Honda S660 Mugen

Source;
http://www.mugen-power.com/automobile/products/s660/

VIDEO: Honda S660 in Action (First Drive)

More Pictures of the upcoming Honda S660/Beat Roadster

Next Generation Honda Beat, AKA S660 Spied in full production form

by Andrew Hard of www.digitaltrends.com

Honda’s new mid-engine, turbocharged two-door (not this one) was given the green light for 2015 production last year, and a finalized version has just been photographed in Japan. Yes, the Honda S660 ‘baby roadster’ has been spotted in the wild.

The photos come from Minkara and show the small Kei car in the metal. Those familiar with the Japanese vehicle class will not be surprised by the S660’s small stature, as Kei car laws state that they may not exceed 133.8 inches long or 58.2 inches wide. That’s 1.5 feet shorter and 9.9 inches skinnier than the current Mazda MX-5, by the way.

As previously reported, the roadster takes styling cues from the Honda Beat, a small convertible produced from 1991 to 1996. The production iterant is actually quite similar to the S660 Concept, albeit with smaller wheels and a more traditional lighting setup. Inside, the heavily stylized steering wheel and seats have been swapped for more conventional units.

The photos show the car idling at a shipping port, possibly awaiting transport to dealers across Japan. The vehicle is not headed stateside as far as we know.

The mid-engined S660 features a 660-cc turbocharged three-cylinder bolted behind the seats, boasting a scant 63 horsepower as per Kei regulations. It’s not exactly an NSX, but remember that the roadster weighs less than 2,000 pounds, has a low center of gravity, and employs a near-perfect 50:50 weight distribution.
The S660 is Honda’s first convertible Kei car since the Beat was retired in 1996.

As we reported last November, Honda may also be mulling a hotter S1000 version, which could equip a 1.0-liter turbocharged engine with 140 hp. Highly-respected Honda tuner Mugen is reportedly involved in the vehicle’s development

Source;
http://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/2015-honda-s600-production-pictures-specs/#/6

What it's like to live in Honda's experimental futuristic home

SMART HOME: The house is programmed to put itself to sleep at bedtime by closing the blinds and adjusting the lighting.

by  SCOTT SOWERS AND MARCIE GEFFNER of www.stuff.co.nz
Pictures by  STEVE YEATER of www.washingtonpost.com

There are no flying cars in Susan O'Hara and Stuart Bennett's garage, nor robot servants waiting to fetch their slippers and a martini when they arrive home.

But the experimental house in the US city of Davis, California, where O'Hara, Bennett and their 9-year-old twin daughters live is designed to give researchers an opportunity to flash forward several years. The future envisioned has residences leaving no carbon footprint because they're nearly 100 per cent composed of materials from sustainable sources and powered by the sun. Electric cars are the rule here, not the exception.

Here's what the postmodern house - with the shed-style roof lines and lapstrake siding in this central California town - has that you won't find in a subdivision near you:

SUN JUICED: The house gets all of its power from the sun, but remains connected to the grid.

- The house uses reclaimed wood for all the trim and furniture, as well as reclaimed nails. Even the concrete is sustainable. The foundation and polished concrete floors contain pozzolan, which comes from volcanic ash and is used to reduce the amount of Portland cement needed. Making Portland cement requires lots of heat, and thus produces a considerable amount of carbon dioxide.

- The house has the same type of circadian-rhythm lighting that's used on the International Space Station. It emits blue lights in the morning and orange light in the evening. The bedroom lighting produces a warm hue to help relax the family before going to sleep.

- This being California, the house is designed with the state's high environmental protection and water preservation standards in mind. Runoff water goes into a bioswale on the property, avoiding sewers that eventually empty into the Sacramento River. The collected runoff is used to water plants in the yard, saving fresh water in this drought-ravaged state.

HIGH TECH: The amenities of the house include an iPhone app that controls windows and climate, and a Honda Fit electric car which can also power the house in a pinch

- The house gets all its power from the sun, but remains connected to the grid. In a pinch, an electric car parked in their garage can power the house.

"We signed up for a year here and we're really hoping they let us stay on, because we don't think we can go back to a regular house," says O'Hara, 49, whose 12-month stay is scheduled to end in October.

HONDA BUILDING HOMES

EXPERIMENTAL: The Davis, California, home is part of a project conducted by Honda Motors, with support from the University of California at Davis and Pacific Gas and Electric.

 

The project is being driven by an unlikely manufacturer: Honda Motor Company.

Honda's long journey to sustainable home design started in 1946, when company founder Soichiro Honda got an idea about mounting a small engine onto a bicycle.

For years, Honda has been studying green housing at its demonstration site in Japan. The demo house in Japan uses a small engine that runs on natural gas to generate its electricity. Heat produced by the engine is captured and used to warm the house. In international markets, the system is called "micro combined heat and power". More than 130,000 units are in place in Japan, most of them made by Honda.

LUXURIOUS: The family relaxes in the living room which has a 65-inch TV with "the world's best remote control," Stewart Bennett says.

Now, with the Honda Smart House in California, the company is seeking to push the sustainability movement much further. One of Honda's requirements for that study was the subjects needed to use a vehicle on a regular basis. The project furnished O'Hara and Bennett with a fully electric four-door Honda Fit to drive. An aim of the project is to prepare for a time when sustainable houses and vehicles will be in much wider use and to study how that would affect the nation's aging power grid.

"We already had the demo house in Japan and on this one [in Davis], we really wanted to focus on the energy management side of things, the vehicle side of things and, 'How is it going to integrate with the house?' " says Michael Koenig, a mechanical engineer and project leader of the Davis house.

"The ability to manage and dispatch energy is of interest to Honda," says Koenig. "We want to be part of the solution."

LUCKY FAMILY: Susan O'Hara and Stewart Bennett, with daughters Aisling and Sabha, are part of Honda’s sustainable home experiment.

 ZERO-ENERGY COMMUNITY
The home is in the University of California at Davis' West Village, which is the largest planned net-zero energy community in the United States. Housing for faculty and students is priced at or below market rates. The research-heavy community is supported by a private-public partnership that includes US$7.5 million (NZ$9.9m) of grant money to study net-zero energy systems. The residence stands at the end of a short street without close neighbours. There is a small visitors' centre on one side of the house and a garage, accessed through an attached open corridor, on the other.

The visitors' centre provides a reminder that the house is under surveillance by not only Honda engineers looking at the energy stats from a remote location, but also by people dropping in for a look.

"We get a lot of people coming up to the door who don't know the house isn't open to the public, and they will come right in while we're still in our bathrobes," says Bennett, 45, who works in Sacramento as an actuary. "So it is kind of like living in a fishbowl."

ECO-FRIENDLY: The foundation and polished concrete floors contain pozzolan, which comes from volcanic ash.

The family earned their stay at the home by answering a solicitation offered through the university, which is a supporter of the project along with Pacific Gas and Electric. They don't pay rent but are charged a fee that "is way less than market rates for the area," O'Hara says. The house is slated to remain occupied and observed for three years.

Inside, the home feels comfortably cool and spacious with high ceilings, modern design and furnishings. The appliances are all high-efficiency. The house is warmed and cooled by a radiant system under the floors. The family controls the lighting and temperature with three iPads stationed around the residence and an app on Bennett's iPhone.

"When you open the door, the lights come on," says O'Hara, executive director of the university's School of Education. "There's a lot about the house that's very different, in a positive way. The house responds to you."

The custom circadian lighting system automatically adjusts not only the level of illumination in the house but the colour temperature of the light. Night lighting skews toward oranges and reds to make things easier to see in the dark. The house is programmed to put itself to sleep at bedtime by closing the blinds and adjusting the lighting. That sometimes conflicts with having two children living in the home, O'Hara says.

The girls, Aisling and Sabha, "have a tendency to undo what we've done," she says. "If we've put the house to sleep later in the evening and the lights are all dim, the kids will go and press the controls and turn all the bright lights on."

But never mind the bells and whistles. Bennett's favourite feature is more current than futuristic. "We have a 65-inch flat screen TV set into the living room wall with the world's best remote control," he says.

O'Hara says she loves the lighting and the heated and cooled floors along with the basic layout and design of the house from the future. "It's uplifting, just to be at home," she says.

AN ANTIQUATED GRID
The California house gives engineers a real-time look at how the increased use of solar power can pose technological challenges to the America's antiquated energy infrastructure. Plug-in hybrid vehicles and fully electric vehicles affect the power grid, a system conceived in the 1800s to send power one way.

If 10,000 homes have rooftop solar collectors supply power to the grid, what happens when the sun goes behind a cloud? A massive drop-off of electricity. If 10,000 people who own electric cars come home at 6.30pm and plug all of them in for a recharge, what happens? A major demand for power. Questions like these offer opportunities for project engineers to find solutions.

"As the number of grid-connected rooftop solar installations increase, it will become more and more important to have monitoring and control for two-way power flows," says Dan T. Ton, an assistant secretary at the US Department of Energy, who is watching the project closely.

The house and car are way ahead of the market in another key area: While present-day electric cars at solar houses are still powered by an electric grid that depends mostly on coal, carbon is completely out of the picture of the California house. Adding a battery backup system to the house provides an extra layer of redundancy and the flexibility to store power for when the sun doesn't shine.

The brain of the operation is the home energy-management system. What Honda calls "HEMS" is computer hardware and software designed to smarten the house and its connections by pulling power off the grid when needed, charging up the car battery, charging the house battery and sending power back to the grid when the house is producing more than it needs. The system "monitors where the energy should go and which source it should use," says Bennett.

The energy-management system and the home's battery stand in a glass-enclosed area in the garage. The HEMS is the size of a tall metal storage cabinet with shallow shelves. The battery resembles an oversized wine cooler, though the front is metal, not glass.

The biggest obstacle to bringing the house of the future into the present is that "regulatory policies and utility pricing structures need to catch up with the state of technology to compensate homeowners fairly for the societal and grid benefits that a home energy-management system provides," says Honda spokesman Matt Sloustcher.

"In regions like California, with aggressive renewable energy goals, the regulatory processes are already underway," Sloustcher says.

 - The Washington Post

Source;
http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/home-property/67488343/what-its-like-to-live-in-hondas-experimental-futuristic-home

Upcoming Twitter Series: #ASIMO2015 Honda’s ASIMO Humanoid Robot Takes Steps to Improve the Future While Touring NYC

What does ASIMO, the world’s most advanced humanoid robot, do with a day off in the Big Apple?

NORTHAMPTON, Mass., Mar. 23 /CSRwire/ - Mark Your Calendars!

Join us for discussion on Twitter with Honda and its humanoid robot, ASIMO April 6 through 17^th
Recently, ASIMO made waves when it made a North American Tour debut, starting in New York City.

3BL Media along with Honda would like to invite everyone interested in ASIMO, robots, technology and the future to join us in this two week conversation using the #ASIMO2015 hashtag, that leads up to the Society of Automobile Engineers (SAE) conference, April 21^st in Detroit, MI where ASIMO will be present.

First introduced in 2000, ASIMO - which stands for Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility – was designed to help those in society that need assistance. In April of 2014, Honda introduced its newest edition of ASIMO during three days of media events that included a visit to the LIVE! With Kelly and Michael morning show and demonstrations at the New York Auto Show.

Movement has been improved, and with these updates ASIMO can now run faster, climb stairs more smoothly and transition seamlessly between walking, stopping and running. The latest generation of ASIMO can also hop, balance on one foot, sidestep and walk over uneven surfaces. All of these advancements gets ASIMO one step close to performing daily tasks to assist those in need.

Join 3BL Media (@3BLMedia) along with Honda’s team that supports ASIMO (@ASIMO) for a discussion about this advanced technology, other initiatives in progress and of course, about ASIMO’s NYC debut and a special appearance from UNI-CUB. This two-week long conversation on Twitter starts Monday April 6 and will discuss all things ASIMO, including:

• Inspiration to create ASIMO
  
• Technological advances
  
• Innovations used in other products
  
• The Importance of the NYC tour
  
• What’s next for ASIMO
  

Resources:ASIMO Visits the Big AppleASIMO: The World’s Most Advanced Humanoid Robot
About the participants:

About Honda
Honda established operations in America in 1959, and now employs more than 26,000 associates in its U.S. sales, R&D and manufacturing operations with a capital investment of more than $12.5 billion.
Based on its longstanding commitment to "build products close to the customer" Honda operates 14 major manufacturing facilities in North America, producing a wide range of Honda and Acura automobiles, automobile engines and transmissions, Honda all-terrain vehicles, and power equipment products such as lawn mowers, mini-tillers and general purpose engines, using domestic and globally sourced parts.
Seven Honda auto plants in the region, including four in the U.S., have the capacity to produce 1.72 million automobiles each year.  In 2012, 90 percent of the Honda and Acura automobiles sold in the U.S. were produced in North America.
Honda operates major research and development centers in the U.S. that fully design, develop and engineer many of the products Honda produces in North America.
About ASIMO
Honda introduced the first version of ASIMO, the world’s most advanced, bi-pedal humanoid robot, in 2000, after 14 years of research on humanoid robotics. Honda created ASIMO to help people and society, to create a helpmate for humans quiring assistance with their daily lives.
The small, lightweight robot is designed to operate fluidly in a human environment, and is capable of walking, running, climbing and descending stairs, avoiding objects, and recognizing human faces, among other skills.
The new version of ASIMO is 4’3’’ tall (130 cm), weighs 110 lbs (50 kg), and is made of magnesium alloy, plastic resin and other materials. ASIMO runs on a rechargeable lithium ion battery, with an approximate operating time of 40 minutes before recharging.
Previous versions of ASIMO have entertained people around the United States, while showcasing its innovative technology, including ringing the opening bell on the New York Stock Exchange, conducting the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, walking the red carpet at a Hollywood movie premiere, and in regular appearances at Disneyland.

Next Gen Honda Accord Conceptualized by Marcin Czajkowski

Nothing official here folks, just a nice concept drawing.
I like it.  Thanks for the tip R. Janz.

JAPAN: Honda to ship Civic from UK plant to US

Honda will be hoping that the new Civic Type R can help to reinvigorate the brand and lift flagging European sales

by Dave Leggett of www.just-auto.com

Honda is planning to export its UK-made Civic to North America to raise the rate of capacity utilisation at its UK manufacturing plant, according to a Nikkei report.

The reported move is part of a multi-pronged strategy to improve Honda's disappointing performance in Europe.

Nikkei noted that the next Jazz (Fit) will not be made at the Swindon (UK) plant and will be imported to Europe from Japan. That sourcing switch will leave Honda with a capacity utilisation hole at its UK plant. Swindon will therefore manufacture a five-door version of the car for the North American market, Nikkei said, with NA shipments planned to start in the middle of 2016. The report said that some 30,000-40,000 annual shipments to North America are targeted.

Honda has exported models to markets beyond Europe - including to Australia and Japan - from its Swindon plant at times in the past.

The Swindon factory can produce 250,000 cars a year on two lines. However one of the lines - with a 100,000-unit annual capacity - is currently idle.

The report added that Honda is also planning to move "most" of its European headquarters staff - who are based in the UK - back to Japan.

Honda in Europe has seen falling sales in recent years as it was hit by delayed product renewals as it sought to save cost in the aftermath of natural disasters in Japan and Thailand.

At the recent Geneva Show, the company outlined plans for a new product offensive including new Civic Type R, the HRV, upcoming Jazz, a fuel cell concept and a new NSX supercar. It is also launching a revised CR-V. 

Source;
http://www.just-auto.com/news/honda-to-ship-civic-from-uk-plant-to-us_id156921.aspx

Honda Picks Turbo Over Hybrid For 2018 CR-Z Coupe

by Sarah Shelton of www.hybridcars.com

While more and more automakers are expanding their hybrid platforms, Honda is going against the grain by taking a hybrid model and transforming it to a gasoline-only car.

Honda has announced that the next generation CR-Z will be running a turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Experts are expecting that Honda will use the same 2.0-liter, 280 horsepower VTEC that currently powers the Civic Type-R.

The car will most likely debut in 2017 as a model for the following year.

This will be the first time the CR-Z has been a gas-only car – ever since its debut in 2010, the CR-Z has featured a hybrid platform. The 2015 model (pictured above) is running a 1.5-liter gas engine and electric motor with a combined output of 130 horsepower.

Critics have complained that this powertrain is too weak for a sporty compact. And the coupe’s average 31 mpg is not enough of a fuel savings to justify the car’s watered-down performance.

Sales have been as lackluster as the car: Honda posted less than 3,600 sales in the U.S. last year for the CR-Z.

But Honda is betting that a turbocharged inline-four can get the CR-Z back on the right track.

“The two reasons that forced Honda to phase it out [in Europe and Australia], namely its weak street cred and lack of performance thanks to its ho-hum hybrid power unit, have been addressed.

“The new coupe will be a force to reckon with,” a Honda source told Car and Driver.

While the original CR-Z was based off the Fit, the 2018 CR-Z will be borrowing the platform from the Civic and design elements from the Civic Type-R and the Acura NSX.

When building the next generation of hybrids, carmakers frequently tweak their powertrains for extra power and efficiency. So it’s a bit unusual that, instead of looking for ways to boost its CR-Z hybrid setup, Honda is opting to replace it.

Honda’s recent activities on the racetrack add to the peculiarity of this decision. This year, Honda has returned to Formula One racing with a very high-tech hybrid setup capable of 200+ mph. This power unit – which includes systems to recapture energy from heat and brakes – gives Honda the opportunity to prove the potency of its hybrid technology.

Hopefully, Honda will learn new tricks on the track with this hybrid powertrain to boost the performance of its hybrid streetcars.

Source;
http://www.hybridcars.com/honda-picks-turbo-over-hybrid-for-2018-cr-z-coupe/

Honda Connect allows you to create a mirror like display on your screen

by Ulrich Bachman of www.technewstoday.com

While automakers from around the world are showing off their vehicles at the Geneva Motor Show in Europe, Honda Motor Co Ltd (ADR) (NYSE:HMC) is also presenting its new Civic this month, with Android installed under the name "Honda Connect". The company had announced the offer last year, however, now you are able to actually get hands on it and entertain yourself to the fullest.

The reports state what you will actually receive is a 7-inch display, featuring a grid of icons and Android apps. By this you will be able to connect your phone to the system and use most of the basic apps, even can install apps in it.

Honda Civic’s new entertainment system is completely built on Android, which is powered up with NVIDIA Tegra and has a built-in operating system - the Ice Cream Sandwich - good enough to entertain you while driving.

Although the car is released in 2015, yet it actually feels old, as the device is slow and offers a typical stereo in-car experience. However, Honda Connect allows you to create a mirror like display on your screen, connecting it via HDMI and also features video files to run on it through your iPad via cable output.

Source;
http://www.technewstoday.com/22066-honda-adds-android-to-its-new-civic/

Next-Gen Honda Civic May Get 1.5L Turbo Four as Base Engine

by Steve Stiler of www.caranddriver.com

Honda made big news when it announced that it will start building turbo engines in Ohio later this year. (Hurray!) Now, an Automotive News report tells us where some of those engines may be going: the next-generation Civic. (Double hurray!)


The report’s main source is Honda’s global R&D chief Yoshiharu Yamamoto, who said that “downsized turbocharging will be the base, even for Civic.” The engine most likely to see duty in the Civic is a 1.5-liter turbo four of unknown output, which will help the company meet stricter emissions mandates while giving the next-gen Civic performance characteristics that will help the car stand out when it arrives, perhaps as early as later this year.

Interestingly, not all of the Civics will go forced-induction, according to Yamamoto. “Quite a bit will switch over to turbo, but there will still be some naturally aspirated ones remaining,” he said, although he did not specify which engine or engines would remain and which would go.

Unfortunately, Honda was as tight-lipped as ever when we reached out for comment, but the report cites a supplier that says Honda will build as many as 200,000 1.5-liter turbos per year at the Anna, Ohio, plant, which is in the midst of a $340-million upgrade.

Depending on the character and output of the engine, it could go a long way toward restoring the faith of Honda fans in the brand’s ability to build cars that are, you know, interesting—particularly in the U.S. “In America, there aren’t that many companies with turbo models,” Yamamoto said. “The power is very good.” Let’s hope he’s right.

Source;
http://blog.caranddriver.com/next-gen-honda-civic-may-get-1-5l-turbo-four-as-base-engine/

Car and Driver Magazine: Next Generation Honda CR-Z: 2018 Honda CR-Z: It Might Finally Be What We Wanted All Along

I said from day one that making the CR-Z a Hybrid was a mistake. Now can we please have a proper CR-X replacement? (--and how's that new Prelude coming?!?)

The two-seater trades weak hybrid power for a potent turbo.

by Peter Lyon of www.caranddriver.com

As of this writing, Honda is rapidly approaching its Formula 1 comeback as the power behind McLaren at the Australian Grand Prix, and the brand is also busy readying two of Japan’s most anticipated sports cars, the new NSX and the 2016 Civic Type R. Now comes news from inside Honda's R&D center in Tochigi that the unloved CR-Z hybrid sports coupe will get a new lease on life in the form of an all-new, more performance-oriented model in three years. 

Honda’s American arm has been pleading for a gutsy, attractive, and reasonably priced coupe to bolster its brand image, and a source with close ties to the Japanese mothership says the next CR-Z will be the answer. "Remember the CR-Z? It’s due to make a big comeback in 2017," we’re told. 

"The two reasons that forced Honda to phase it out [in Europe and Australia], namely its weak street cred and lack of performance thanks to its ho-hum hybrid power unit, have been addressed. The new coupe will be a force to reckon with," insists our source. 

The original model was based on a modified version of the Fit platform, but unlike the Fit, with its centrally located fuel tank, the CR-Z’s tank was repositioned at the rear. To keep costs down, the new CR-Z's platform will be borrowed from the next-generation Civic, but with four inches chopped from the wheelbase. 

Expected to be marginally bigger than the current CR-Z, the new model will borrow design cues from the new NSX and the Civic Type R. Under the hood will be a detuned version of the Type R's turbocharged, 2.0-liter VTEC four-cylinder pumping out more than 280 horsepower. In fact, it looks as if the CR-Z will be positioned and marketed as a high-performance coupe version of the next-generation U.S. Civic, which means it may be called the Civic CR-Z. 

While the U.S. version will be fitted with the 2.0-liter engine, Honda is planning to revisit the hybrid for the Japanese domestic market; that edition will employ a turbocharged 1.5-liter hybrid i-DCD powertrain generating upwards of 200 horsepower and incorporating an eight-speed automatic transmission. 

While it’s still some way out, we understand a CR-Z prototype or concept car may surface at the 2017 Detroit show in advance of an on-sale date sometime in early 2018.

Source;
http://www.caranddriver.com/news/2018-honda-cr-z-rendered-may-ditch-hybrid-for-new-turbo-news

New Honda Advertising Campaign Urges Owners to Take Immediate Action to Check for Open Recalls to Replace Takata Airbag Inflators

For those of us in Canada, if you are wanting to see if your vehicle is effected, click here http://www.honda.ca/recalls

Mar 12, 2015 - TORRANCE, CA.

• Multi-million dollar print, digital and radio advertising campaign urges Honda and Acura owners to check for open recalls and complete airbag inflator repairs
• Ad campaign expands existing Honda actions to notify owners affected by Takata airbag inflator recalls
• Campaign will prioritize regions deemed the greatest risk

Honda has initiated a new, voluntary consumer information advertising campaign urging Honda and Acura owners to immediately check for open recalls and safety improvement campaigns, and to take affected vehicles to an authorized dealer for free repair as soon as possible. This new effort builds on the comprehensive approach Honda has taken to identify, locate and contact registered owners with vehicles included in one or more recalls to replace Takata airbag inflators.

"The goals of this campaign are to save lives and prevent injuries," said John Mendel, Executive Vice President of the Automobile Division of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "Honda hopes that this new consumer information campaign will bolster our existing and continuing efforts to reach our customers and maximize the vehicle repair completion rates associated with recalls to replace Takata airbag inflators. These ads are a strong call to action from our company designed to break through the clutter, grab the attention of customers driving affected vehicles, and urge that they get required repairs as soon as possible," said Mendel.

The consumer information campaign includes a multi-million dollar advertising push that will begin on Monday, March 16. Full-page, color advertisements will appear in more than 120 newspapers, while 30-second radio announcements will air in more than 110 markets. In addition, sponsored, customized Facebook posts that mention the specific vehicle owned by each identified user will appear on owners' timelines, in an additional effort to capture attention and encourage owners to take action. The newspaper and radio advertisements will appear in Spanish or English to match the primary language of each targeted media outlet. Examples are available for download at hondanews.com.

The advertising campaign will prioritize the 11 states and U.S. territories¹ that have been identified by Honda as representing the greatest risk to affected owners. These geographic areas expand on the four states and territories (Florida, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico) that the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Takata initially targeted based on the consistent high absolute humidity levels present in those regions. It is believed that high absolute humidity contributes to a greater risk of inflator rupture in certain older-model Takata front airbags. Honda voluntarily expanded the scope of the safety improvement campaign to include vehicles in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas and California, a total of 11 states and territories, in an effort to include other potential areas that experience consistently humid conditions over extended periods of time.

Honda strives for 100 percent vehicle repair completion in every recall and every safety improvement campaign it undertakes. Since initiating the first Takata airbag inflator recall in 2008, Honda has distributed millions of mailed notifications to registered owners in English and Spanish, but many vehicles included in these recalls remain unrepaired. Unfortunately, it is estimated that one-third of all recalled vehicles in the U.S. are never repaired. The problem is more prevalent among older model vehicles.

To help improve owner response rates, Honda has implemented various means of consumer outreach for recall notification and re-notification, including automated phone calls, mailing notices by registered mail and overnight delivery services, enlisting the support of authorized dealers and other measures. In cases where mailed notifications have been returned to Honda as undeliverable, Honda has engaged firms with specialized search skills and access to unique databases to locate registered owners.

Taking Care of our Customers
Honda and Acura owners with any pending recalls should schedule an appointment with their local authorized Honda or Acura dealership. The dealership will replace the part at no charge to the customer. Honda has taken significant actions to accelerate the pace of airbag inflator repairs, including securing agreements with two additional inflator suppliers. As a result, Honda expects replacement part capacity to fully meet demand by later this Spring. However, the current availability of replacement parts, as well as the time required to complete repairs, could lead to delays for individual customers. If a customer affected by the Takata airbag inflator recalls requests alternative transportation until their vehicle can be repaired, including use of a loaner vehicle or rental vehicle, Honda will accommodate their needs at no charge.

Summary of Affected Models (certain specific vehicles only):

• 2001-2007 Honda Accord
• 2001-2005 Honda Civic
• 2002-2006 Honda CR-V
• 2003-2011 Honda Element
• 2002-2004 Honda Odyssey
• 2003-2007 Honda Pilot
• 2006 Honda Ridgeline
• 2003-2006 Acura MDX
• 2002-2003 Acura TL
• 2003 Acura CL
• 2005 Acura RL

***Note to News Media: Please consider including the information below when reporting this story. Honda appreciates your help in reaching as many affected owners as possible with this important message. Thank you very much!***

Honda continues to urge owners of Honda and Acura vehicles affected by the Takata airbag inflator recalls to get their vehicles repaired at an authorized dealer as soon as possible. Honda owners can check their vehicles' recall status at www.recalls.honda.com or by calling 1-800-999-1009, option 4. Acura owners can check their vehicles' recall status at www.recalls.acura.com or by calling 1-800-382-2238, option 4.
# # #

¹Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; bordering states may be included

Honda starts advertising campaign related to airbag recalls

(Reuters) - Honda Motor Co Ltd's U.S. arm said it launched an advertising campaign urging owners of Honda and Acura vehicles to immediately check for open recalls and take the affected automobiles to authorized dealers for free repair.

The company has set aside hundreds of millions of dollars to cover mass recalls to replace air-bag inflators made by Takata Corp that have been linked to six deaths, all in Honda cars.

"These ads are a strong call to action from our company designed to break through the clutter, grab the attention of customers driving affected vehicles, and urge that they get required repairs as soon as possible," said John Mendel, who leads American Honda Motor's automobile unit.

The consumer information campaign includes a multi-million dollar advertising push that will begin on March 16, Honda said.

(Reporting by Sagarika Jaisinghani in Bengaluru)

Source;
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/12/honda-recall-advertising-idUSL4N0WD5TQ20150312

2015 Honda IndyCar aero kit unveiled

by Marshall Pruett of www.roadandtrack.com

If you were disappointed by Chevy's high-downforce aero kit a few weeks ago, Honda has the cure with what must be the wildest collection of wings and widgets fitted to a modern Indy car.

You'll quickly run out of fingers trying to count all of the wing elements on the front of Honda's road course/short oval ("RC/SO") aero kit, and if it bears a likeness to the front wing packages found on recent Formula 1 cars, there's a reason. Along with Honda Performance Development's designers and engineers, former F1 chassis designer/entrant Nick Wirth and his UK-based Wirth Research penned the majority of the bodywork.

For those who've grown bored with spec cars, HPD VP Steve Eriksen believes aero kits can serve as a gateway to bring some inventiveness back to this once-pioneering form of American motor racing.

"We've had a car that is essentially the same since 2012—all cars the same across the whole grid," he said. "Now you're going to have the visual differences across the cars. I think it will be engaging for the fans, particularly the folks that are really interested in the details. My sense is that it is really about getting back to the roots of IndyCar, where you have development going on as opposed to being spec."

The cost of a complete aero kit, which includes all of the bodywork and wings for both the RC/SO package and the drastically different Speedway kit for the Indy 500, Pocono, and Fontana, can be had for the price of a new Corvette Z06.

"The cost to a team for the initial kits is $75,000 for the aero kit," Eriksen added.

More than 100 pieces comprise Honda's aero kit, and with teams permitted to add and subtract the various bolt-on winglets and other aerodynamic pieces as desired, a driver could practice, qualify, and race with three different configurations. Teammates could try different aero options in the same session, and across the field of 24 Indy cars, keeping track of which components are on or off a car at any given time would require CSI: Indianapolis to conduct a season-long investigation.

Not only has IndyCar unhooked itself from the tethers of spec racing, they've run so far in the opposite direction—at least with aerodynamics—that avid photographers and private investigators would be needed to monitor the major and minor variances being run at any given time.

Rather than force every team to master the same identical chassis and aero, the entrants in IndyCar will need to keep tight control over Pandora's Box.

"I believe the first half of the season, or at least until we get to Indy, teams will be so immersed in what they already have at their fingertips to work with and what they can do with it, that there won't be a lot of time to go through and see what this Honda team has done compared to other Honda teams, or what the Chevys have done and what the Hondas have done," said 2014 Indy 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay, who handled the majority of Honda's aero kit test-driving duties with his Andretti Autosport team.

"Obviously, if another Honda team has a lot of front downforce, we can see that they are adding it by the number of wing elements on their car, but we don't know what they started with. It is a package. It is a whole package. It's their mechanical combined with their aero, and we certainly won't know their aero numbers to try and copy it. I think at the beginning, I really do think that the teams will just have blinders on, looking straight down at the computer trying to figure out what, when, and how they can make their own stuff work better."

We're a week away from having Chevy and Honda together on the same track with their respective aero kits, and even by the end of the two-day Spring Training event at Alabama's Barber Motorsports Park, it's still unlikely either brand will uncork every ounce of potential contained within the cars.

The two have also been working on making more power from their 2.2-liter twin-turbo V6s, and with the extra downforce pushing the cars to the ground, they'll certainly need additional grunt to push through the air. Tune into the season-opening race March 29 at 3 p.m. ET on ABC to see who fires the first successful volley in IndyCar's wild aero frontier.

Source;
http://www.roadandtrack.com/motorsports/news/a25225/2015-honda-indycar-aero-kit-unveiled-and-it-looks-nuts/

Honda PHILIPPINES launches all-new Odyssey minivan

It's always nice to see what Honda has cooking in other markets, some new features (love the 2nd row seats) have a way of making their way over....

by Jason K. Ang

MANILA, Philippines–How do you come up with a successor to one of the best minivans on the planet, regardless of price? If you’re Honda, you make it better.

Honda Cars Philippines unveiled the all-new Odyssey minivan on Tuesday, coming with a premium vehicle that is both more practical, probably more fuel efficient, while at the same time more luxurious.

The Odyssey for the Philippines will no longer be the American version of that nameplate, but the vehicle created for Japanese and Asian markets. As such, it is smaller than the outgoing car, while still providing ample room.

Exterior length is reduced by a considerable 322 millimeters, and width by 191 mm. Wheelbase is 2900 mm, versus the American’s 3000 mm.

Weight is also reduced by about 110 kilograms. The twin sliding door configuration is retained for easy ingress and egress.

The centerpiece of any van is its cabin. Honda says that the Odyssey cabin follows the “Modern Suite Room” concept. Odyssey seats seven in three rows: two for the first row, two in the second-row captain’s chairs and three in the third row.

At the cockpit is a 7-inch touchscreen display audio unit with navigation, and at the back is a 9-inch monitor with HDMI port and DVD player.

Honda says that noise, vibration and harshness are reduced, thanks to more sound absorbing material and thicker glass all around.

The interior promises to be versatile, with a “sizeable amount of load” space even with all seats up. The third row can be folded flat under the floor, allowing the Odyssey to convert to a limousine of sorts, with the captain’s chairs sliding all the way to the back of the van.

Sliding the seats forward allows for more cargo space. The captain’s chairs can also be positioned sideways for more personal space, or to provide a walk-through area. The third row features a three-way split reclining seatback.

Odyssey will be powered by an Earth Dreams Technology-branded 2.4-liter DOHC iVTEC engine, paired with a continuously variable transmission with paddle shifter. The engine produces  172.60 HP and 225 Nm.

The Econ mode button and ambient Eco coaching meter will be standard. An idle stop system automatically shuts down the engine when the van is at a complete stop, while a cold-storage evaporator continues to cool the cabin.

The smart key system allows for a push-button start. Other convenience features are an eight-way power driver’s chair, steering wheel remote switches, automatic climate control, and USB and HDMI ports.

The Odyssey comes with a multiview camera system. With four wide angle cameras on the front grille, door mirrors, and tailgate, the system provides a 360-degree view of the car’s surroundings on the audio monitor.

Blind spot monitor and cross traffic monitor help alert for vehicles that may be in the path of the car. ABS, EBD, stability assist, hill-start assist, active cornering lights, and six airbags round out the safety features.

The smart parking assist can detect and assist with both parallel and perpendicular parking by manipulating the steering wheel. The driver just has to operate the gas and brakes.

Not that a minivan will necessarily look fit to join the “Fast and Furious” movie, but you can still upgrade its looks with a Mugen sport package.

The Mugen package includes a front grille, front lower grille, wing spoiler, door visor and luggage mat, for P91,200.

The Modulo package, comprised of fender garnish, door mirror garnish, license garnish, cargo net and tray, will sell for P21,700 and will be given for free for customers who purchase the Odyssey until March 31.

The new Odyssey will be available in premium twinkle black pearl, white orchid pearl and modern steel metallic (pearl colors will require P20,000 price premium). Mauve pearl, super platinum metallic, carnelian red pearl and crystal black pearl will be available on a by-order basis.

Best of all, the new Odyssey will debut at a price substantially lower than the old model, at P2.298 million.

Source;
http://motioncars.inquirer.net/35302/honda-ph-launches-all-new-odyssey-minivan

Driving.ca: First Look: 2016 Honda HR-V (comparing the HR-V to the CR-V)

Check out this article by David Booth showcasing the all new 2016 Honda HR-V (expected here in May 2015 for Canada), with a really good comparison it's big brother CR-V.  (more pix too!)
http://driving.ca/honda/reviews/road-test/first-look-2016-honda-hr-v

Toyota is killing off the Venza crossover

by Chris Woodyard of  www.usatoday.com

Toyota is killing off one of its mainstream models, the Venza crossover.

While some of the brand's quirkier models with more limited appeal have come and gone, it's a little unusual for a model in a hot segment, one that hits square in terms of customer popularity, to be banished.

The compact crossover will be phased out at the end of summer, says CarsDirect.com. It says one of its editors made the discovery that Venza is a goner.

Venza was introduced in 2008, just as the auto industry was going into a sales tailspin as the recession took hold. While it never sold spectacularly like some other models, Venza has, by and large, held its own.

Reached for comment, Toyota issued a statement that says Toyota will "wind down production" at its factories in Kentucky. "No jobs will be lost" as a result, it adds.

"It's a difficult business decision to wind down production of the Venza, however (Toyota in Kentucky) and its 7,000 team members are excited to begin production of the refreshed Avalon and the Lexus ES sedan later this year. It's the first time Lexus will be produced in the U.S.," the statement says.

Source;
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2015/03/02/toyota-venza-dead/24281639/

HONDA NSX SUPERCAR MAKES EUROPEAN DEBUT (that's right, Honda NSX....)

• All-new model delivers a ground-breaking ‘New Sports eXperience’
• Designed from a clean-sheet with an ‘Interwoven Dynamic’ exterior design and uncompromising focus on driver control, visibility and packaging inside
• New all-wheel drive hybrid powertrain is the most technologically-advanced in the supercar segment
• Innovative multi-material space frame delivers high rigidity and light weight
• Sophisticated dynamic set up allied to advanced technologies deliver unmatched handling, stability and chassis response
• Twenty-five years after the debut of the original, paradigm-shifting NSX supercar, the production version of its highly anticipated successor makes its European debut at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. 

European customer deliveries of the new mid-engine sports hybrid NSX supercar are due to begin in early 2016. Specifically created to bring a “New Sports eXperience” to the supercar segment, the NSX challenges prevailing beliefs about supercars as much as the first generation did a quarter of a century ago.
The 2015 Honda NSX is powered by an all-new power unit – a twin-turbocharged 75-degree DOHC V6 engine coupled to a nine-speed dual clutch transmission (DCT) and three electric motors. This Sport Hybrid technology is housed within an ultra-rigid and lightweight multi-material chassis that features world-first material applications and manufacturing processes. As a ‘human-centred supercar’ that puts the driver first in every aspect of its design, the next-generation NSX will deliver exceptionally intuitive and immediate response to driver inputs thanks to its state-of-the-art hybrid supercar power unit, body and chassis.
As the ultimate representation of Honda performance and prestige, the NSX was developed under the theme of ‘Precision Crafted Performance’. The development of the 2015 Honda NSX started from a clean-sheet and involved nearly three years of intensive development effort by a global design and engineering team led by engineers at Honda’s development centre in Raymond, Ohio.

Interwoven Dynamic design
The exterior of the new Honda NSX represents superlative attention to balancing exotic sports car form and supercar function. The development team refer to the result as ‘Interwoven Dynamic’ design.
The body features classic low and wide proportions, sharply contoured surfaces, an aggressive front design, and tail lights that pay homage to the original NSX.
The signature side intake and floating C-pillar collects air to feed the mid-mounted engine and directs airflow over the rear deck to increase downforce. To accommodate the new longitudinally mounted engine and transmission the production vehicle was lengthened by 79 mm and widened by 25 mm compared with the NSX Concept first shown in 2013, resulting in a slightly more cab-forward package
Every element of the exterior body design has been carefully fashioned for total airflow management, both for stability-enhancing downforce and vehicle systems cooling. The NSX has undergone extensive testing at the company’s state-of-the-art wind tunnel in Raymond, Ohio, leading to a number of significant changes from concept to final body design. These include modified bonnet vents, new front wing vents, modified side air intakes, and an optimised rear spoiler.

Driver-centred cockpit design
Consistent with the ‘human-centred supercar’ development concept, the NSX was designed from the inside out with an uncompromising focus on the driver. Staying true to the legendary original NSX, the newcomer’s ‘Human Support Cockpit’ provides exceptional driver control, visibility and packaging. While the principal endures from the original NSX, the technologies and techniques employed to achieve the objective in the all-new model have advanced immeasurably in order to meet the extreme performance expectations of a modern supercar.
The NSX interior boasts exceptional forward visibility, simple and intuitive controls, and class-leading ergonomics. For example, the front seats feature top-class holding performance with outstanding comfort and easy access for the driver and passenger.
The NSX’s instrument cluster features a dynamic TFT screen that displays various categories of vehicle data and settings according to the selection made by the driver via the Integrated Dynamics System dial control on the centre console. As it controls this powerful driver information hub, it seems entirely appropriate that the Power button that readies the sport hybrid powertrain is located in the centre of the dial.
Interwoven under the handcrafted leather dash panel is the exposed mid-frame – a functioning chassis structural member that reflects the design aesthetic of a naked sport bike. An ultra-thin, yet super strong A-pillar design and low-mounted instrument panel minimise obstructions to the driver’s view of the road.

Sport Hybrid Power Unit
In keeping with the single overriding philosophy of the original NSX, the next-generation NSX is designed to provide a new sports car experience that maximises the capabilities of the driver, delivering exceptionally intuitive and confidence-inspiring response.
Honda engineers have taken advantage of the company’s expertise across several advanced drivetrain and chassis dynamic technologies to create the most sophisticated, technologically advanced and intelligent powertrain in the supercar segment. Specifically, the development team drew on its advanced engineering capabilities with high-performance engines and hybrid electric-drive technologies, as well as two decades of experience with industry-leading dynamic torque-vectoring technologies, including Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD).
At the heart of the NSX’s performance capabilities is an all-new mid-mounted, 75-degree, DOHC V6 engine with twin turbochargers mated to a specially-developed nine-speed DCT.
The V6 engine employs a race-inspired compact valve train and dry sump lubrication system to help lower the centre of gravity. The all-new nine-speed DCT delivers synapse-quick gear changes and rev-matching downshifts.
The rear direct-drive electric motor, housed between the engine and transmission, supports acceleration, braking and transmission shifting performance. The NSX’s front wheels are driven by twin independent high-output electric motors which deliver instantaneous torque response and dynamic left-to-right torque distribution.
The NSX uses its front electric motors for dynamic torque vectoring in addition to enhancing acceleration and braking performance. The result is instantaneous launch performance and handling response that seems to anticipate the driver’s desire. The NSX has undergone extensive testing at some of the world’s most challenging race circuits, including the famed Nürburgring Nordschleife.

Advanced Multi-Material Body
Also in keeping with the legacy of the original NSX – the world’s first all-aluminium supercar – the new NSX features an innovative new multi-material body design with world-first material applications and construction processes.
The NSX body utilises a space-frame design – an internal frame constructed of aluminium, ultra-high strength steel and other advanced materials. Anchored by a carbon fibre floor, torsional and bending forces are taken up entirely by this ultra-rigid structure which also utilises advanced joining technologies
The NSX features world-first casting technology that combines the design and manufacturing flexibility of a casting process with the strength and elongation properties of a forged material, enabling significant weight reduction. The body panels are composed of a combination of aluminium and sheet moulding composite (SMC).

Advanced Sport Package for astonishing dynamic performance
The NSX features an ’Advanced Sports Package’ with placement of major powertrain components – the mid-mounted engine, twin front motors and Sport Hybrid battery pack and power control unit – optimised to concentrate vehicle mass low and toward the centre of the vehicle, to further enhance balance and dynamic response. The combination of this packaging concept and the lightweight body gives the NSX the lowest centre of gravity in its class.
The NSX utilises a fully independent, all-aluminium front and rear suspension and its considerable power hits the tarmac through ContiSportContact™ high-performance tyres – 245/35Z R19 at the front and 295/30Z R20 at the rear – mounted on 19 x 8.5 inch front and 20 x 11 inch rear aluminium alloy wheels.
Powerful, natural and confident braking performance is provided by six-piston front and four-piston rear monoblock calipers squeezing ultra-high performance carbon-ceramic brake discs.
Handling is greatly enhanced by Honda-engineered Sport Hybrid Super-Handling All Wheel Drive (Sport Hybrid SH-AWD), enabling lightning-quick response to all driver inputs – steering, braking and throttle – along with the stability, control and launch performance of all-wheel drive. Agile Handling Assist (AHA) uses the subtle application of brake torque to further enhance and dynamic stability.
The NSX’s dial-operated Integrated Dynamic System features Quiet, Sport, Sport+ and Track modes. The system adjusts engine, motor, transmission and chassis response, as well as the engine sound level, based on the needs of the driver and driving environment. Quiet mode enables electric-only driving at lower speeds for short durations. Dynamic vehicle responses become increasingly sharp as the driver moves from Sport to Sport+ mode and, finally, to Track mode, where the NSX reveals the full spectrum of its performance capabilities.
The NSX also features a ‘launch’ function to achieve the ultimate acceleration from standstill, aided by both the engine and the three electric motors.

New Production Facility
The NSX will be manufactured exclusively at the Performance Manufacturing Centre (PMC) in Marysville, Ohio, where approximately 100 highly-skilled low-volume production specialists will conduct full body construction, paint, and final assembly.
The PMC and its processes have been developed to perfectly blend craftsmanship and technology in a new approach to manufacturing. By undertaking the body construction in-house, Honda maintains complete control over total body quality, including critical strength, suspension accuracy, and fit and finish, from initial construction all the way to final assembly.
PMC’s production team will employ innovative techniques to deliver next-generation craftsmanship and world-class quality in the realm of specialised, supercar vehicle production.

Source;
http://hondanews.eu/eu/en/cars/media/pressreleases/43977/honda-nsx-supercar-makes-european-debut