release.
Promising to offer Ferrari 458 Italia performance for the price of an Audi R8, the second generation NSX will take the hybrid path by mixing up a twin-turbo V6 driving the rear axle with three electric motors powering the front wheels. Honda calls this hardware arrangement a Sport Hybrid Super Handling All Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) which also includes a newly developed dual-clutch gearbox incorporating one of the electric motors.
Production of the new Honda/Acura NSX will take place in Ohio at the Honda Performance Manufacturing Center and the model is scheduled to go on sale sometime next year.
Source;
http://www.worldcarfans.com/114102783383/camouflaged-hondaacura-nsx-prototype-spied-undergoing
Autonews: 'Un-Honda-like' problems plague new plant in Mexico
Interesting....
Honda Motor Co.'s journey into Mexico has left it with a bout of indigestion.
The automaker's new $800 million plant in Celaya, about 160 miles northwest of Mexico City, has been struggling to meet demand amid problems caused by a green labor force, language barriers and a rail system prone to delays and occasional thefts, according to dealers who have discussed the matter with Honda officials.
Those challenges caused the plant's first product, the redesigned 2015 Fit subcompact -- which Honda was counting on to drive sales growth in the U.S. this year -- to stumble out of the gate two months late, with quality glitches and supply shortages showing up down the line.
Now, dealers say, the hitches have prompted Honda to push back the launch of Celaya's second product, the new HR-V, Honda's latest entry in the booming small-crossover segment. Dealers who had expected the car to arrive by the end of this year said they've been told that they will have to wait until the spring for shipments.
The troubles with the Fit and the plant are "such a departure from what we normally see when Honda starts a new plant in the U.S. or Canada," said Ron Harbour, a partner at consulting firm Oliver Wyman and an expert on auto plant efficiency. "What's happened is really un-Honda-like," he said.
The Fit launch has been uncharacteristically troublesome for Honda, which said it's re-examining its quality protocols worldwide. Last week, after the fifth recall in 12 months involving the redesigned model -- mostly affecting Japan-built Fits not sold in the U.S. -- Honda named a quality czar to oversee quality issues from r&d to market launch. Honda also said top executives would take pay cuts for three months to take responsibility for the car's troubles. The company said the added quality reviews could delay product launches, including the HR-V in Mexico.
Honda's bumpy road with its Mexico plant raises a warning flag for other automakers that are rushing to ramp up production in that country to take advantage of low labor costs, free-trade agreements with key export markets and insulation from fluctuations in the yen.
In addition to Honda, Nissan Motor Corp. and Mazda Motor Corp. have opened plants in the last 12 months. BMW AG, Volkswagen AG's Audi unit and Kia Motors Corp. also are building plants there.
Harbour, the auto production expert, said Mexico presents manufacturers with many challenges as well as advantages. With so many new plants springing up, finding enough skilled workers isn't easy, he said. And rail transportation can be a problem.
"Railcars do get hijacked," Harbour said. "You need to hire guards for the trains."
For the rest of the article, follow the link;
http://www.autonews.com/article/20141027/RETAIL03/310279956/un-honda-like-problems-plague-new-plant-in-mexico
 |
| Honda has delayed the launch of its new HR-V. |
The automaker's new $800 million plant in Celaya, about 160 miles northwest of Mexico City, has been struggling to meet demand amid problems caused by a green labor force, language barriers and a rail system prone to delays and occasional thefts, according to dealers who have discussed the matter with Honda officials.
Those challenges caused the plant's first product, the redesigned 2015 Fit subcompact -- which Honda was counting on to drive sales growth in the U.S. this year -- to stumble out of the gate two months late, with quality glitches and supply shortages showing up down the line.
Now, dealers say, the hitches have prompted Honda to push back the launch of Celaya's second product, the new HR-V, Honda's latest entry in the booming small-crossover segment. Dealers who had expected the car to arrive by the end of this year said they've been told that they will have to wait until the spring for shipments.
The troubles with the Fit and the plant are "such a departure from what we normally see when Honda starts a new plant in the U.S. or Canada," said Ron Harbour, a partner at consulting firm Oliver Wyman and an expert on auto plant efficiency. "What's happened is really un-Honda-like," he said.
The Fit launch has been uncharacteristically troublesome for Honda, which said it's re-examining its quality protocols worldwide. Last week, after the fifth recall in 12 months involving the redesigned model -- mostly affecting Japan-built Fits not sold in the U.S. -- Honda named a quality czar to oversee quality issues from r&d to market launch. Honda also said top executives would take pay cuts for three months to take responsibility for the car's troubles. The company said the added quality reviews could delay product launches, including the HR-V in Mexico.
Honda's bumpy road with its Mexico plant raises a warning flag for other automakers that are rushing to ramp up production in that country to take advantage of low labor costs, free-trade agreements with key export markets and insulation from fluctuations in the yen.
In addition to Honda, Nissan Motor Corp. and Mazda Motor Corp. have opened plants in the last 12 months. BMW AG, Volkswagen AG's Audi unit and Kia Motors Corp. also are building plants there.
Harbour, the auto production expert, said Mexico presents manufacturers with many challenges as well as advantages. With so many new plants springing up, finding enough skilled workers isn't easy, he said. And rail transportation can be a problem.
"Railcars do get hijacked," Harbour said. "You need to hire guards for the trains."
For the rest of the article, follow the link;
http://www.autonews.com/article/20141027/RETAIL03/310279956/un-honda-like-problems-plague-new-plant-in-mexico
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Motortrend: Acura NSX Benchmarked Against Ferrari 458, 911 GT3
Carrying on a legacy can be a huge burden, but it’s a burden Honda's engineers are willing to bear when it comes to development of the new Acura NSX. The successor to the car many consider to be among the greatest sports cars ever built has a lot riding on it, and we've heard a couple stories that suggest that it might just deliver.
An insider confirmed what we had heard before : that the new NSX was originally supposed to use the naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V-6 from the RLX, mounted in a transverse configuration like the first-gen model. But because the performance just wasn't there with only 310 hp from the engine and another 75 hp from the electric motors, Honda engineers made the expensive decision to develop a clean-sheet powertrain. The NSX will use an all-new twin-turbo V-6 mounted longitudinally and mated to a new transmission, and will be supplemented by three electric motors. There's no word on displacement for the engine or total output, but we've previously heard a combined 560 hp is possible. Our informant also told us that Honda's decision to go with a clean-sheet twin-turbo V-6 was not prompted by its return to Formula 1.
During development, Honda R&D used two Ferrari 458 coupes for benchmarking purposes. One was torn apart to gather manufacturing intel, while the other continues to be flogged in testing. Engineers loved the 458 at first, but they've since shifted their attention to the McLaren 12C. The Porsche 911 GT3 was also benchmarked for its performance and reliability, while front-engine performance cars like the Nissan GT-R and C6 Corvette Z06 were considered benchmarks early on, but then dropped soon after.
We last saw an NSX prototype (pictured above) testing at the Nürburgring, and the bodywork very much resembled the concept that bowed in Detroit two years ago. That is, before the test mule was unfortunately engulfed in flames. A production NSX is due in mid-2015, and from the sound of things, we can't wait to see what it can do.
Source;
http://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/autosperformance/acura-nsx-benchmarked-against-ferrari-458-911-gt3/ar-BBb1cx0
Friday, October 24, 2014
Why Honda is venturing into Oculus' virtual world
Video link;
http://bcove.me/xa2ir4qj
by Gabe Nelson of www.autonews.com
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. -- From the back seat of an Acura MDX, I peered out at a stone house on a cliff, fields of wind-swept grass and blue butterflies close enough to touch.
All of it was a mirage.
In reality, I was in the parking lot of the Honda Silicon Valley Lab here. Strapped to my head was a virtual reality headset called the Oculus Rift, which looks like a pair of black ski goggles but bulkier and with ominous protruding wires.
Two of the engineers from Honda’s r&d laboratory sat in the front seat. One guided the MDX through the parking lot, and the other held a laptop. But inside the Oculus Rift goggles, I was cruising through a virtual world, craning my neck to take in the scenery as we soared above a facsimile of a Tuscan cliff.
When I took off the headset, I returned -- with some regret -- to Honda’s drab parking lot. I asked Nick Sugimoto, senior program director at the laboratory, how Honda could possibly use the Oculus Rift for anything more than a curiosity.
“We’re in the middle of brainstorming that right now,” Sugimoto said.
That answer says a great deal about why automakers and suppliers have flocked to Silicon Valley in such great numbers over the past half decade.
To be sure, their laboratories have produced some concrete products. Sugimoto’s team worked closely with Apple Inc. and Google Inc. on the new CarPlay and Android Auto interfaces for smartphones.
But another big part of the job is toying with the latest and greatest in technology, to make sure that cars do not fall too far behind laptops, tablets and smartphones.
Take the Oculus Rift. Invented by an Irvine, Calif., startup called Oculus VR, it has done what past headsets failed to do: make it feel convincing, not just dizzying, to move through a virtual world. Seeing the potential for everything from video games to military training, Facebook acquired the startup in early 2014 for $2 billion.
That made a rich man out of the headset’s inventor, 22-year-old Palmer Luckey of Long Beach, Calif. (His father, Brett Luckey, works as an assistant manager at an Acura dealership in Southern California. But that had nothing to do with Honda's decision to start testing the Oculus Rift.)
Honda’s Sugimoto said his team is merely playing with the Oculus Rift for now. There are no plans to commercialize it. But it’s not hard to imagine how the headset could be used.
It could entertain a child in the rear seat by summoning a dream world. Or it could be useful for a driver, offering a panoramic view of the road.
“No more A-pillars,” Sugimoto said.
http://bcove.me/xa2ir4qj
by Gabe Nelson of www.autonews.com
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. -- From the back seat of an Acura MDX, I peered out at a stone house on a cliff, fields of wind-swept grass and blue butterflies close enough to touch.
All of it was a mirage.
In reality, I was in the parking lot of the Honda Silicon Valley Lab here. Strapped to my head was a virtual reality headset called the Oculus Rift, which looks like a pair of black ski goggles but bulkier and with ominous protruding wires.
Two of the engineers from Honda’s r&d laboratory sat in the front seat. One guided the MDX through the parking lot, and the other held a laptop. But inside the Oculus Rift goggles, I was cruising through a virtual world, craning my neck to take in the scenery as we soared above a facsimile of a Tuscan cliff.
When I took off the headset, I returned -- with some regret -- to Honda’s drab parking lot. I asked Nick Sugimoto, senior program director at the laboratory, how Honda could possibly use the Oculus Rift for anything more than a curiosity.
“We’re in the middle of brainstorming that right now,” Sugimoto said.
Automotive News reporter Gabe Nelson tests out the Oculus Rift headgear.
Photo credit: SHIRAZ AHMED
Photo credit: SHIRAZ AHMED
That answer says a great deal about why automakers and suppliers have flocked to Silicon Valley in such great numbers over the past half decade.
To be sure, their laboratories have produced some concrete products. Sugimoto’s team worked closely with Apple Inc. and Google Inc. on the new CarPlay and Android Auto interfaces for smartphones.
But another big part of the job is toying with the latest and greatest in technology, to make sure that cars do not fall too far behind laptops, tablets and smartphones.
Take the Oculus Rift. Invented by an Irvine, Calif., startup called Oculus VR, it has done what past headsets failed to do: make it feel convincing, not just dizzying, to move through a virtual world. Seeing the potential for everything from video games to military training, Facebook acquired the startup in early 2014 for $2 billion.
That made a rich man out of the headset’s inventor, 22-year-old Palmer Luckey of Long Beach, Calif. (His father, Brett Luckey, works as an assistant manager at an Acura dealership in Southern California. But that had nothing to do with Honda's decision to start testing the Oculus Rift.)
Honda’s Sugimoto said his team is merely playing with the Oculus Rift for now. There are no plans to commercialize it. But it’s not hard to imagine how the headset could be used.
 |
The Oculus Rift headset.
Photo credit: SHIRAZ AHMED
For the rest of the article;
|
It could entertain a child in the rear seat by summoning a dream world. Or it could be useful for a driver, offering a panoramic view of the road.
“No more A-pillars,” Sugimoto said.
Honda Introduces "Honda SENSING" Advanced Driver-Assistive System - the All-new Legend will be the first Honda SENSING-equipped vehicle to be sold in Japan -
Honda SENSING was developed as another step toward the realization of a collision-free society, where not only automobile occupants and motorcycle riders but also everyone who shares the road can enjoy their lives with peace of mind. The pursuit of a collision-free society is a part of Honda’s global safety concept, “Safety for Everyone.”
Honda SENSING is a system consisting of two types of sensors with different characteristics. One is a millimeter-wave radar located inside the front grille, and the other is a monocular camera mounted on the upper, inside part of the windshield.
With further improvement in performance, the new millimeter-wave radar expanded its scope of detection to include pedestrians regarded as being hard to detect due to their low rate of radio wave reflection as well as the position and speed of target object. Moreover, the monocular camera identifies attributes and sizes of pedestrians and other target objects which come in range within approximately 60m ahead of the vehicle, achieving recognition with improved accuracy.
With the significant improvement in the precision of these sensing devices, six new functions such as the “Pedestrian Collision Mitigation Steering System (world’s first*1)” were added to the existing driver-assistive system. To accommodate these versatile functions, the data processing capability of the system was improved. The system now recognizes not only its surroundings but also the intentions of the driver and conditions of the vehicle, and applies collaborative control over certain components of the vehicle including the braking system and steering wheel. In the areas of vehicle speed / following distance control and lane keeping control, the system assists the driver during normal driving as well as in a risk avoidance maneuver in case of an emergency.
Honda has long been committed to the development of various driver-assistive technologies to support safe and comfortable driving of many customers. Honda will continue evolving its advanced driver-assistive technologies on a global basis, adding the newly developed Honda SENSING, to further improve the safety and comfort of its products.
- *1
- Honda internal research (as of October 2014)
[ Key functions of the Honda SENSING ]
< Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) >
The millimeter-wave radar and monocular camera detect vehicles
directly in front, oncoming vehicles and pedestrians. When there is a
risk of collision with a vehicle in front or a pedestrian, the system
provides the driver with audio and visual warnings. When the distance
gets closer, the system automatically applies gentle brake pressure to
give a sensory warning to the driver. When the distance gets even
closer, the system automatically brakes hard to support the driver’s
collision avoidance effort. Moreover, when the vehicle strays into an
oncoming lane and there is a risk of collision with oncoming vehicles,
the system provides audio and visual warnings as well as vibrations on
the steering wheel to facilitate the driver’s collision avoidance
actions. When no action is taken by the driver to avoid collision, the
system applies braking force to help reduce the impact speed to mitigate
any damage in the case of collision.
< Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) system >
The monocular camera detects the lane boundaries, and if the vehicle
is likely to stray from a detected lane, the system will give a visual
warning on the display and vibrations on the steering wheel. In
addition, the system will apply corrective steering input to bring the
vehicle back in the lane. When the system forecasts that the vehicle is
straying too far off, the system will apply braking force to prevent the
vehicle from driving off the road.
< The world’s first*2 Pedestrian Collision Mitigation Steering System >
The millimeter-wave radar and monocular camera detect pedestrians and
boundary line on the side strip of the road. When the system forecasts a
collision with a pedestrian as a result of the vehicle straying from
the lane toward the side strip, it provides audio and visual warnings
and turns the steering wheel toward the other direction to facilitate
the driver’s collision avoidance effort.
- *2
- Honda internal research (as of October 2014)
< Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS)*3 >
The monocular camera detects the lane that the vehicle is driving in.
The system will assist the driver’s steering during highway driving to
keep the vehicle in the middle of the lane and to reduce the burden on
the driver. When the vehicle is likely to stray from the lane while the
system is applying control over the steering, the system will warn the
driver with vibrations on the steering wheel.
- *3
- Honda internal research (as of October 2014)
< Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low-Speed Follow >
The millimeter-wave radar and monocular camera detect the distance
and speed gap from the vehicle ahead. The system controls the
acceleration and braking operations so that an appropriate distance will
be maintained. By expanding its range of operation to 0 km/h, the
system will reduce the burden on the driver while driving on congested
highways.
< Traffic Sign Recognition >
The monocular camera detects traffic signs. The system calls the
driver’s attention to traffic signs and assists safe driving by
displaying detected signs on the Multi-Information Display or Heads-Up
Display System.
< False Start Prevention Function >
The Millimeter-wave radar detects vehicle directly in front or other
objects in close range while the vehicle is stopped or while driving at a
very low speed. If the driver presses down the acceleration pedal too
suddenly while there is an object in front, the system prevents sudden
acceleration and provides audio and visual warnings and vibrations to
the acceleration pedal.
< Lead Car Departure Notification System >
The millimeter-wave radar detects when the car directly in front starts up from standstill traffic. The system will give audio and visual notification of the departure of the car in front.Source;
http://world.honda.com/news/2014/4141024Honda-SENSING-Driver-Assistive-System/index.html
Honda executives to take pay cut after fifth Fit hybrid recall
 |
| Honda Motor Co. President Takanobu Ito will lose 20 per cent of his pay and 12 executives will lose 10 per cent over quality control issues at the Japanese automaker. (Shizuo Kambayashi/Associated Press) |
(Reuters) - Honda Motor Co (7267.T) said on Thursday its president and 12 other executives would take an unprecedented, quality-related pay cut after the Japanese automaker announced the fifth recall in a year of its new Fit hybrid model.
The recall, which covers 425,825 Fit hybrid vehicles and other models in Japan, comes as Honda is facing lawsuits due to accidents involving airbags supplied by Takata Corp (7313.T). The airbags have been linked to four deaths - all on Hondas - and have triggered a multi-million vehicle recall by many automakers worldwide.
"We have inconvenienced many customers, and we're deeply sorry," Honda spokeswoman Akemi Ando told reporters after announcing the latest Fit recall. Shares in Honda ended down 1.4 percent on Thursday, underperforming the benchmark Nikkei average .N225.
No injury or death has been reported from the defects, as with the previous four recalls, Honda added.
The recall will cost about 5.7 billion yen ($53 million), and the impact on earnings is minimal, Honda said. The overall cost of the five recalls involving the Fit hybrid now stands at 16.5 billion yen, it added.
Because the recall highlighted quality concerns, the company said that over the next three months, Chief Executive Takanobu Ito will take a 20 percent pay cut while other senior executives including Chairman Fumihiko Ike and Executive Vice President Tetsuo Iwamura will give up 10 percent of their pay.
Honda also said it had appointed Senior Managing Officer Koichi Fukuo to oversee quality improvements across the organization, the first time it has created such a role.
For the rest of the article;
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/23/us-honda-recall-idUSKCN0IC0FR20141023
Alternative article on same subject;
http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/honda-president-executives-take-pay-cut-over-recall-issues-1.2810418
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Catch the Debut of the 2016 Acura ILX at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show: Big Changes in Store for Acura’s Sport Sedan
10/20/2014
-
TORRANCE, Calif.
Acura is preparing to unveil a substantially new 2016 ILX at the
L.A. Auto Show next month as the brand aims to raise the stakes again in
the entry-premium sedan segment. Already bringing in more buyers under
the age of 35 to the segment than any other entry-premium model, the new
2016 ILX stands to solidify and broaden its appeal with a comprehensive
update that includes a potent new powertrain, more forceful, sporty
exterior styling, and substantially upgraded interior design.
Much like its hot new stable mate—the brand new TLX—the 2016 ILX will bring a sharper performance focus while delivering a greater set of high-value comfort, convenience and safety features that consumers desire in the increasingly competitive entry-luxury field.
Catch the unveiling of the ILX on Thursday, November 20, 2014 at 9:30 a.m. in the Acura booth at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
Acura offers a full line of technologically-advanced performance luxury vehicles through a network of approximately 270 U.S. Acura dealers. The Acura lineup features five distinctive models – the RLX luxury flagship sedan, the TLX performance luxury sedan, the ILX sport sedan, the 5-passenger RDX luxury crossover SUV, and the 7-passenger Acura MDX, America’s all-time best-selling three-row luxury SUV.
Acura’s product lineup was recently recognized by Edmunds.com for the third consecutive year as leading all luxury brands in retained value after five years of ownership. More than 90 percent of the Acura vehicles sold in America are produced at the company’s manufacturing facilities in America, using domestic and globally sourced parts.
Source;
http://www.hondanews.com/channels/corporate-headlines/releases/catch-the-debut-of-the-2016-acura-ilx-at-the-2014-los-angeles-auto-show
Much like its hot new stable mate—the brand new TLX—the 2016 ILX will bring a sharper performance focus while delivering a greater set of high-value comfort, convenience and safety features that consumers desire in the increasingly competitive entry-luxury field.
Catch the unveiling of the ILX on Thursday, November 20, 2014 at 9:30 a.m. in the Acura booth at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
# # #
About AcuraAcura offers a full line of technologically-advanced performance luxury vehicles through a network of approximately 270 U.S. Acura dealers. The Acura lineup features five distinctive models – the RLX luxury flagship sedan, the TLX performance luxury sedan, the ILX sport sedan, the 5-passenger RDX luxury crossover SUV, and the 7-passenger Acura MDX, America’s all-time best-selling three-row luxury SUV.
Acura’s product lineup was recently recognized by Edmunds.com for the third consecutive year as leading all luxury brands in retained value after five years of ownership. More than 90 percent of the Acura vehicles sold in America are produced at the company’s manufacturing facilities in America, using domestic and globally sourced parts.
Source;
http://www.hondanews.com/channels/corporate-headlines/releases/catch-the-debut-of-the-2016-acura-ilx-at-the-2014-los-angeles-auto-show
Honda HR-V Crossover to Make North American Debut at 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show
10/20/2014
-
TORRANCE, Calif.
- All-new stylish entry crossover to offer surprising levels of sophistication and versatility inside and out
- HR-V will serve as the entry point to Honda light truck lineup
With sleek styling and expressive character lines, the HR-V is anticipated to launch this winter. Built on the same global compact platform that underpins the critically-acclaimed Fit, the HR-V will feature a versatile and spacious interior thanks to an innovative center fuel tank layout. The HR-V will be equipped with the Honda-exclusive Magic Seat®, which allows for multiple seating configurations and the ability to fold the second row seat completely flat for added cargo space.
Further details about the Honda HR-V will be revealed on Nov. 19 at 12:35 p.m. PST at the Los Angeles Auto Show. For the latest HR-V editorial photography, please visit hondanews.com/channels/honda-automobiles-hr-v.
Source;
http://www.hondanews.com/channels/corporate-headlines/releases/honda-hr-v-crossover-to-make-north-american-debut-at-2014-los-angeles-auto-show
Monday, October 20, 2014
2016 Nissan Maxima Spied Testing
I am hoping for big things on what has been in the past my 2nd fav Nissan.... (1990 300ZX being the first)....
by Joseph Capperella of www.automobilemag.com
The eighth generation of the Nissan Maxima is set to debut next year, and we caught a prototype of this new sedan testing. We’ve already seen a preview of the Maxima’s styling from the Nissan Sport Sedan concept shown at this year’s Detroit auto show, and the production model looks to tone down that concept’s extreme lines while maintaining a similar overall silhouette.
It’s hard to tell from these photos
how the 2016 Nissan Maxima might change in size, as the current car is
actually smaller than the Altima. We expect the new Maxima to be bigger
than before as it attempts to fill the role of Nissan’s sedan flagship.
This more adventurous styling direction should help it better compete with other large sedans like the relatively stylish Chevrolet Impala and Toyota Avalon. ....cont'd....
The eighth generation of the Nissan Maxima is set to debut next year, and we caught a prototype of this new sedan testing. We’ve already seen a preview of the Maxima’s styling from the Nissan Sport Sedan concept shown at this year’s Detroit auto show, and the production model looks to tone down that concept’s extreme lines while maintaining a similar overall silhouette.
With differentiation from the
midsize Altima sedan being a key element of this redesign for the
Maxima, distinctive styling will be important for the new Maxima’s
appeal. As such, it looks like the production model will preserve the
swoopiness of the Sport Sedan concept with its rakish greenhouse that
should give the new Maxima a four-door-coupe look. Nissan’s corporate
V-motion grille adorns the front end, and swept-back headlights
transition into sculpted front fenders which start a character line that
leads rearward. The rear end of the car looks Infiniti-like with its
rounded decklid and horizontal headlights, and large dual exhausts make
for a sporty look out back.
 |
| 2016 Nissan Sport Sedan Concept |
Honda Brio Based Compact SUV Might Be Launched by 2016 (India)
Honda's EcoSport rivaling compact SUV is believed to be ready for an unveiling next year. Though there isn't much information available yet, word has it that the Brio based compact SUV could be revealed next year. The SUV is being developed explicitly for the emerging markets and hence, it is likely that the SUV will be launched in India too. If the rumours are anything to go by, the SUV is likely to be launched in India by 2016.
The Brio-based SUV will be priced competitively, and one can expect some resemblance with the CR-V in terms of design. In the front, the SUV could take design cues from Amaze and Mobilio, while its rear could feature CR-V inspired tail-lamps, a tapered rear-quarter glass and a lower entry-point boot.
Under the bonnet we expect to see a 1.5-litre, i-VTEC petrol; the diesel range of the Brio based SUV is will most probably come equipped with the 1.5-litre i-DTEC diesel engine. Both the engines power the new City line-up, so expect the Brio based SUV to be equally frugal. As far as its price is concerned, the SUV could be accompanied by a starting price tag of Rs. 6.5 lakh, which could go up to Rs. 11 lakh. Furthermore, much like the Mobilio MPV, this yet unnamed SUV will also get a better equipped RS variant.
In the domestic market, the SUV will face stiff competition in the compact SUV segment from the likes of Ford EcoSport, Renault Duster, Nissan Terrano and a couple of other upcoming SUVs awaiting a launch in India soon.
Source;
http://auto.ndtv.com/news/honda-brio-based-compact-suv-might-be-launched-by-2016-681869
Friday, October 17, 2014
Toyota Confirms Another GT-86 is Coming (still no Honda Prelude)
But the Subaru BRZ's future isn't as clear.
With
worldwide sales of the Toyota GT-86 entry-level sports car and its Subaru BRZ brethren
down in the dumps, Toyota seems to be intent on keeping its foothold in this
sexy little market segment. Speaking to Motoring, Karl Schlicht, the executive
vice president of sales and marketing for Toyota Motor Europe, said the Japanese
automaker is "pretty serious about keeping the GT 86 pure and keeping a
car like that in our lineup." Does this mean that a second generation is
underway?
It's down the road," Schlicht said, but "the GT-86 has
to go through a normal lifecycle." As for the car's twin, the Subaru BRZ,
the future doesn't seem as clear-cut. Schlicht declined to comment on whether the
next-generation GT-86 would also include a collaboration with Subaru.
Source;
Autonews.com: Acura grabs page from Subaru's awd playbook
TOKYO -- Acura, trying to reinvent itself yet again, is taking a cue from one of America's hottest-selling brands.
Honda Motor Co.'s premium brand wants to position all-wheel drive at the center of its revival bid, much the way Subaru did in the 1990s, to great success.
Awd, already on half the vehicles Acura has sold in the U.S. this year, could be offered as a standard technology on all vehicles.
"I think that's the way we should go," said Koichi Fukuo, Acura's top global executive.
Linking the brand's image to the technology would dovetail with the arrival of next-generation awd technology on Acuras. On the other hand, Acura has renewed all its volume nameplates in the last three years. That cadence means that shifting to an all-awd lineup may take years.
The awd plan is one of several ideas backed by a new U.S.-based Acura Business Planning Office formed in February to rethink the brand and stoke stagnating sales. None of those ideas is finalized. Fukuo presented the committee's evolving strategy to the Honda Motor board here on Tuesday, Oct. 7.
Much of the game plan is in flux, he said. But elements are emerging. Acura plans more powerful engines, but it won't be tempted into big V-8 or V-10 powerplants, Fukuo said. It also will stay clear of rear-wheel-drive layouts.
Acura had planned to roll out an rwd V-8 but scrapped the idea when the global financial crisis hit. Since then, it has been casting about for a niche to claim as its own.
"The key is awd," said Fukuo, who as senior managing director at Honda oversees the Acura division and advanced drivetrain vehicles such as hydrogen fuel cell cars. "As a premium brand, we need something different from the competition."
Of course, other premium brands also offer awd. It was installed on 58 percent of all BMWs sold in the U.S. through September and on 90 percent of all vehicles from Audi.
The success of Audi and Subaru, with the latter's well-marketed awd system and rabid fan base, isn't lost on Acura executives. Subaru isn't a direct competitor to Acura, yet Fukuo coined the term "Acurist" for the loyal customer he aims to cultivate, a nod to the "Subarist" moniker adopted by Subaru aficionados.
"Looking at Subaru, I felt that we have to have a strong, clear direction as a brand," Fukuo told Automotive News. "What's important is to have the technology, styling and performance to evolve all together.
Otherwise, I don't think we can increase the number of loyal customers, so-called Acurists."
Subaru, poised for its sixth straight year of record U.S. sales, saw sales soar 20 percent to 375,485 vehicles this year through September. Acura's sales slid 1 percent to 119,750 through September, after rising 6 percent in 2013, trailing the overall market's 8 percent gain.
"Making Acura 100 percent all-wheel drive could be a good idea," said Tatsuo Yoshida, an auto analyst with Barclays Securities Japan. "It is very simple from a sales and marketing point of view to sell the cars with such technology."
Acura already offers awd on all vehicles except the entry ILX sedan. But the base model for every nameplate, including the crossovers, is front-wheel drive.
Subaru, by contrast, offers its vehicles with awd only, except for the rwd BRZ sporty car.
Acura is introducing next-generation awd technologies in two sedans. The first came in the new TLX sedan that debuted in August, and the next arrives later this year in a hybrid version of the flagship RLX.
A re-engineered Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive system, or SH-AWD, is offered as an option on the midsize TLX.
Meanwhile, the RLX will get Acura's Sport Hybrid SH-AWD, which teams two electric motors to deliver more control and horsepower. That system also will be a cornerstone technology in the NSX sports car due next year.
 |
Fukuo: Seeking "clear direction."
|
Fukuo said awd systems offer better handling, stability and acceleration. The latter will help Acura deliver responsive driving without a V-8. "We're aiming for a sporty, performance vehicle," he said. "A heavy engine is no good."
Mike Accavitti, the luxury brand's general manager, said in July that the awd technology is something Acura "can wrap our brand around," adding: "It's a space that we own."
But there is room for improvement.
About half of Acura's sales this year were awd vehicles, according to Kelley Blue Book, citing data from R.L. Polk & Co. That's ahead of Lexus and Cadillac and in line with Infiniti and Mercedes-Benz.
In sales this year, Acura ranks above Infiniti but behind Cadillac and Audi, putting it in the second tier of premium brands.
Follow the link for the rest of the article and more pictures;
http://www.autonews.com/article/20141013/OEM03/310139958/acura-takes-page-from-subaru?cciid=email-autonews-
Thursday, October 16, 2014
HondaPro Jason: 2015 Honda CRV Touring (1st look)
Thanks for the find Dinh.
This is the 1st look from HondaPro Jason at the new and much advanced 2015 Honda CR-V Touring model. I cover most of the new features and information about all the new 2015 Honda CR-V models.
for more more information please visit http://www.honda.com
Source;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bIo3-VlkVY
This is the 1st look from HondaPro Jason at the new and much advanced 2015 Honda CR-V Touring model. I cover most of the new features and information about all the new 2015 Honda CR-V models.
for more more information please visit http://www.honda.com
Source;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bIo3-VlkVY
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
2015 Honda CR-V is the 2015 Motor Trend SUV of the Year
Honda has had to take a couple of mulligans lately. When the ninth-gen 2012 Civic launch fizzled, the car got a do-over for '14, bringing much-needed styling and powertrain upgrades. Similarly, the fourth-gen 2012 CR-V missed the small-overlap crash-test boat, earning a "marginal" rating that nixed its chances at the coveted Top Safety Pick ranking. It also drew criticism for being less fun to drive than its rivals, due in part to its quaint old five-speed automatic. The fix: a 2015 reboot, and a second chance. We're open-minded about second chances -- mid-cycle fixes earned the 2010 Fusion our Car of the Year calipers -- so let's see how Honda's redemption-edition CR-V stacks up against the criteria.
Advancement in Design
In nine pages of compiled notes from nine judges, the few references to the CR-V's exterior design ranged from MacKenzie's "Not the most beautiful or innovative C-segment SUV design, but not the worst, either," to Evans' "Not a big fan of the latest styling updates." Then again, design was low on the priority list this time around for a vehicle that continually outsells its rivals to rank as the best-selling entry CUV ever. And at least nobody reviled it, as some did the chrome-beaked Cherokee. The interior design is equally staid, but its ergonomics generally drew praise, except for the infotainment system, which was universally reviled for its lack of knobs, unintuitive function, and graphics that don't match those on the other various screens. Our youngest judge, Seabaugh, reckoned that his peers would liken the difference between the CR-V and Jeep systems to that of "an old T-Mobile Sidekick and an iPhone 6." It does boast a segment-first HDMI input, but none of us can imagine wanting to sit in a parked CR-V and watch a movie on a dash screen that's smaller than an iPad.
For the Rest of the article and more pictures, follow the link;
http://www.motortrend.com/oftheyear/suv/2015_honda_cr_v_is_the_motor_trend_suv_of_the_year/
Video: Honda’s 2015 F1 Engine Teased
Honda left Formula One as an engine supplier back in 2008 but due to the new turbocharged V6 engines adopted this year, has decided to return to the top form of motorsport for next season. Just the McLaren cars will use the Honda engines but there’s a possibility more teams will adopt the Honda engine in coming years depending on their success.
Source;
http://www.gtspirit.com/2014/10/13/video-hondas-2015-f1-engine-teased/
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Honda to introduce six customized Fits at SEMA
The company was coy on specifics but the cars will be built by Bisimoto Engineering, Kontrabrands, MAD Industries, Spoon Sports USA, Tjin Edition and Kenny Vinces. They feature a variety of upgrades including everything from aerodynamic body kits to sport-tuned suspensions.
The cars are still being completed but Honda is asking fans to vote for their favorite Fit on tumblr. The winner will be announced at SEMA on November 4th and will be shown alongside the other five models.
Source;
http://www.worldcarfans.com/114101382755/honda-to-introduce-six-customized-fits-at-sema
Forbes: 2015 Honda CR-V: Defending Its Compact SUV Crown
The SUV market is up this year. Way up. At Kelley Blue Book we’ve watched shopper traffic migrate from midsize and compact sedans to the SUV category for over 18 months. And within the growing SUV market the compact SUV segment is leading the charge. Americans, along with an increasing chunk of the rest of the world, are in love with these vehicles. And why not. They sit at what is arguably the perfect intersection between size, price, maneuverability, fuel economy and flexibility. Just leaving the nest and heading to college? A small SUV will haul your belongings to the dorm at an affordable MSRP. Starting a new family and need room for car seats and carriages? A compact crossover offers adequate space and a relatively low monthly fuel bill. Ditto for retirees looking to make cross-country jaunts — with or without the grand kids in tow. It’s this wide range of demographic appeal that’s driving small SUVs sales through the roof. Sure, other SUVs might offer more space or performance or luxury or status, but they all cost more to buy, fuel and insure.
New car sales volume is up in several categories, but SUVs are leading the growth by a wide margin.
The 2015 Honda CR-V’s exterior changes aren’t hit-you-over-the-head dramatic, but they do give the vehicle a cleaner, more cohesive front grille with functional improvements in the form of available LED daytime running lights (DRLs). These DRLs come standard on the EX, EX-L and Touring trims, the latter of which is the new top-end trim for 2015. The new Touring trim also features projector low-beam headlights and new 18-inch wheels with an aggressive multi-contour pattern that gives the CR-V some much-appreciated attitude. The EX and EX-L trims continue to feature 17-inch wheels, though they are .5-inches wider this year. Base CR-V LX models still ride on 16-inch wheels, and these models don’t offer LED daytime runnings lightss, though they do get some new standard features we’ll cover in a moment.
The 2015 CR-V’s interior improvements are more substantial than its exterior styling tweaks. An increase in material quality over the previous CR-V is immediately apparent, with seating, dash and door panel surfaces offering a richer, less reflective texture. Honda’s dual display screen system remains, with a new 7-inch touchscreen just above the climate controls and a 5-inch (non-touch) screen in the upper dash. This system continues to get mixed reviews, with some drivers feeling it raises the question of which screen to look at any given moment. Less controversial is the CR-V’s new center console and armrest. It features a single, elevated pad instead of the previous model’s fold-down armrest, but more impressive are the functional air vents at the rear of this console. This means second-row passengers will feel the effects of heated or cooled cabin air much quicker.
Honda also revised the CR-V’s drivetrain for 2015, adding direct injection to the 2.4-liter engine and pairing it with a continuously-variable transmission (CVT) that replaces the outgoing 5-speed automatic. A CVT doesn’t normally enhance a vehicle’s driving enjoyment, but Honda gets credit for having the most engaging CVTs on the market. During casual driving the engine and CVT respond as expected, but when flooring the throttle Honda allows the CR-V’s engine to slowly rev up as the vehicle accelerates. This is in contrast to most CVTs, which just pick the engine’s most efficient RPM and hold it there — in a mind-numbing drone — while the CVT changes gear ratios to accelerate the vehicle. By engineering this transmission response, and pairing it with the 2.4-liter’s 11 percent increase in torque for 2015, Honda has kept the CR-V’s trademark fun-to-drive factor intact.
In fact, Honda has actually enhanced the 2015 CR-V’s driving dynamics with new spring and shock settings and upgraded suspension arms. These changes combine with the engine’s increased torque, a revised brake system and the wider wheels mentioned above to make the CR-V among the most confident and driver-focused models in the segment. All this fun comes with substantially improved fuel efficiency, too. The engine’s new direct injection fuel system lets the 2015 Honda CR-V’s EPA ratings grow from last year’s 23 city, 31 highway and 26 combined mpg to 27/34/29 mpg for front wheel drive models. All-wheel drive CR-Vs have moved from 22/30/25 mpg to 26/33/28 mpg.
Follow the link below for the rest of the article and more pictures;
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kbrauer/2014/10/13/2015-honda-cr-v-defending-compact-suv-crown/
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