2016 Honda Civic Sedan Spyshots

Here are some more spyshots of the fully redesigned Honda Civic, 2016.
Source;
http://carsspyphotos.net/help-to-define-car-on-on-i-70-limon-to-salina/main/

Here is the pantent pictures filed by Honda;

Forbes: 2016 Honda HR-V: Honda Joins the Rapidly-Expanding Small SUV Segment

by Karl Bauer of www.forbes.com

Don’t look now, but yet another subcompact SUV is about to join the seemingly endless parade of small sport utilities vehicles introduced over the past 6 months. I’ve personally written about three of these vehicles since mid-December, and with the all-new 2016 Honda HR-V going on sale May 15th it marks an average of one new small SUV arriving in dealer showrooms every month for the past 4 months. That’s a run rate I’ve never seen in my 20 years covering the industry. It’s enough to give one pause while asking the obvious question: can the U.S. market absorb so many all-new models, all focused in a single vehicle segment, in such a short timeframe? With over two million compact crossovers and SUVs sold last year, representing an annual growth rate of 14.5 percent, the answer looks like a resounding “YES!”

In fact, just 3 months into the year Kelley Blue Book is tracking the segment’s growth at an additional 9.5 percent, and that’s with many of these newer models still ramping up to full production. This means Honda’s 2016 HR-V will face a full formation of competing compact SUVs when it goes on sale next month. Yet Honda knows a thing or three about selling small SUV’s. The company’s CR-V has been tearing up sales charts for over a decade, and the new HR-V uses much of the same philosophy in a smaller, more affordable package. The recipe starts with a functional-yet-sporty exterior design wrapped around a space efficient cabin. With over 100 cubic feet of interior volume (including 24.3 cubic feet behind the second-row seat and 58.8 cubic feet behind the front seats when the second row is folded down), the HR-V packs plenty of utility inside a small, easy-to-manage frame. That frame features 27 percent ultra-high strength steel, and Honda reps told use they are confident the HR-V will earn top safety scores from the NHTSA and IIHS.

A solid structure pays dividends beyond crash protection. In the case of the HR-V we noticed trademark Honda refinement in the small ute’s ride and handling characteristics. With an approximate 3,000-pound curb weight the HR-V feels light on its feet, and its electric power steering was calibrated to provide a proper balance of responsive feedback and confidence. An independent front suspension and torsion beam rear suspension smoothed out road irregularities while allowing minimal lean around corners. Engaging driving dynamics have accompanied Honda vehicles for decades, and the HR-V continues this tradition. The 141 horsepower and 127 pound-feet of torque on tap from the HR-V’s 1.8-liter, 4-cylinder i-VTEC engine stays true to yet another Honda trait — adequate engine power. Many competitors offer higher horsepower and torque numbers and better power-to-weight ratios. So while not exactly sporty, the HR-V doesn’t feel underpowered in either front- or all-wheel-drive form. A 6-speed manual is offered on front-wheel-drive HR-Vs while a CVT is optional on front drivers and standard on all-wheel-drive models. Fuel efficiency is rated at 24 mpg city, 34 mpg highway and 28 mpg combined with the manual transmission and front-wheel drive. The CVT gets 28 city, 35 highway and 31 combined on front-drive models and 27/32/29 on all-wheel-drive HR-Vs.

Augmenting the 2016 HR-V’s space efficient cabin and refined driving dynamics is a comfortable interior with functional storage space and plenty of room for full-sized adults. Interior materials deliver a sense of quality, including a bright, clear gauge cluster and thick steering wheel with standard audio and Bluetooth controls. Like the Honda Fit with which is shares a platform, the HR-V is easy to reconfigure from passenger to cargo mode. The second row “Magic Seat” (Honda’s term) folds away quickly and easily, creating a flat load floor to maximize the small ute’s interior volume. This seat’s lower cushions can also be folded up to create a wide, open area ahead of the cargo area if needed.

For the rest of the Article, follow this link;
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kbrauer/2015/04/30/2016-honda-hr-v-honda-joins-rapidly-expanding-small-suv-segment/2/

Globe and Mail: Road Test Review: 2016 Honda HR-V is a solution to the bursting Civic

by Jessica Leeder of www.globeandmail.com

To say the Honda Civic has enjoyed cult status for years is a no-brainer. Many a Civic loyalist has taken pride in stretching the economical little coupe from a starter car into their 30s when, bursting with hockey sticks, strollers, car-seat bases and the inevitable accoutrements that accompany the onset of family life, the sporty relics are surrendered – grudgingly (perhaps even tearfully).

Well, Civic Nation, take heart. This summer marks the arrival of Honda’s solution to your problem: The all-new HR-V “subcompact crossover” will be rolled out across the country. Designed specifically as a solution for coupe-loving drivers whose lives are pushing the limits of their vehicles – but who aren’t ready for the upgrade to a full-scale SUV – the 2016 HR-V aims to deliver the pleasure wrought by bombing around in a sporty coupe combined with the utility of, well, a utility vehicle. Honda has wrapped this pursuit in a beautifully designed, not-too-big-not-too-blah package that will undoubtedly turn heads. With a wide, strong stance and a meaty but aerodynamic grill, the HR-V demands attention in the way that coupe diehards like to get it.

In what is perhaps the most blatant sign of the design team’s commitment to hitting coupe lovers’ sweet spots, the HR-V bears concealed rear door handles that are tucked neatly into the rear window panes. While the handles are a bit wonky to get used to – and to manoeuvre with arms full of groceries – the HR-V’s designers get points for even considering that four conventional door handles might jar prospective drivers who equate sportiness with two doors.

Honda also deserves kudos for the utility it has managed to wring out of this model. The HR-V’s strongest selling point, its five-seat capacity, has five set-up modes designed to accommodate the flotsam of real life. Want to lug home a small tree? No problem. The rear seats flip backward into the trunk to allow access to flat floor space. You need to transport a surf board? The HR-V can handle it (inside the car), too.

This newcomer is also loaded up with much of the technology drivers have come to expect, including double smartphone plugs in the front console, an excellent rear backup camera and lane assist. While it misses on small details such as power seats and automatic rear gate lift (presumably to keep sticker prices down), it delivers on the road. Above all, the HR-V is a pleasure to drive. It has a higher driving position than a coupe, but fittingly so. The only caution worth issuing concerns the six-speed manual model: while stick shifts often make smaller vehicles more fun to drive, the opposite is true here. The HR-V’s manual transmission was cumbersome and made the vehicle’s quality seem cheap. Buyers ought to trade up for the automatic CVT – and prepare to see a slew of fellow HR-V drivers out on the road.

You’ll like this car if ... You’re bursting at the seams in your two-door coupe but can’t envision upsizing to something too big, high or SUV-esque.

TECH SPECS

• Base price: $20,690; as tested: $29,990
• Engine: 1.8-litre four-cylinder
• Transmission/drive: CVT (four-wheel and two-wheel drive) or six-speed manual (two-wheel drive)
• Fuel economy (litres/100 km): 2WD CVT: 8.3 city, 6.7 litres highway; 2WD manual: 9.3 city, 7.0 highway; 4WD CVT: 8.8 city, 7.2 highway
• Alternatives: Fiat 500X, Mazda CX-5, KIA Rondo, Nissan Juke

RATINGS

• Looks: This crossover emanates strength and agility with a wide front end, stance and sleek, powerful lines that hint at the vehicle’s target sweet spot: that magical place where sporty and functional align.
• Interior: The cabin is modern and minimal with black and stainless accents. While the front seat is comfortable for two, three adults would be sardined in the back.
• Performance: While the 4WD CVT model was sporty, peppy and never felt underpowered, the six-speed manual was the opposite.
• Technology: The HR-V is jammed with technology, including a multiview rear camera, a lane-assist camera mounted to the passenger mirror, a smart-touch dashboard display, heated front seats and two USB ports for smartphones. Missing, though, are a slew of power functions such as power seats, power tail lift and a regular old volume dial.
• Cargo: Storage is the HR-V’s strong suit. Designed with a mind to making the interior as functional as possible.

The Verdict

9.0

Honda set out to make a big impact with this little can-do crossover and its neat combination of utility, efficiency and sporty good looks makes it a great buy.

The writer was a guest of the auto maker. Content was not subject to approval.

Source;
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/reviews/new-cars/review-2016-honda-hr-v-is-a-solution-to-the-bursting-civic/article24168014/#

Honda App for Apple Watch

by Kat Callahan of www.jalopnik.com

Honda apparently thinks you absolutely, positively, desperately need to know at all times what the reading on your odometer is, or how far you just traveled, or what your cruising range is... And they’ve made an app for that. If you’re in Japan.

The app, which is available on iPhone as well as the new Apple Watch, comes in English and Japanese, and all the promotional material is in English, but the app is only available from the Japanese iTunes store. There are, of course, ways around that, but they usually require some kind of proof of connection to Japan. Even I haven’t yet downloaded the app—I have a US based account, not a Japanese one. 

The promotional material states there are seven “Basic Functions” that the app has: cruising range (how long until you need to fill up), odometer, parking (I guess it uses Maps to help you locate parking and tells you how long it will take), a fuel efficiency score, another function which is similar to cruising range but tells you before you start driving (uh... so... it’s cruising range but with a different picture?), a timer which allows you to keep track of how long you have been away from the vehicle (for parking meter purposes apparently), and finally an arrival information function which tells you how long you drove for, the distance traveled, and what your average fuel economy was.

Source;

http://jalopnik.com/honda-japan-think-you-will-use-your-apple-watch-to-conn-1700898144

Car and Driver: Honda Americas R&D Chief: Our Cars Won’t Crash After 2040

by Davey G. Johnson of www.caranddriver.com

Honda, like other automakers, has taken to calling itself a “mobility company.” Which sounds a bit highbrow until you consider the sheer number of things the company makes. Outboard motors. Riding mowers.
Motorcycles. Minivans. A freaking jet airplane. Speaking at the SAE World Congress last week, Honda R&D Americas president Frank Paluch outlined Honda’s vision for the next 35 years of vehicular travel. Let’s just say that it’s ambitious.


Thirty-five years ago, we were just coming out of the haze that was the ’70s. BMW had yet to introduce the E30 3-series. GM was finalizing development on its J platform, which reached its ultimate evolution in the form of the Cimarron. Chrysler’s K-cars were just about to appear. “Minivan” was a term yet to be coined. “SUV” wasn’t even a thing, much less “SAV” or four-door coupe. “Hybrid” was something to do with horticulture. AMG was a little hot-rod/race shop in Affalterbach, and C3 Corvettes were down to making exactly zero horsepower at any rpm. The Camry had yet to be unleashed upon the world. Elon was a mere Musklet, and you could read Car and Driver only once a month. All Paluch is suggesting is that the next 35 years will see Honda vehicles talk to each other, talk to infrastructure, stop killing people, ease congestion, and send you hurtling down the San Joaquin Valley at 186 mph like you’re Don Prudhomme at Famoso.

Paluch envisions the rollout in phases, the first only five years out, which suggests that Honda is very close to production deployment. By 2020, he suggests that we’ll see vehicles connected to each other and to infrastructure in such a way that will see a 50-percent reduction in accidents involving Honda vehicles.

Ten years after that, all road users will be connected, including bicyclists, pedestrians, and motorcyclists. By 2040, Honda-connected vehicles would be accident-free, which allows for things like express lanes for connected vehicles, enabling automated travel at autobahn-grade speeds between San Francisco and Los Angeles. In thirty-five years’ time, cars will merge into a semi-sentient hive mind, a direct precursor to the rise of the machines, which will send all of us to our ultimate end as slaves of Hondanet.

We made up that last bit; Paluch sees it in a much more positive light, saying, “With the advancement of learning, sensing, and communication, in both cars and infrastructure, we will move into a new realm, a cooperative car society, in which the highly automated vehicle becomes a platform for the transformed mobility experience.”

And despite the battery-electric vehicle being the clean machine of the moment, Paluch is still betting on hydrogen fuel cells as the power source of the future, paired with smart grids and photovoltaic arrays. Paluch sees it something like this: “My FCV is connected to my smart home energy system, supplementing the grid and acting as part of a distributed energy network that includes wind and locally generated solar power. In the event of a blackout, my car functions as a home backup generator. And now I am living the low-carbon dream, driving and living with net-zero grid energy and zero CO2 emissions.”

For the rest of the article;
http://blog.caranddriver.com/honda-americas-rd-chief-our-cars-wont-crash-after-2040/

(I couldn't resist....)

Fueled by Bullsh*t | Presented by Toyota Mirai

Considering this is the very direction that Honda is going (FCX Clarity), it's good to see other brands step up with this kind of support.

For more information, check this out;
http://www.toyota.com/mirai/fueledbyeverything.html

Honda still plotting mid-engined sports car trio

S2000 successor with e-AWD tech from Pikes Peak CR-Z could slot in between S1000 and NSX in mid-engined Honda sports range

Why do we keep coming back to what Honda’s doing? And why should we care? Because with several high-profile launches under its belt and more to come, Honda is by far the most happening Japanese car-maker right now.

Emerging from a long performance product hibernation and several painful recalls with a bang, Honda last year launched a ground-breaking new Accord Hybrid and 660cc N-Box mini-car, followed by an all-new Legend flagship. Sadly, only the Accord Hybrid will be sold in Australia, from mid-June.

Then, earlier this year, Honda not only made its long-awaited comeback to Formula 1, but launched new versions of its Stepwagon and Grace mini-vans, and Japan’s hottest ever mini-car (kei-car), the turbocharged S660 sportster.

As we’ve reported, Australia can look forward to a meaner-looking, gutsier 1.0-litre turbo S1000 packing around 95kW by late 2016. Honda has also just started a world tour to introduce its radical new business plane, the HondaJet.

At this year's Tokyo motor show in October, Honda will finally reveal the production version of what it claims will be the world’s fastest front-drive coupe, the new Civic Type-R, which used its 228kW 2.0-litre turbo four to set a new front-drive production car lap record of 7:50 at the Nurburgring in Germany.

In an effort to stagger its hero-car launches, expect to see the final production version of the four-wheel drive hybrid NSX supercar in early 2016, after its official unveiling at the Tokyo show.

From what we’re hearing, that’s just part of the story. Honda is currently working on two other cars that kind of sit neatly between the NSX and S660 in terms of performance and price.

Yes, we are referring to reinterpreted versions of the CR-Z and S2000, and if these two artist’s impressions from Japan's Best Car magazine prove accurate, the CR-Z successor (pictured in blue) and born-again S2000 (white) should take Honda’s street cred to a whole new level.

With its mild 1.5-litre hybrid system, the previous CR-Z might have looked the real deal with its sharp, wedge-shaped styling, but it did not deliver on the performance side. Honda plans to change all that with a radical new CR-Z prototype destined to blast up the legendary Pikes Peak hill climb in June.

Japan’s third largest car-maker has taken a current model CR-Z and fitted it with four electric motors — technology inherited directly from the Legend’s rear-motor SH-AWD (Super Handling All Wheel Drive) system, but now extending to motors on both the front and rear axles.

Entered in the Challenge Exhibition category, the Pikes Peak CR-Z "is a prototype that Honda has created to test how electric drive handles when pushed to the absolute limits,” says a source inside Honda.

This is nothing new for Honda, which introduced the electrified SH-AWD system in the Legend and will also incorporate it into the front axle of the NSX.

Honda's e-AWD technology will eventually permeate all of Honda’s sports models, but the system that powers the Pikes Peak CR-Z will not be a pointer to the production CR-Z.

“Do not expect to see the new CR-Z as a road-going version of the Pikes Peak car," said our source. "We are only using it as a racing test mule for an all-wheel-drive electric powertrain, one that will most probably not be used on the next CR-Z."

Boasting an updated version of SH-AWD, the Pikes Peak CR-Z will feature independently operating electric motors that not only distribute torque to all four wheels depending on demand, but also offer a new generation rear-wheel steer function that is said to enhance cornering speed.

It's understood Honda is currently evaluating a petrol-electric powertrain incorporating the same turbocharged three-cylinder 1.0-litre engine that will power the S1000, paired with an electric motor to develop a total power output of 162kW.

Such a powertrain would be ideal for the CR-Z, but a replacement for the discontinued compact coupe appears far from certain.

“Truth be known, our engineers might be working on a more efficient electric four-wheel drive system in the Pikes Peak CR-Z, but that will not directly lead to a road-going all-electric CR-Z. We still need to evaluate exactly where a new CR-Z would fit into our sports car hierarchy,” said our insider.

“I should tell you that while we are looking at the potential of electric 4WD in the Pikes Peak CR-Z, the powers that be in our R&D section are leaning strongly towards channelling development funds away from the CR-Z and into an S2000 successor.”

We've written about a mid-engined replacement for the original S2000 before, but if it eventuates it would slot perfectly between the NSX at the top of Honda's line-up and the S660 at the lower end, filling the hole in between and giving the company a direct rival for mid-size sports cars like the Porsche Boxster and Cayman.

A born-again S200 would also make Honda the first car-maker to offer a threesome of mid-engined sports cars spanning such a wide price band, from about $30,000 for the S1000 to potentially over $200,000.

While the NSX will knock horns with the Porsche 911 and the S1000 would give the Toyota 86, Mazda MX-5 and Alfa 124 a run for their money, a reinterpreted S2000 could take the challenge right up to Stuttgart's mid-engined sports cars, as well as the Audi TT, BMW Z4, Mercedes-Benz SLK and Nissan 370Z.

The reincarnated S2000 successor would employ a mid-mounted four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine to drive the rear wheels but it's now believed it will, like the NSX, also incorporate a twin-motor system up front, making it all-wheel drive.

But what would power a new S2000? Our insider says engineers are currently evaluating a detuned version of the Civic Type-R's 2.0-litre turbo, but he adds that a smaller, more efficient 1.5-litre turbo engine/motor combination married to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission would generate at least 300hp (221kW) and bring the total cost to somewhere between $55,000 and $75,000.

Whether Honda gives the production green light for an S2000 successor — or indeed a new CR-Z — will, according to our insider, depend on how Honda's sales progress in the world’s two major markets: the US and China.

Another senior Honda engineer we spoke to recently says he really wants to make a mid-engined S2000. Here's hoping the company is successful enough in those markets to allow it to push the button on a born-again S2000 and create a tantalising mid-engined sports trio from Honda, or at least offer an affordable, more serious CR-Z.

Source;
http://www.motoring.com.au/news/2015/honda/honda-still-plotting-mid-engined-sports-car-trio-50749

New Technical Details of the Next Generation Acura NSX Revealed at SAE 2015 World Congress and Exhibition

NSX Power Unit Layout

The NSX features an all-new power unit from a clean sheet design with a longitudinally-mounted twin-turbo V6 engine mated to an all-new 9-speed DCT.

NSX Total Airflow Management, Powertrain & Heat Exchangers

The NSX utilizes a revolutionary total airflow management system that supports component cooling and aerodynamic performance while also contributing to even more dynamic styling.

Apr 23, 2015 - DETROIT

• New information disclosed on innovative powertrain, body and manufacturing technologies further solidifies the NSX's position as a world-class supercar
• NSX legacy of innovative, lightweight body design for high performance is advanced with world's first automotive application of ablation casting
• Total airflow management design strategy employed to achieve world-class supercar performance

In advance of the market launch of the highly anticipated next generation Acura NSX, the engineers leading the supercar's development shared new technical details and design strategies with the automotive engineering community at the April 22nd SAE Detroit Section dinner, held in conjunction with the SAE 2015 World Congress and Exhibition. Additional information about the team's efforts to achieve a true "New Sports Experience" included details of the NSX's world's first body construction process that helped create a multi-material space frame resulting in class-leading body rigidity, the advanced total airflow management system and an update on NSX's power unit specifications.
Ted Klaus, chief engineer and global development leader of the new NSX, introduced key powertrain, body and dynamic performance engineers who shared new product and technical details in their related areas of the development. The unprecedented sharing of technical details prior to the car's market introduction reflects the desire of the NSX development team and the company to inspire the imagination of automotive and technology enthusiasts along with the next generation of engineers.
"Our goal is to create something altogether new and exciting, something that advances the concept of a next generation supercar in the spirit of the original NSX," said Klaus. "In order to provide NSX-level value, we needed to push ourselves to experiment with, refine and then realize many new technologies."
Significant technical revelations concerning the NSX included:

• The NSX includes Acura's first use of a revolutionary multi-material space frame design that delivers class-leading body rigidity while remaining lightweight.
• World's first automotive application of new ablation casting¹ technology resulting in world-class body rigidity for ultimate handling and control.
• World's first use of a three-dimensionally formed, ultra-high-strength steel A-pillar, supporting class-leading rigidity and crash performance while providing outstanding outward visibility.
• The NSX achieves top-in-class aerodynamics targets without the use of active aerodynamic elements, while its three-motor Sport Hybrid power unit is cooled through 10 heat exchangers all thanks to a total airflow management strategy that maximizes the flow of air around and through NSX.
• Displacement of the NSX's all-new twin turbo V-6 engine was confirmed to be 3.5-liters.
• The NSX will mark the introduction of the most capable and highest torque capacity Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system in Acura history.
• The latest proprietary logic advances Acura's two decades-long pursuit of Super Handling that proactively responds to driver inputs, allowing the NSX to achieve a new level of line trace while at the same time intelligently supporting the driver in changing environments.

Additional details on each of these engineering achievements follow:
Multi-Material Body
Acura's First Application of a Multi-Material Body with Space Frame Construction
Developing the Most Rigid-in-Class, Multi-Material Body
At the core of the NSX mission to deliver timeless sports car values is an aluminum-intensive, multi-material space frame. This innovative space frame represents a next-generation leap in body design with class-leading technology that is exclusive to Acura within the automotive market. Based on internal data, the all-new Acura NSX multi-material body is by far the most rigid in its competitive set.
While the all-aluminum monocoque body of the original NSX was ahead of its time, current aluminum and ultra-high-strength steel-intensive body architecture has been taken to the limit for supercar design.
"For this new NSX development, anything and everything that could offer incredible base rigidity and lightweight design was on the table," said Shawn Tarr, principal engineer and Acura NSX body development leader. "We considered all-aluminum unibody, carbon fiber monocoque and space frame designs and ultimately engineered a multi-material space frame because it offers the lowest weight and best rigidity, precision and hybrid powertrain packaging capability of any design."
A key advancement in casting technology allowed the NSX development team to realize a quantum leap in body design, for the first time being able to engineer a vehicle with castings in key locations for rigidity, that also support the ductility necessary for placement within crush zones.
World's First Application of Ablation Casting
The Acura NSX heralds the world's first application of ablation casting technology in the automotive industry. Ablation casting combines traditional casting methods with rapid cooling techniques to offer the design flexibility and rigidity of casting with the ductility and energy absorption characteristics of extruded material.
Traditional castings provide the ultimate rigidity in space frame and other body designs, but have traditionally suffered a major drawback: traditional castings are brittle. With the no-compromise performance goals of the NSX, a groundbreaking new casting method within the crush zones had to be used.

• The ablation process allows the ultra-rigid castings to be located within the crush zones and to function as large aluminum nodes, or junction points. Aluminum extrusions are then inserted into sockets in the ablation cast nodes, which act as fixtures that hold the space frame in place during welding.
• During the welding process, shorter stitch welds can be applied, enhancing the exceptional, repeatable precision of the NSX space frame construction by reducing heat deformation during the production process.
• Ablation castings also enable traditional aluminum castings to be used at strategic locations in the space frame and as the primary mounting points for suspension and power unit components, in addition to being the reference and temporary attachment points during the highly accurate space frame construction process.
• Full space frame construction and vehicle assembly are conducted on-site at the new Performance Manufacturing Center (PMC) in Marysville, OH, providing a high level of quality control.

New A-Pillar Construction Technique
In addition to the world's first casting technology, the NSX applies an all-new three-dimensionally formed ultra-high-strength steel A-pillar that provides next-generation rigidity and precise shape specification tolerances.
The previous generation NSX had a thin A-pillar that provided very good outward visibility. Reflecting this heritage with modern rigidity and roof crush performance requirements demanded this new, ultra-high-strength production method.
Advanced Materials Strategy
NSX represents an advanced expression of modern body design theory: the strategic integration of multiple materials to achieve optimal body performance for numerous targets, including rigidity, dynamic response, superior fit-and-finish and occupant protection.

• The aluminum-intensive space frame is complimented with precisely crafted ultra-high-strength steel and anchored with a carbon fiber floor together producing body performance at its peak.
• For the new NSX, the body design and technologies are about more than just raw performance – a goal of any supercar development.  In keeping with the human-centered supercar concept, the NSX development team went further, to optimize how the car's performance capabilities are experienced by the driver through the body.
• Drivers will experience all of the on-the-rails handling provided by the Sport Hybrid SH-AWD power unit because it is communicated in high-fidelity through the most rigid body in its class.

Total Airflow Management
Engineering a Next Generation Thermal and Aerodynamic Package via Total Airflow Management
To meet the challenge of the ambitious performance targets, radical packaging design and exotic styling for the next generation Acura NSX, the development team had to totally re-imagine the thermal and aerodynamic engineering for this modern supercar so that maximum energy is extracted from the flow of air around and through the NSX with the highest efficiency.
This new total airflow management strategy supports component cooling, aerodynamic performance (drag and downforce) at a very high level without the use of active aero technology, while also contributing to even more dynamic styling.
Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used extensively during development to allow the U.S.-based development team to maximize the performance of a power unit being developed in Japan. CFD models were run on computers totaling many years' worth of computational uptime.
Thermal CFD was effectively used in two ways during development: first, for the proof-of-concept in establishing heat management strategy at the earliest development stage and second, for continuous thermal performance improvement as the vehicle matured through development. Extensive involvement of thermal CFD with design engineers during the development enabled maximum design optimization.
Along with the use of advanced CFD, wind tunnel and real world testing, the development team also employed computerized lap-time simulation models of some of the world's most legendary proving grounds that could then be run on chassis-dynamometers allowing testing and validation of computer models for thermal management.

• The all-new NSX employs 10 air-cooled heat exchangers responsible for cooling the front twin-motor unit (TMU), twin-turbo V6 engine, rear direct-drive electric motor and 9-speed dual clutch transmission (DCT).
• The all new, twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine at the heart of the Sport Hybrid SH-AWD power unit requires the greatest cooling and receives it through three radiators: one center and two side units to get maximum airflow volume and efficiency. The center radiator is tilted forward 25-degress, allowing the largest, optimized configuration that best utilizes the inherent pressure gradient while maintaining the strict low center of gravity targets of the NSX's Advance Sports Package.
• Condenser and power drive unit (PDU) coolers are efficiently packaged in front of the center engine radiator.
• The TMU is cooled passively through strategic use of air in the front motor room and by a heat exchanger mounted in front of the right engine sub-radiator.
• The 9-speed DCT is cooled by two heat exchangers, one mounted in front of the left engine sub-radiator and the other in the engine compartment.
• Twin-intercoolers located in the signature side intakes are used to cool the intake air charge.

Supercar Aerodynamics
NSX achieves top-class aerodynamic balance and supercar aerodynamic downforce without the use of active aero. Aerodynamic drag is minimized, even while moving large airflows through NSX as it inhales and exhales. Aerodynamic downforce is created through the total airflow management focus on utilizing airflow through each vent, as NSX exhales, and through more traditional aerodynamic shape optimization.
NSX has undergone extensive testing at the company's state-of-the-art wind tunnel in Raymond, Ohio, using ultra-detailed 40-percent-scale models that replicate all of the intake and exhaust vents, heat exchangers and major under-hood components. These highly accurate scale models replicate drag and lift performance with near perfect approximation. It has been verified and put through its paces at the company's full-scale wind tunnel in Japan, and on real and simulated proving grounds throughout the world.
Total airflow management vents and precision ducting also help create strong, consistent downforce for NSX and were tuned to optimized forms with aerodynamicist and designer input during working wind tunnel sessions.

• Six vortices flow at the rear of the NSX including those that support creating the highest downforce across the rear deck lid.
• Flowing from below the car and exiting through meticulously optimized lower, rear diffuser fins is a critical vortex that further anchors NSX to the ground. Uniquely, the fins are not parallel to each other, but are narrower toward the front of the car and wider at the rear. This design creates low pressure and further maximizes downforce.

Sport Hybrid Super Handling All-Wheel Drive
A new handling paradigm decades in the making
The groundbreaking Sport Hybrid SH-AWD dynamic torque vectoring technology applied to this all-new NSX represents research and development that has been ongoing for well over two decades.
Next-generation torque vectoring
Acura has been continuously refining its advanced torque vectoring technology while in parallel developing new ways of accomplishing the timeless sports car values of lightweight, rigid chassis and potent powerplants. This all-new Sport Hybrid SH-AWD represents a system injected with more electric power, delivered more directly, managing more internal combustion power than any system Acura has engineered to date.
In keeping with the development team's 'human-centered supercar' concept, the new NSX and its Sport Hybrid Super Handling drivetrain were truly engineered from the driver out. While the NSX provides a new sports experience with 'on rails handling,' its Super Handling technology was optimized to enhance the driving experience by responding instantaneously and intuitively to the will of the driver.

• Super Handling is brought to its pinnacle form in NSX where the strengths of electric motors –delivering zero delay acceleration – allows the NSX to offer dynamic torque vectoring even at low vehicle and engine speeds.
• Super Handling logic has progressed along a parallel path with hardware. While many advanced automotive technologies are focused on feedback, measurements of how the vehicle is reacting, NSX uniquely applies additional technology to focus on accurately responding to driver input through immediate, precise application of torque at each wheel at any moment.
• Using cutting edge computer-aided engineering (CAE) optimization software, engineers created a double-wishbone, double lower control arm front suspension that decouples the twin-motor unit (TMU) torque from the driver's experience at the steering wheel, providing timeless sports car steering communication to the driver with a new experience of on rails handling provided by the precise torque vectoring of the TMU.
• Variable gear ratio steering is applied to further enhance the confident, race-ready driving dynamics of the all-new NSX.

Powertrain
Sport-Hybrid SH-AWD Power Unit
Powering the Sport Hybrid Power Unit with Racing Technologies
As announced at the 2015 North American International Auto Show, the new NSX will utilize an all-new power unit from a clean sheet design. At its heart is an all-new longitudinally mounted twin-turbo V6 engine that is mated to an all-new, Acura-developed 9-speed DCT with an electric motor that applies its torque directly to the crankshaft for higher output with immediate power delivery to the rear wheels.

• The new engine has a displacement of 3.5-liters and utilizes pinnacle racing technology, applying both direct and port injection to its design.
• The 75-degree V-angle and dry sump design optimizes engine rigidity and further supports the NSX's Advanced Sports Package by allowing the engine and components to be lowered in the chassis to the maximum extent, resulting in the lowest center of gravity in its class. This also supports the advanced packaging of other engine components. 
• The engine's dry sump design also helps maximize vehicle performance in high lateral-G conditions.
• The rear direct-drive electric motor applies its torque directly to the crankshaft.
• The 9-speed DCT's main, counter, secondary and output shaft design maximizes the advanced sports package through a configuration that lowers weight and helps to center the mass nearer the driver.

About NSX
The all-new Acura NSX represents the convergence of timeless sports car values and advanced technology in a pinnacle supercar. Timeless sports car values include classic goals like a rigid and light chassis with the mass placed low and close to the driver. Advanced technologies include those that enhance the driving experience in new ways.
To bring back the legendary NSX the global development team has innovated in the critical, timeless areas of frame and aerodynamics in addition to tirelessly refining its key advanced technology - the state-of-the-art hybrid power unit. The NSX has many innovative components, but the basic recipe is simple: timeless sports car values blended perfectly with advanced technologies that deliver a new sports experience.
About Acura
Acura offers a full line of precision crafted performance-luxury vehicles through a network of approximately 270 U.S. 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 seven-passenger Acura MDX, America's all-time best-selling three-row luxury SUV. The next-generation Acura NSX mid-engine supercar will join the Acura lineup later this year. Acura was recently recognized by Edmunds.com for the third consecutive year as leading all luxury brands in retained value after five years of ownership.
For More Information
Additional media information including detailed features, pricing and high-resolution photography of the Acura model line is available at acuranews.com. Consumer information about Acura is available at acura.com. To join the Acura community on Facebook, visit facebook.com/Acura.

Source;
http://www.hondanews.com/releases/new-technical-details-of-the-next-generation-acura-nsx-revealed-at-sae-2015-world-congress-and-exhibition

Honda shows new business jet in Japan

TOKYO (AP) — Honda, known for making motorcycles and cars, is showing its new sleek business jet in Japan for the first time, billing it as quiet, quick and green.

The jet, on show at Tokyo's Haneda airport on Thursday, is the culmination of founder Soichiro Honda's longtime dream to have a plane in Honda Motor Co.'s lineup.

Honda Aircraft Chief Michimasa Fujino told reporters he hopes it will become available within a few years in Japan, where regulation means the private jet market is almost nonexistent.

A HondaJet is displayed at the venue of a press conference at Haneda international airport in Tokyo, Thursday, April 23, 2015. Honda, known for making motorcycles and cars, is showing its new sleek business jet in Japan for the first time, billing it as quiet, quick and green. The jet, on show at the airport on Thursday, is the culmination of founder Soichiro Honda's longtime dream to have a plane in Honda Motor Co.'s lineup. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Currently, the jet is on sale in the United States and Europe.

The jet, which seats six or seven, starts at $4.5 million. Honda has received 100 orders, and deliveries are likely to begin later this year.

"I know people are working hard for deregulation," Fujino told reporters. "It won't happen immediately but there is a chance in the long run."

He said Japanese government officials and others for whom saving time is critical should use such jets and fight the "fat cat image" of flying on executive jets.

Potential is also great for China and the rest of Asia, where demand is likely to overtake South America's by 2020, Fujino said.

Development of a jet began in 1986 at Honda, several years before the death of its founder in 1991.
The HondaJet, as it is called, whose design was based on a Salvatore Ferragamo high-heel shoe, rolled into a hangar at Haneda.

The aircraft, built in North Carolina, is set to fly into other airports in Japan, including Sendai and Kobe, before heading to an aviation show in Geneva Switzerland.

Fujino said the HondaJet adheres to top safety standards and outperforms the equivalent offerings from Cessna of the U.S. and Embraer of Brazil in fuel efficiency and altitude that it can reach.

Honda is out to change the aviation industry in the same way it changed American auto culture, Fujino said.
Honda was instrumental in influencing U.S. auto tastes with its Accord and other popular nifty models offering excellent mileage.

Honda already makes cars, boats, lawn mowers, scooters and the Asimo robot. The HondaJet marks its foray into aviation.

"To offer personal mobility in the skies was the dream of Soichiro Honda and the dream of us Honda men," said Honda President Takanobu Ito. "Today is a symbolic day."

The HondaJet arrives at Tokyo's Haneda airport Thursday, April 23, 2015. Honda, known for making motorcycles and cars, is showing its new sleek business jet in Japan for the first time, billing it as quiet, quick and green. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

The HondaJet parks at a hangar at Tokyo's Haneda airport Thursday, April 23, 2015. Honda, known for making motorcycles and cars, is showing its new sleek business jet in Japan for the first time, billing it as quiet, quick and green. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)  A HondaJet is displayed at the venue of a press conference at a hangar at Tokyo's Haneda airport Thursday, April 23, 2015. Honda, known for making motorcycles and cars, is showing its new sleek business jet in Japan for the first time, billing it as quiet, quick and green. The jet, on show at the airport on Thursday, is the culmination of founder Soichiro Honda's longtime dream to have a plane in Honda Motor Co.'s lineup. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

 

 

A HondaJet, top, flies over Haneda international airport in Tokyo, Thursday, April 23, 2015. Honda, known for making motorcycles and cars, is showing its new sleek business jet in Japan for the first time, billing it as quiet, quick and green. The jet, on show at the airport on Thursday, is the culmination of founder Soichiro Honda's longtime dream to have a plane in Honda Motor Co.'s lineup. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Source;
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-3051940/Honda-shows-new-business-jet-Japan.html

Subaru BRZ STI Coming to US

This just gets me even more excited for the upcoming Honda Civic Si Type R coming next year or so....

Subaru plans to bring a specially tuned BRZ to the United States.

Subaru U.S. spokesman Michael McHale said that an STI version of the BRZ is coming to the States in “a couple years.” The car may not be billed as a standard STI model according to McHale, who says it might be a “tuned by STI” edition.

The recent STI Concept shown in New York previews what we might see from a more hardcore BRZ, including a full body kit and a turbocharged 350-HP engine. Of course, suspension tuning and handling are upgraded on the car as well.

Subaru is looking to enhance the STI brand around the world. In the U.S., STI sells more full car packages than anywhere else in the world, even though the company only offers one car, the WRX STI. The brand also plans to phase out the Subaru Performance Tuning (SPT) arm which will be replaced by STI.

Source;
http://www.houseofjapan.com/auto-moto/subaru-brz-sti-coming-to-us

Watch Honda's ASIMO robot show off advancements in mobility

by David Muller of www.mlive.com

DETROIT, MI - For more than 40 years, Honda Motor Co., known for things such as cars, motorcycles and lawnmowers, has been keen on developing a bipedal robot.

There were slips along the way, quite literally, as some of the would-be humanoids had a difficult time balancing and would frequently tumble over.

Enter ASIMO. At the 2015 SAE World Congress in Detroit, the Japanese company had its signature humanoid robot on stage jumping, running, dancing and communicating in a display of what the future could hold for multi-functional robots.

The technology and machines such as ASIMO are being touted as potential in-home assistants. ASIMO also can perform sign language in both English and Japanese.

Although the robot's latest model has been updated recently, ASIMO is not new by technology's time standards. He was introduced 15 years ago, and has been an attraction at Disneyland since way back in 2005. ASIMO predates Facebook and the iPhone.

However, Tuesday did mark the first time in North America that ASIMO was joined on stage by Honda's two other latest advancements in mobile technology: the Walking Assist Device that uses a frame and battery-powered motors to help people with reduced walking ability, and the UNI-CUB, which is a one-seat mobility device that uses Honda's balance control technology to send a person to and fro simply by shifting his or her weight.

For more of this article and a video on the UNI-CUB, follow this link;
http://www.mlive.com/auto/index.ssf/2015/04/watch_hondas_asimo_robot_show.html

Technical insight: Honda's radical Formula 1 engine for McLaren

by Craig Scarborough of www.autosport.com

In the months ahead of the launch of the McLaren MP4-30, there was a huge amount of speculation surrounding the technology of the new Honda Formula 1 engine.

It's been a troubled start so far, with pre-season testing a disaster and McLaren battling to make up ground in the early flyaway races.

A lot of these reliability problems are the result of Honda trying to steal a march on its engine rivals by incorporating new and unproven technology, as, with in-season development limited, it did not want to start 2015 with a basic power unit set-up that would be hard to improve.

McLaren went aggressive with the aerodynamic concept on this year's car, and that put pressure on Honda to achieve the packaging required for the Woking team's 'size zero' dimensions.

Over the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend, the ongoing problems on Jenson Button's car allowed us to get the first clear look at the Honda unit, showing just how radical the Japanese firm has gone to achieve minimal volume with its packaging.

Honda has split its turbo, but the way it has done so is different to Mercedes, as the turbo sits within the tight confines of the 'V' of the engine, along with the MGU-H.

To fit a turbo into this space, it appears that Honda has pioneered the use of an axial flow compressor.
Rather than a large centrifugal fan, there are a series of smaller fans along a shaft.

This design spins up quicker, although it may lack the maximum possible boost, which is not such an issue in this fuel-limited formula.

Aligned on the same shaft as the compressor is the MGU-H and the exhaust-driven turbine; the latter appears to sit behind the engine and is of a more conventional design. Honda hopes to improve driveability and reduce the size of the envelope of the engine with this layout.

Above the turbo is a compact, low-line aluminium inlet plenum chamber. Inside, the inlets are turned through 90 degrees to reduce the height of the chamber, while still allowing for variable-length inlet trumpets.


More conventionally, the oil tank and MGU-K are located at the front of the engine and under the left-hand cylinder bank respectively.

Finally, and again unconventionally, the ERS module ahead of the motor combines the battery and both control electronic boxes (one each for ERS-K and ERS-H) into one unit.

This creates a lower and lighter unit that requires less space under the fuel tank area, which again aids aerodynamic packaging.

Of course, all of this tight packaging means that there's precious little space for external cooling.

All of the ERS elements will require water or oil cooling, which has led to reliability problems and Honda needing to cap power to keep temperatures under control and prevent coolant leaks via the seals around the spinning shafts.

Although Honda continues to have reliability problems, the fundamental design of the power unit is valid and will eventually become both powerful and reliable.

That will mean McLaren's aerodynamic packaging gains can be fully realised.

Source;
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/118626

Honda concept D unveiled in Shanghai (Chinese Market Only)

So that's where they put our CrossTour....

Could preview China-only crossover

Honda has introduced the Concept D at Auto Shanghai 2015, following the release of a teaser image late March.

It likely serves as a sneak preview for a China-only crossover with a bold design and probably targeting a young crowd. The front fascia is a bit busy with that huge grille, massive vents and a large bumper incorporating strips of daytime running lights using LED technology just like the futuristic slim headlights.

The side profile is also a bit on the bulky side with those oversized skirts and bulging wheel arches while instead of conventional mirrors it has received cameras. The rear end hosts C-shaped LED taillights and a roof-mounted spoiler together with an angular rear bumper also packing big air breathers.

Sitting on massive 21-inch wheels shod in 285/45 tires, the Honda Concept D wears a bronze paint and has been fitted with recessed door handles while details about the powertrain are not available at this point. However, this is most likely an electric vehicle as it doesn't seem to have an exhaust tip.

Honda says the concept previews a production SUV scheduled to go on sale exclusively in China where it will act as the company's flagship model and is going to feature "advanced safety technologies and other advanced features."

Source;

http://www.worldcarfans.com/115042092478/honda-concept-d-unveiled-in-shanghai

2016 Honda Civic Sedan Patent Drawings Revealed by CIVICX

Great find.  Hats off to www.civicx.com!
Source;
http://www.civicx.com/threads/2016-10th-gen-civic-coupe-and-sedan-design-patent-drawings-revealed.32/

2016 Honda Civic Coupe Patent Drawings Revealed by CIVICX

This is going to be the production form of the Next generation Honda Civic, Coupe.
CivicX.com has more information, including side-by-side comparisons between the patent pictures and the bright green concept.