Have a happy Halloween from the Honda Portal!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Ward's Auto Confirms: Honda Cancels Acura Diesel
By Christie Schweinsberg WardsAuto.com, Oct 30, 2008 10:29 AMHonda Motor Co. Ltd.’s plan to bring a diesel-equipped Acura TSX to the U.S. next year is dead before arrival.
“The (diesel in the) Acura has been canceled,” a source familiar with the program tells Ward’s.
A report in the Japanese business daily Nikkei News today says Honda will delay launching a diesel engine in the U.S. until 2010 or later.
A rumor, published this week on the “Temple of VTEC,” a Honda enthusiasts’ website, claims the engine did not meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s emissions standards when tested with an automatic transmission.
The diesel-powered TSX equipped with a manual gearbox reportedly passed muster, but Honda rejected the business case to make the vehicle available in the U.S. without an automatic.
American Honda Motor Co. Inc. declines comment.
Honda first announced plans to bring a diesel engine to the U.S. in May 2006. It later was revealed the engine would be the i-DTEC 4-cyl. turbodiesel, already available in the European Honda Accord that is sold in the U.S. as the Acura TSX.
While Fukui declined to reveal which model would receive the diesel, sources say it was intended to power the TSX midsize sedan.
Fukui was bullish on his company’s diesel plans, which were to include the Honda brand at the time, saying the business case suggested “an appropriate profit level,” despite the price premium applied to diesel fuel. He also forecast eventual annual U.S. sales of 150,000 units.
Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the non-profit diesel-advocacy group, Diesel Technology Forum, expresses surprise at the notion Honda did not foresee testing problems.
In terms of performance and emissions achievements, we’ve seen data presented at technical conferences that (Honda) could make this system work,” Schaeffer says. “People don’t make those kinds of announcements without expecting to meet emissions standards.”
For the rest of the article;
http://www.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=797648
2009 Honda Fit Tjin Edition
Found this on Carscoop.com;"We don't know why but Honda has been somewhat quiet about its 2008 SEMA show offerings. One of the vehicles that will make their first appearance at the company's show booth is the 2009 Fit Tjin Edition designed by Gene Tjin. Key features of the 2009 Fit Tjin Edition include the blue-grey paint job, the subtle bodykit, the addition of a Webasto sunroof and a set of old-school BBS alloy wheels."
Source;
http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2008/10/sema-preview-2009-honda-fit-tjin.html
Official Press Release of 2009 Honda Element Information
Restyled 2009 Honda Element Offers New High-tech, Functional FeaturesAvailable features now include a navigation system, a removable storage cooler and an improved overhead storage console on select models
10/29/2008 - TORRANCE, Calif. -
The restyled 2009 Honda Element entry-level SUV builds on its spacious and versatile character by adding a more chiseled exterior appearance and a refreshed interior design with an expanded selection of available high-tech and functional features. Manufacturer Suggested Retail Pricing (MSRP1) starts at $20,175 for the 2009 Element 2WD LX, plus a destination and handling charge of $670.
For 2009, Honda has enhanced each of the three unique Element styles that range from the rugged and simple Element LX, to the more refined Element EX, to the sporty Element SC. Available new features on the Element EX and SC include the Honda Satellite-linked Navigation System2 with Voice Activation and a rearview camera (automatic transmission-equipped vehicles only); USB digital media connectivity; and improved overhead console storage areas with modular compartments.
Significant exterior styling changes include a new front grille and bumper design, restyled front fenders (now metal, previously composite material), a new hood design, squared wheel arches, and new headlight and taillight configurations.
"The Element's key strength is a spacious, versatile and rugged interior that adapts quickly and conveniently to people and cargo," said Dick Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "For 2009, the enhancements strengthen the totally unique original concept with more refinement and functionality."
New interior changes include new, brighter color schemes with titanium-look side linings, new fabric patterns, and revised switchgear designs and meter graphics. A restyled low-profile center console is standard on the Element LX.
The Element EX adds a new convertible center console with a removable cooler/storage box while the Element SC retains its exclusive center console. For additional storage, the Element EX and SC are equipped with a modular three-compartment overhead console based on the Railport™ Vehicle Personalization System, expanding the vehicle's hidden storage versatility compared to the previous version. The new overhead console includes two large storage bins that can accommodate CD cases and similar items and a rear storage area for sunglasses.
The 2.4-liter i-VTEC® 4-cylinder engine is available with either a standard 5-speed manual transmission or an available 5-speed automatic transmission. Real Time 4WD™, available on the Element LX and EX, enhances all-weather traction. The Element LX and EX continue to be available in two-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive configurations, while the sport-tuned Element SC continues to be available exclusively in two-wheel-drive. EPA city/highway fuel economy ratings3 range from 20/25 for two-wheel-drive models with an automatic transmission to 18/23 for manual transmission models with either two-wheel-drive or Real Time 4WD.
Versatile and Accommodating Interior with Available High-tech Features
The interior provides seating for four people along with a cargo area that quickly adapts to large items with its flip-up rear seats that fold flat, fold up and to the side, or can be removed altogether (64-plus seating arrangements). The Element LX and EX have a water resistant urethane-coated utility floor that quickly wipes down and seat fabric that resists moisture; the Element SC has a carpeted passenger area. Air conditioning with micron air filtration is standard on all models.
The Element LX has a 4-speaker AM/FM audio system with a CD player. The Element EX and SC feature a 270-watt high-output audio system, an AM/FM tuner, CD player with MP3/WMA™4 capability, auxiliary audio input for MP3 players or other audio devices, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, seven speakers including a dynamic linear phase 6.5-inch subwoofer (located in the bottom center of the instrument panel). XM® Satellite Radio5 is standard on the Element EX and SC.
The Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System becomes an available feature for 2009 on the Element EX and SC (automatic transmission models only), and includes a rear backup camera and a USB audio interface6. The navigation system features a 6.5-inch motorized display that opens and closes for access to an internal single-disc CD player and a digital audio card reader that can play MP3 and WMA® files from CompactFlash® cards. The navigation system contains more than 7 million points of interest and can control the audio system. The voice recognition is capable of recognizing and entering numbers, street names and cities.
Numerous storage bins and beverage holders provide places for cell phones, CDs and super-size drinks. Available storage areas include: a large three-bin tray above the glove box (ideal for mobile phones and portable music players); a modular 3-compartment overhead storage bin (EX, SC); seat back storage (EX, SC); six hooks for strapping down bikes or other bulky gear; and door storage pockets on all four doors.
Exclusive Element SC interior appointments include passenger-area carpeting, a center console with storage, piano black trim pieces and unique fabrics and patterns. The center console provides an enclosed storage area in the vehicle and integrates the auxiliary audio input jack and two beverage holders. Meter styling color on all Element SC models is copper-hue, replacing the blue backlit illumination on the other models.
For the rest of the news release follow the link and continue reading from the Refined Chassis Design segment....
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Canadian Driver: Should electronic stability control be mandatory?
Found a good article on how the Electronic Stability Control (Vehicle Stability Assist in Honda lingo) does and how important it is.
By Paul Williams
Ottawa, Ontario - After learning of another fatal crash in my area -- this one involving a small pickup truck and its four occupants, three of whom died -- I knew that the vehicle subject vehicle, a Ford Ranger, wasn't equipped with Electronic Stability Control (ESC). I know this because ESC is not standard equipment on the Ranger, nor is it offered as an option.
Would ESC have helped? Results from surveys and research all over the world are confirming that ESC has a significant impact on the outcome of crashes involving loss of control (which account for nearly half the road crashes in Canada). According to Transport Canada, "Preliminary analyses of data for calendar years 2000 to 2005 indicate that ESC could have prevented approximately 30 per cent of fatal and injury crashes that involved loss of control, if all vehicles in Canada had been equipped with ESC." That would amount to a reduction of nearly 1,000 fatalities.
Research from the U.S.-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) supports these findings, confirming that, "ESC reduces the risk of all single-vehicle crashes by more than 40 per cent-fatal ones by 56 per cent." The IIHS estimates that up to 10,000 fatal crashes (in the U.S.) could be avoided each year if all vehicles were equipped with ESC.
In the United Kingdom, the Department of Transport concludes, "That ESC equipped vehicles are involved in 25 per cent fewer fatal road accidents." From the Swedish Road Administration, "For serious and fatal loss-of-control type crashes on wet roads the effectiveness was 56.2 ± 23.5 per cent and for roads covered with ice or snow the effectiveness was 49.2 ± 30.2 per cent. It was estimated that for Sweden, with a total of 500 vehicle related deaths annually, that 80-100 fatalities could be saved annually if all cars had ESC."
So yes, it could have helped.
What is ESC? It goes by a number of names, depending on the manufacturer (DSC for MINI and BMW; AdvanceTrac for Ford; Vehicle Stability Assist for Acura), but basically, as the name suggests, it's an electronic system that helps to keep your vehicle stable. The principle is that sensors in your vehicle detect lateral movement (skidding, sliding sideways, entering a corner too quickly, changing lanes too abruptly). These sensors cause the brakes on individual wheels to be selectively applied in an attempt to maintain desired forward motion. Sometimes, in conjunction with braking, the throttle may be modulated as well.
Electronic Stability Control is remarkably effective, and can give the driver a fighting chance of maintaining or regaining control when the vehicle and its occupants are at risk. In many cases, as the research shows, it will enable the driver to avoid a crash.
What ESC is not (although it's connected to these systems) is anti-lock brakes (ABS) or traction control (TC). Indeed your vehicle may have both those technologies, but still may not be equipped with ESC.
And ESC can't be added, or "retrofitted." It's installed when the car is built; integrated into the vehicle's electronic and mechanical components. Surprisingly, given that ESC has been available for over a decade, Transport Canada reports that only five per cent of vehicles on the road are equipped with ESC, and 60 per cent of Canadians have never even heard of it.
True, new technologies do take time to be accepted, and initially the cost of ESC was high. But even with costs falling significantly (Volkswagen offers it in their Golf for only $450), consumers may not understand the true value of ESC. And as long as ESC is not available on many vehicles, or is only available as an extra cost item (if you can find an example so equipped), consumers will lack the opportunity to benefit from this excellent technology.
That being said, the IIHS reports that ESC is currently standard equipment on 40 per cent of new vehicles in the U.S., and is available at extra cost on another 15 per cent. Furthermore, according to Canadian safety advocate, Glen Nicholson, "The US [has] fast-tracked a regulation making ESC mandatory in all cars and light trucks starting with 55% of 2009 models, 75% of 2010 models, 95% of 2011 models, and 100% of 2012 models."
In Canada, Transport Canada is currently, "Examining the need to require ESC on all new light vehicles sold in Canada." It will propose that ESC will be mandatory equipment on vehicles manufactured on or after September 1, 2011. That would include pickup trucks.
Currently however, the availability of ESC on Canadian new vehicles is not necessarily the same as in U.S vehicles - Canadian models are often equipped differently. Many experts suggest ESC should be standard equipment on all vehicles sold, and CanadianDriver supports this view. You can help too by only purchasing vehicles with ESC. Its availability in your next vehicle should be a deal-breaker. Don't let anyone tell you differently.
Although the operation of ESC is similar from one vehicle to the next, each manufacturer, perhaps confusingly, has a different name for it. Only the Korean manufacturers Hyundai and Kia actually refer to Electronic Stability Control as "ESC." And some have traction control systems with similar names -- BMW's Active Stability Control, or ASC, for instance -- which are not the same as ESC. What you want is listed below (courtesy of Transport Canada), alphabetically by manufacturer.
Here's the link;
http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/pw/electronic-stability-control.php
By Paul WilliamsOttawa, Ontario - After learning of another fatal crash in my area -- this one involving a small pickup truck and its four occupants, three of whom died -- I knew that the vehicle subject vehicle, a Ford Ranger, wasn't equipped with Electronic Stability Control (ESC). I know this because ESC is not standard equipment on the Ranger, nor is it offered as an option.
Would ESC have helped? Results from surveys and research all over the world are confirming that ESC has a significant impact on the outcome of crashes involving loss of control (which account for nearly half the road crashes in Canada). According to Transport Canada, "Preliminary analyses of data for calendar years 2000 to 2005 indicate that ESC could have prevented approximately 30 per cent of fatal and injury crashes that involved loss of control, if all vehicles in Canada had been equipped with ESC." That would amount to a reduction of nearly 1,000 fatalities.
Research from the U.S.-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) supports these findings, confirming that, "ESC reduces the risk of all single-vehicle crashes by more than 40 per cent-fatal ones by 56 per cent." The IIHS estimates that up to 10,000 fatal crashes (in the U.S.) could be avoided each year if all vehicles were equipped with ESC.
In the United Kingdom, the Department of Transport concludes, "That ESC equipped vehicles are involved in 25 per cent fewer fatal road accidents." From the Swedish Road Administration, "For serious and fatal loss-of-control type crashes on wet roads the effectiveness was 56.2 ± 23.5 per cent and for roads covered with ice or snow the effectiveness was 49.2 ± 30.2 per cent. It was estimated that for Sweden, with a total of 500 vehicle related deaths annually, that 80-100 fatalities could be saved annually if all cars had ESC."
So yes, it could have helped.
What is ESC? It goes by a number of names, depending on the manufacturer (DSC for MINI and BMW; AdvanceTrac for Ford; Vehicle Stability Assist for Acura), but basically, as the name suggests, it's an electronic system that helps to keep your vehicle stable. The principle is that sensors in your vehicle detect lateral movement (skidding, sliding sideways, entering a corner too quickly, changing lanes too abruptly). These sensors cause the brakes on individual wheels to be selectively applied in an attempt to maintain desired forward motion. Sometimes, in conjunction with braking, the throttle may be modulated as well.
Electronic Stability Control is remarkably effective, and can give the driver a fighting chance of maintaining or regaining control when the vehicle and its occupants are at risk. In many cases, as the research shows, it will enable the driver to avoid a crash.
What ESC is not (although it's connected to these systems) is anti-lock brakes (ABS) or traction control (TC). Indeed your vehicle may have both those technologies, but still may not be equipped with ESC.
And ESC can't be added, or "retrofitted." It's installed when the car is built; integrated into the vehicle's electronic and mechanical components. Surprisingly, given that ESC has been available for over a decade, Transport Canada reports that only five per cent of vehicles on the road are equipped with ESC, and 60 per cent of Canadians have never even heard of it.
True, new technologies do take time to be accepted, and initially the cost of ESC was high. But even with costs falling significantly (Volkswagen offers it in their Golf for only $450), consumers may not understand the true value of ESC. And as long as ESC is not available on many vehicles, or is only available as an extra cost item (if you can find an example so equipped), consumers will lack the opportunity to benefit from this excellent technology.
That being said, the IIHS reports that ESC is currently standard equipment on 40 per cent of new vehicles in the U.S., and is available at extra cost on another 15 per cent. Furthermore, according to Canadian safety advocate, Glen Nicholson, "The US [has] fast-tracked a regulation making ESC mandatory in all cars and light trucks starting with 55% of 2009 models, 75% of 2010 models, 95% of 2011 models, and 100% of 2012 models."
In Canada, Transport Canada is currently, "Examining the need to require ESC on all new light vehicles sold in Canada." It will propose that ESC will be mandatory equipment on vehicles manufactured on or after September 1, 2011. That would include pickup trucks.
Currently however, the availability of ESC on Canadian new vehicles is not necessarily the same as in U.S vehicles - Canadian models are often equipped differently. Many experts suggest ESC should be standard equipment on all vehicles sold, and CanadianDriver supports this view. You can help too by only purchasing vehicles with ESC. Its availability in your next vehicle should be a deal-breaker. Don't let anyone tell you differently.
Although the operation of ESC is similar from one vehicle to the next, each manufacturer, perhaps confusingly, has a different name for it. Only the Korean manufacturers Hyundai and Kia actually refer to Electronic Stability Control as "ESC." And some have traction control systems with similar names -- BMW's Active Stability Control, or ASC, for instance -- which are not the same as ESC. What you want is listed below (courtesy of Transport Canada), alphabetically by manufacturer.
Here's the link;
http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/pw/electronic-stability-control.php
Monday, October 27, 2008
L.A. Auto Show Design Challenge Entries - Japanese & American Automakers
Honda’s The Great Race 2025
Honda designers forsee a reincarnation of the Great Race of 1908, in which 17 brave men dared to traverse the world. The race spanned twenty-two thousand miles and three continents, lasting six months. Honda's proposal for The Great Race 2025, 117 years after it was first devised, would take competitors across the US by land, Asia by sea and Europe by air.
In making such a race remotely feasible, Honda are keen to promote their brand's experience in all the necessary fields, from automotive and marine technologies to robotics and jet expertise. By possessing technologies that detect changes in speed, terrain and altitude, Honda's vehicle is able to adapt to any configuration.
Land!
Sea!
Air!
For the rest of the article with the other makes entries, click on the link below.
http://www.worldcarfans.com/9081020.009/la-auto-show-design-challenge-entries---japanese--american-automakers
Honda designers forsee a reincarnation of the Great Race of 1908, in which 17 brave men dared to traverse the world. The race spanned twenty-two thousand miles and three continents, lasting six months. Honda's proposal for The Great Race 2025, 117 years after it was first devised, would take competitors across the US by land, Asia by sea and Europe by air.
In making such a race remotely feasible, Honda are keen to promote their brand's experience in all the necessary fields, from automotive and marine technologies to robotics and jet expertise. By possessing technologies that detect changes in speed, terrain and altitude, Honda's vehicle is able to adapt to any configuration.
Land!
Sea!
Air!
For the rest of the article with the other makes entries, click on the link below.
http://www.worldcarfans.com/9081020.009/la-auto-show-design-challenge-entries---japanese--american-automakers
Friday, October 24, 2008
Rumours Galore! Acura TSX Diesel and TSX V6 Update
Now, this is not good news for diesel fans in North America if it's true and keep in mind that this is truely just a RUMOUR at this point. However to find something like this on Temple of Vtec (which is a very credible source), gives me some concern that this may be true. Now I don't know what this could mean to the prospective diesel Accord or CRV, but it wouldn't look good, although I do know that the Accord and CRV diesel are to be released a year or two later, so that may give Honda the time to get things right.
Earlier this year at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, Honda CEO Takeo Fukui announced that 2009 would see Honda's first clean diesel engine to be sold in the USA. Though it was stated that the diesel engine would appear in an undisclosed Acura model, it was all but common knowledge that the TSX would be the first model to get the diesel engine.
Fast forward nearly 10 months, and we've received an anonymous tip asserting that the i-DTEC TSX has been delayed indefinitely (if not cancelled outright). According to the anonymous sources, the 6MT version of the i-DTEC TSX has successfully cleared emissions certification, but the automatic-equipped version has been unable to pass certification. According to these sources, Acura believes that the demand for a TSX diesel would be greatly compromised if it were only offered with a 6-speed manual, so the decision was allegedly made to put the TSX diesel on indefinite hold.
That's the bad news. The good news is that a V-6 version is said to be coming soon - it's supposedly being "fast-tracked" to make up for the missing diesel. We're still seeking any details we can uncover on that powertrain.
Source;
http://www.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=796361
Earlier this year at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, Honda CEO Takeo Fukui announced that 2009 would see Honda's first clean diesel engine to be sold in the USA. Though it was stated that the diesel engine would appear in an undisclosed Acura model, it was all but common knowledge that the TSX would be the first model to get the diesel engine.Fast forward nearly 10 months, and we've received an anonymous tip asserting that the i-DTEC TSX has been delayed indefinitely (if not cancelled outright). According to the anonymous sources, the 6MT version of the i-DTEC TSX has successfully cleared emissions certification, but the automatic-equipped version has been unable to pass certification. According to these sources, Acura believes that the demand for a TSX diesel would be greatly compromised if it were only offered with a 6-speed manual, so the decision was allegedly made to put the TSX diesel on indefinite hold.
That's the bad news. The good news is that a V-6 version is said to be coming soon - it's supposedly being "fast-tracked" to make up for the missing diesel. We're still seeking any details we can uncover on that powertrain.
Source;
http://www.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=796361
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Honda Soltec Begins Sales of Thin-Film Solar Cells for Public and Industrial Use
Japan, October 23, 2008– Honda's wholly-owned solar cell subsidiary Honda Soltec Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kikuchi-gun, Kumamoto; President and CEO: Akio Kazusa) will begin sales throughout Japan of thin-film solar cells for public and industrial use on October 24, 2008. Having sold solar cells for home use since October 2007, Honda intends to expand its customer base by manufacturing and selling solar cells capable of the high-capacity electrical generation required by public and industrial facilities.Using a thin film of copper, indium, gallium and selenium (CIGS) to convert solar energy into electricity, the Honda-developed cells are environmentally responsible both in their manufacturing process and in use. With increased awareness of environmental issues, Honda is seeing growth in demand not only for private- but also public- and industrial-use solar cells and continues to strengthen its business foundation by expanding product line.
In addition, Honda's extensive experience in large-scale solar cell installations has prepared the company for the expansion of the product line to public and industrial uses. The following are examples of completed projects:
Honda Cars Automobile Dealership
A 9 kW solar cell system was installed as part of the upgrading and reopening of the Honda Cars Mito, Katsuta North automobile dealership in Ibaraki Prefecture. The system powers the showroom and office of the facility.
For the rest of the News Release;
http://world.honda.com/news/2008/c081023Thin-Film-Solar-Cells/
Toyota to Sell Older Prius Along with New (more expensive) Prius to Stay Competitive with HONDA
The new Prius is expected to be more expensive than the outgoing previous generation.
Here is the upcoming Honda Insight!Toyota bosses are in for a real shock! That’s because pictures of the new Prius hybrid have been leaked. And that’s not the only scoop – Auto Express has details of a cut-price version of the petrol-electric model, too.
Surfacing on the Internet ahead of its launch next year, these images show how the new model evolves the look of the current car with a more distinctive front end. In profile it’s near identical, but the shape is tweaked to improve aerodynamics. The new Prius is slightly larger than the outgoing car, and has a more compact hybrid powertrain, so there will be extra space for passengers and in the boot.
Under the bonnet lies a more powerful 1.8-litre engine, which works in tandem with an uprated nickel hydride battery pack. It will help the car return 75mpg combined, and emit less than 100g/km of CO2.
The latest Toyota is expected to be more expensive than the outgoing model, starting from around £20,000. However, Auto Express has learned that bosses plan to keep the current Prius on sale – and to compete with Honda’s forthcoming Insight, it will be at a new low price.
The next Insight is tipped to weigh in at less than £15,000 when it arrives here in March – undercutting the Prius by at least £3,000 for now. So, Toyota aims to tempt buyers into showrooms by marketing the current version at around the same price as its rival.
Source;
Pimped out Honda Ridgeline
Stumbled across this pic and I thought that some of you might get a kick out of it.
Some Acura TL's is getting an Alternative 'shield' Nose
Above is the snout of the factory TL, the shield with the "A" in it comes chromed over in all colours, some dealers have taken to painting the shield body coloured. Looks nice, but I didn't really have a problem with the chrome. Below are some pics of the cars that have been done, and I must say the Black looks awesome.
Several Acura dealers have taken the initiative to repaint the Power Schnoz on some brand new 2009 TLs and these photos have been popping up here in our forums as well as elsewhere on the net. In case you haven't seen these yet, here is a gallery of the photos that keep denting my inbox. While I'm not the biggest fan of the Power Plenum that you'll find, I'm not sure that painting it helps much.Source;
http://www.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=796038
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Motor Authority Catches Acura's Next Sporty SUV being Tested
The new Acura is expected to be a sporty crossover to rival the likes of the BMW X6 and Infiniti FX 35
Acura confirmed recently a number of plans to expand its lineup with several all-new models in an attempt to compete with more established tier 1 luxury brands such as its German rivals, which currently offer full range lineups. The upmarket Honda label is limited to a handful of sedans and a pair of SUVs but the next couple of years will be very busy as the company prepares for the launch of a new coupe, a supercar, and according to these spy shots a new crossover as well.The prototype for the upcoming sporty crossover was first spotted testing at night in California’s Death Valley back in August. The latest shots show the car during the day and reveal an extremely low roofline that starts to descend after the B-pillar. This gives it a coupe-like profile similar to BMW's X6, which will be one of its main rivals.
Acura is yet to reveal any specific details about a new crossover model, however the company’s vice president for corporate planning and logistics, Dan Bonawitz, confirmed recently that Acura’s first all-new model would be launched in 2010 and that it would be followed by the NSX-replacement later that same year.
This means the crossover could feature a V8 engine, which Acura plans to introduce within the next 18 months. The other engine option would likely include the current 3.7L V6. Honda’s Super-Handling AWD system would also likely come as standard.
Source with more pic's;
http://www.motorauthority.com/spy-shots-acura-working-on-bmw-x6-rival.html
Monday, October 20, 2008
Koichi Kondo to Automotive News: Next Ridgeline will focus more on fuel efficiency
In a small blurb in this week's issue (October 13, 2008) of Automotive News, Honda Executive VP Koichi Kondo is quoted as saying that development on the next generation Ridgeline will place a greater emphasis upon fuel economy, saying about the Ridgeline "It's a very nice concept, a very nice car. But the sales aren't so successful." The Ridgeline has struggled to meet Honda's initial targets of 50000 annual units, and through September of this year, sales are off by 17.9% from 2007's figures. According to the story in Automotive News, Kondo thinks that the Ridgeline is functionally very competitive, but a tangible advantage in terms of fuel economy will help it stand out further from its competition. The current EPA numbers of 15mpg city and 20mpg don't exactly live up to the V6-only, unibody framed Ridgeline's original promise of a fuel economy advantage over other trucks.
The Ridgeline debuted in early 2005 as a 2006 model and received a minor refresh for the 2009 model year.
Source;
http://www.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=794652
Acura RL to get V8 option within 18 months
Honda’s CEO Takeo Fukui has finally had the epiphany we’ve all been waiting for. He has confirmed plans for Honda to launch its first V8 in its luxury Acura brand. Fukui said that Acura sales are down 15.3 percent for the first nine months of this year and that its flagship RL sedan needs something extra.“I don’t think that the Acura RL 3.7-liter is sufficient. We can’t compete with other premium brands,” said Fukui.
So when is it going to happen? Acura dealers are saying that they have been told Honda will offer a V8 option in the RL within 18 months. There is no word on output or torque figures as of yet but Fukui confirmed that the V8 will “be completely different from conventional, past-generation ones and have excellent fuel efficiency.”
Source;
http://www.egmcartech.com/2008/10/20/acura-rl-to-get-v8-option-within-18-months/
Honda supports U.S. loan package
Honda has endorsed the American government's decision to provide the Detroit 3 with a $25 billion loan, describing the aid package as “totally proper” and important for the development of more fuel-efficient models.According to the carmaker’s CEO Takeo Fukui, General Motors, Ford and Chrysler were all too slow to respond to the current fuel price crisis, and this is the reason why they are in such dire financial positions. His support for the American government's bailout plan also stems from the fact that Honda sources parts from many of the same manufacturers that these companies do, and if any of the Detroit 3 goes bankrupt there’s a strong chance that many of its suppliers could too.
While the Detroit 3 are all suffering from dropping sales, Honda’s numbers are expected to increase this year compared with the last. This is because sales in emerging markets such as China and India continue to increase despite the global economic downturn, reports The Detroit News.
Fukui also attributed Honda's success to its focus on high mileage models, and its decision not to "dabble" in the pickup truck segment. While the Detroit 3 built its customer base and bottom lines on the back of these lucrative truck sales, Honda's non-American markets were not so focused on these segments. Sales of its sedan models have proven so popular the carmaker is cutting back production on its Odyssey MPV and Pilot SUV in order to boost capacity for its Civic and Accord.
The carmaker’s next major sales boost is expected to come from a new generation of hybrid vehicles, including a production version of the Insight concept as well as hybrid sports car based on the CR-Z concept.
Source;
http://www.motorauthority.com/honda-supports-us-loan-package.html
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Honda's Hybrid plan at odds with industry and just might work
I found this article on how Honda's way of developing their Hybrid differ's from the rest of the industry, it's a good read.
Honda plan at odds with industry and just might work
Updated Thu. Oct. 16 2008 12:34 PM ET
Jeremy Cato, Autos.CTV.ca
Honda's plan for electric vehicles is daring in its simplicity, comprehensive and forward-looking in its scope, completely at odds with the rest of the auto industry and it just might work.
It just might work at making hybrid electric/gasoline vehicles affordable for the masses in the short term and work at making hydrogen fuel cell vehicles - in essence electric vehicles using hydrogen as a source of on-board electric power -- viable in the long term.
"We are trying to make hybrid cars mainstream," said Honda official Sage Marie at the recent Paris auto show. "The biggest obstacle to that right now is price. Therefore, we are trying to bring the costs down and make hybrids affordable."
In Paris, Honda showed its four-door hatchback Insight that will go on sale in the spring for about $20,000. But the Insight is just the first of three dedicated hybrids Honda will bring to market over the next four years.
A hybrid version of the CR-Z sports car is also coming, as well as a hybrid version of the Fit subcompact sold in North America (also known as the Jazz around the rest of the world). Within the next year the Honda Civic Hybrid will also get a major makeover to separate it from the Insight.
All these are so-called "mild" hybrids. None will run on battery power alone. Instead, they use technology similar to that in the current Honda Civic Hybrid ($26,350). As such, there is a much smaller, much less expensive battery pack designed to run the car's accessories when stopped and the gasoline engine is turned off to save fuel.
The electric motor also provides a power boost when accelerating. Meanwhile, the car's regenerative brakes return energy to the batteries under braking - a side benefit of which is reduced brake wear and lower maintenance costs for owners. The Insight should deliver about the same fuel economy as the current Civic Hybrid (4.7 litres per 100 km in the city, 4.3 on the highway).
All the new Honda hybrid are alike in that they are small cars designed primarily for city driving, where hybrids are best at delivering fuel economy gains and lower emissions. For now, Honda is not pursuing full electric cars or so-called plug-in hybrids. And Honda has also not committed to any one supplier for advanced lithium ion batters, in sharp contrast to rivals such as Toyota and General Motors.
J.D. Power and Associates, the market research firm, thinks Honda might succeed in attracting large numbers of buyers to its hybrids if the price premium is about US$1,250, rather than as much as US$10,000 for hybrids such as GM's upcoming Chevrolet Volt which uses lithium ion batteries.
Indeed, Honda is expecting to sell 200,000 Insights a year, 100,000 of them alone in North America. That's a bold prediction.
Honda has never sold more than about 30,000 Civic Hybrids in a single year. By contrast, Toyota sold about 200,000 Prius hybrids in Canada and the United States combined last year.
The Insight's design suggests that Honda has learned at least one lesson from Toyota: make hybrids look different than anything else in the lineup so that owners have obvious proof for the world that they are driving a "green" car. But that's marketing.
But Honda is not using technological solutions similar to Toyota or any other global manufacturer.
"Honda is doing it Honda's way," Takaki Nakanishi, an auto analyst at JPMorgan Chase & Co, told Automotive News.
But this is nothing new. Honda signaled its lack of interest in pure electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids more than a year ago. Honda CEO Takeo Fukui then expressed skepticism about plug-in hybrids, saying they offer too few environmental benefits. Such vehicles, like GM's Volt, are recharged through an electrical outlet yet are still partially powered by gasoline.
"My feeling is that the kind of plug-in hybrid currently proposed by different auto makers can be best described as a battery electric vehicle equipped with an unnecessary fuel engine and fuel tank," Fukui said at the company's research-and-development center. He was referring to plug-in hybrids such as the Chevy Volt.
Honda also is not interested in installing hybrid technology in larger vehicles and luxury models. Toyota has met with only limited success with that strategy.
Honda is not putting hybrid technology in large sport-utility vehicles, either. Toyota, along with GM, Chrysler and European makers, including Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi, are going down that road. So far, GM, Toyota and Chrysler have had little success with that strategy, either.
But small cars, they are ideal for hybrid technology, say Honda officials, because they are typically used for stop-and-go city driving - where hybrids deliver the most in terms of fuel economy gains and emissions reductions. In a nutshell, Honda's Fukui says his company's focus is on improving the economics of buying a hybrid.
"The price needs to be reasonable and fuel efficiency higher so the (premium) the consumer pays (for a hybrid car) can be returned in a short period of time," he says.
At the same time, Honda also is not interested in stand-alone electric vehicles, though rivals such as Nissan, Mitsubishi, Toyota, Subaru and perhaps others plan to sell them in the next few years. To get reasonable performance and range from an electric vehicles requires a huge, heavy and expensive battery pack, say Honda officials.
And while next-generation lithium ion batteries have promise, the technology is not mature enough and is not likely to be for some time to come. Honda cites safety and durability issues with this technology.
If a breakthrough happens with lithium ion batteries, Honda feels they will be available as a matter of simple economics. That is, to offset development costs, battery makers will sell to anyone and everyone.
Thus, for the foreseeable future, Honda is sticking with affordable and proven nickel-metal hydride batteries. Only Honda's limited-edition FCX Clarity fuel cell sedan uses lithium ion batteries, and while a few of these prototypes have been leased to customers in the U.S., a mass production fuel cell car is years away. Ultimately, though, Honda sees hydrogen fuel cells as a viable solution, though there is no filling station infrastructure and none planned.
Not to be lost here is the fact Honda has the resources to develop any technology it needs. This year Honda's research and development budget is US$5.75 billion, which is about two-thirds of what GM spends on R&D, though Honda sells about one-third the vehicles and has a far more streamlined model lineup.
So where does this position Honda versus its rivals?
Toyota, for one, is considering an entirely separate brand for its Prius hybrid - in essence a Prius lineup of large and small hybrid models. At the upcoming Detroit auto show in January, Toyota will be unveiling a new, bigger version of the Prius and at that time company officials may reveal more about its plans for a range of Prius models.
Toyota will also unveil a new hybrid car for its Lexus luxury brand at the '09 Detroit show. Indeed, Toyota has said it plans to make a hybrid-electric system available on every vehicle it sells worldwide sometime in the next decade.
Toyota has been clear on one thing: gas-electric hybrids will form the majority of its alternative-technology vehicles for decades to come. Toyota has said it expects to be selling one million hybrid vehicles a year early in the decade beginning in 2010.
Still, no auto maker is suggesting an imminent end to internal-combustion engines anytime soon. That technology is established and widespread.
Nonetheless, industry leaders are worried about new regulations aimed at the issue of climate change, not to mention unstable oil prices and oil supply. These factors will, they believe, force car makers to dramatically decrease petroleum use in new vehicles.
Honda thinks its hybrid strategy, clear, simple and based on viable, available and affordable technology, is the best way to get there over the next few years.
Source;
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20081015/AUTOS_honda_081015/20081016?s_name=Autos
Honda plan at odds with industry and just might workUpdated Thu. Oct. 16 2008 12:34 PM ET
Jeremy Cato, Autos.CTV.ca
Honda's plan for electric vehicles is daring in its simplicity, comprehensive and forward-looking in its scope, completely at odds with the rest of the auto industry and it just might work.
It just might work at making hybrid electric/gasoline vehicles affordable for the masses in the short term and work at making hydrogen fuel cell vehicles - in essence electric vehicles using hydrogen as a source of on-board electric power -- viable in the long term.
"We are trying to make hybrid cars mainstream," said Honda official Sage Marie at the recent Paris auto show. "The biggest obstacle to that right now is price. Therefore, we are trying to bring the costs down and make hybrids affordable."
In Paris, Honda showed its four-door hatchback Insight that will go on sale in the spring for about $20,000. But the Insight is just the first of three dedicated hybrids Honda will bring to market over the next four years.
A hybrid version of the CR-Z sports car is also coming, as well as a hybrid version of the Fit subcompact sold in North America (also known as the Jazz around the rest of the world). Within the next year the Honda Civic Hybrid will also get a major makeover to separate it from the Insight.
All these are so-called "mild" hybrids. None will run on battery power alone. Instead, they use technology similar to that in the current Honda Civic Hybrid ($26,350). As such, there is a much smaller, much less expensive battery pack designed to run the car's accessories when stopped and the gasoline engine is turned off to save fuel.
The electric motor also provides a power boost when accelerating. Meanwhile, the car's regenerative brakes return energy to the batteries under braking - a side benefit of which is reduced brake wear and lower maintenance costs for owners. The Insight should deliver about the same fuel economy as the current Civic Hybrid (4.7 litres per 100 km in the city, 4.3 on the highway).
All the new Honda hybrid are alike in that they are small cars designed primarily for city driving, where hybrids are best at delivering fuel economy gains and lower emissions. For now, Honda is not pursuing full electric cars or so-called plug-in hybrids. And Honda has also not committed to any one supplier for advanced lithium ion batters, in sharp contrast to rivals such as Toyota and General Motors.
J.D. Power and Associates, the market research firm, thinks Honda might succeed in attracting large numbers of buyers to its hybrids if the price premium is about US$1,250, rather than as much as US$10,000 for hybrids such as GM's upcoming Chevrolet Volt which uses lithium ion batteries.
Indeed, Honda is expecting to sell 200,000 Insights a year, 100,000 of them alone in North America. That's a bold prediction.
Honda has never sold more than about 30,000 Civic Hybrids in a single year. By contrast, Toyota sold about 200,000 Prius hybrids in Canada and the United States combined last year.
The Insight's design suggests that Honda has learned at least one lesson from Toyota: make hybrids look different than anything else in the lineup so that owners have obvious proof for the world that they are driving a "green" car. But that's marketing.
But Honda is not using technological solutions similar to Toyota or any other global manufacturer.
"Honda is doing it Honda's way," Takaki Nakanishi, an auto analyst at JPMorgan Chase & Co, told Automotive News.
But this is nothing new. Honda signaled its lack of interest in pure electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids more than a year ago. Honda CEO Takeo Fukui then expressed skepticism about plug-in hybrids, saying they offer too few environmental benefits. Such vehicles, like GM's Volt, are recharged through an electrical outlet yet are still partially powered by gasoline.
"My feeling is that the kind of plug-in hybrid currently proposed by different auto makers can be best described as a battery electric vehicle equipped with an unnecessary fuel engine and fuel tank," Fukui said at the company's research-and-development center. He was referring to plug-in hybrids such as the Chevy Volt.
Honda also is not interested in installing hybrid technology in larger vehicles and luxury models. Toyota has met with only limited success with that strategy.
Honda is not putting hybrid technology in large sport-utility vehicles, either. Toyota, along with GM, Chrysler and European makers, including Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi, are going down that road. So far, GM, Toyota and Chrysler have had little success with that strategy, either.
But small cars, they are ideal for hybrid technology, say Honda officials, because they are typically used for stop-and-go city driving - where hybrids deliver the most in terms of fuel economy gains and emissions reductions. In a nutshell, Honda's Fukui says his company's focus is on improving the economics of buying a hybrid.
"The price needs to be reasonable and fuel efficiency higher so the (premium) the consumer pays (for a hybrid car) can be returned in a short period of time," he says.
At the same time, Honda also is not interested in stand-alone electric vehicles, though rivals such as Nissan, Mitsubishi, Toyota, Subaru and perhaps others plan to sell them in the next few years. To get reasonable performance and range from an electric vehicles requires a huge, heavy and expensive battery pack, say Honda officials.
And while next-generation lithium ion batteries have promise, the technology is not mature enough and is not likely to be for some time to come. Honda cites safety and durability issues with this technology.
If a breakthrough happens with lithium ion batteries, Honda feels they will be available as a matter of simple economics. That is, to offset development costs, battery makers will sell to anyone and everyone.
Thus, for the foreseeable future, Honda is sticking with affordable and proven nickel-metal hydride batteries. Only Honda's limited-edition FCX Clarity fuel cell sedan uses lithium ion batteries, and while a few of these prototypes have been leased to customers in the U.S., a mass production fuel cell car is years away. Ultimately, though, Honda sees hydrogen fuel cells as a viable solution, though there is no filling station infrastructure and none planned.
Not to be lost here is the fact Honda has the resources to develop any technology it needs. This year Honda's research and development budget is US$5.75 billion, which is about two-thirds of what GM spends on R&D, though Honda sells about one-third the vehicles and has a far more streamlined model lineup.
So where does this position Honda versus its rivals?
Toyota, for one, is considering an entirely separate brand for its Prius hybrid - in essence a Prius lineup of large and small hybrid models. At the upcoming Detroit auto show in January, Toyota will be unveiling a new, bigger version of the Prius and at that time company officials may reveal more about its plans for a range of Prius models.
Toyota will also unveil a new hybrid car for its Lexus luxury brand at the '09 Detroit show. Indeed, Toyota has said it plans to make a hybrid-electric system available on every vehicle it sells worldwide sometime in the next decade.
Toyota has been clear on one thing: gas-electric hybrids will form the majority of its alternative-technology vehicles for decades to come. Toyota has said it expects to be selling one million hybrid vehicles a year early in the decade beginning in 2010.
Still, no auto maker is suggesting an imminent end to internal-combustion engines anytime soon. That technology is established and widespread.
Nonetheless, industry leaders are worried about new regulations aimed at the issue of climate change, not to mention unstable oil prices and oil supply. These factors will, they believe, force car makers to dramatically decrease petroleum use in new vehicles.
Honda thinks its hybrid strategy, clear, simple and based on viable, available and affordable technology, is the best way to get there over the next few years.
Source;
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20081015/AUTOS_honda_081015/20081016?s_name=Autos
Japan's New Odyssey gets the MUGEN Treatment
So the reveal on the new JDM-only Honda Odyssey happened earlier today, but already those pseudo in-house tuners at Mugen are dropping body kits for a speedier-looking minivan. Available in two flavors, the kits offer revised nose styling, side skirts, rear spoilers, an exhaust kit, new brake pads, apparently new floor mats and snazzier aluminum wheels. We think the US minivan market needs some of this action, don't you? We can just picture the second vannin' craze sweeping grocery store parking lots and day cares across the country.Source;
Friday, October 17, 2008
Car & Driver Magazine Comparo; 09 Chevrolet Traverse LT, 08 Hyundai Veracruz, 08 Mazda CX-9, 08 Toyota Highlander, 09 Ford Flex, and 09 Honda Pilot
We compare six family haulers and, amazingly, drown none of them.
BY JOHN PHILLIPS, PHOTOGRAPHY BY AARON KILEY November 2008
When we last visited Michigan’s Drummond Island [“Mud Puppies,” February 2008], we compared nine Lilliput SUVs and quickly found ourselves in over our heads. Which is to say, we sank a Jeep Liberty. See, the island—a short ferry ride from the eastern tip of the state’s Upper Peninsula—is a 25-mile-long series of limestone bowls (which hold water) and cedar swamps (ditto) surrounded by Lake Huron (ditto times a million). Drummond Island, thou art thine own soggy enemy.
This time, we asked Drummond Island Resort’s driving expert, Craig Hoffman, to sketch out a somewhat drier 16-mile loop, two-thirds of which comprised twisty, smooth pavement and one-third of which bumped through the resort’s private off-road facility. On any off-roader’s scale of difficulty, these private trails (notice we said “private” twice?) hover wholly in Wally Cox territory yet still represent pretty much the worst that any owner would throw at his investment. Along this route, we then ran the vehicles back-to-back until the local bowling alley’s neon “BEER” sign lit up.
Our goal was to compare six mid-size unibody crossovers with all-wheel drive, third-row seats, and the sort of interior volumes that would ensure family-hauling nirvana.
The Honda Pilot and the Toyota Highlander have recently been comprehensively refurbished, inside and out. Chevy’s Traverse is the latest flavor of the platform shared with Buick’s Enclave, GMC’s Acadia, and Saturn’s Outlook. The Traverse is the first we’ve tested with the direct-injection V-6, but the other three also get it for ’09. Hyundai’s Veracruz isn’t brand-new but has never competed in a C/D comparo. Having secured a position on our ’08 5Best Trucks list, Mazda’s CX-9 simply had to be in the mix. And although a Ford Taurus X might have looked a better fit in this group, we opted for the brand-new Flex. Both rely on the same drivetrain, and the Taurus X is soon to be discontinued.
Unibodies were the order of the day, so body-on-framers, such as Nissan’s Pathfinder, were excluded. Ditto a couple of crossovers with notably smaller interior volumes—Subaru’s Tribeca, for instance.
We had hoped that with AWD and a nice load of options our vehicles would all max out at about $38,000. Alas, the only Highlander that Toyota could offer, at least with a third-row seat, was a loaded $42,799 Limited, so we used it for back-seat tests only. The Highlander Sport we drove to the island had no third-row seat and was sparsely outfitted—cloth seats, for instance—but was a whale of a bargain at $33,648. Adding a third row to our car would bump its price to $34,433, which is the number we used in the chart and for scoring purposes.
We were disappointed that our six crossovers managed an observed average of only 19 mpg. Sign of the times: On the way north, we observed a man riding a Schwinn. With a bag of golf clubs slung over his shoulder and a full-size Igloo cooler in his left hand, he was a candidate for a closed head injury. “What you got there,” observed associate editor Tony Quiroga, “is a guy with an SUV parked in his garage.”
****1st Place****
2009 Honda Pilot EX-L 4WD
Highs: A veritable woodsman off-road, torsional rigidity of an I-beam.
Lows: Cluttered center stack, a firm ride, could use another 20 horses.
The Verdict: A civilized crossover that feels as unbreakable as a truck.
Lows: Cluttered center stack, a firm ride, could use another 20 horses.
The Verdict: A civilized crossover that feels as unbreakable as a truck.
Link to the full review;
****2nd Place****
2008 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring AWD
Highs: Luxurious cabin, unhindered sightlines, great freeway cruiser.
Lows: Some high-frequency ride jitters, a sense of fragility off-road.
The Verdict: An SUV that replaces a minivan and comes out grinning.
Lows: Some high-frequency ride jitters, a sense of fragility off-road.
The Verdict: An SUV that replaces a minivan and comes out grinning.
Link to the full review;
****3rd Place****
2008 Toyota Highlander Sport 4X4
Highs: A rocket to 60 mph, ergonomic center stack, exquisite drivetrain.
Lows: Low-rent cabin surfaces, odd on-center steering feel, slim cargo capacity.
The Verdict: Soothingly carlike family fare that is affordably family fair.
Lows: Low-rent cabin surfaces, odd on-center steering feel, slim cargo capacity.
The Verdict: Soothingly carlike family fare that is affordably family fair.
Link to the full review;
****4th Place****
2009 Ford Flex SEL
Highs: World’s best middle-row seats, cool styling, easy ingress/egress.
Lows: Slow to react, a titch too much NVH, wheel too close to the IP.
The Verdict: As functional as pliers but needs to be more carlike to satisfy.
Lows: Slow to react, a titch too much NVH, wheel too close to the IP.
The Verdict: As functional as pliers but needs to be more carlike to satisfy.
Link to the full review;
****5th Place****
2009 Chevrolet Traverse LT
Highs: Solid structure, good roll control, a cabin as big as an auditorium.
Lows: Too heavy, poor visibility astern, some cheap cockpit surfaces.
The Verdict: Obesity affects every aspect of an SUV’s vehicular health.
Lows: Too heavy, poor visibility astern, some cheap cockpit surfaces.
The Verdict: Obesity affects every aspect of an SUV’s vehicular health.
Link to the full Review;
****6th Place****
2008 Hyundai Veracruz Limited AWD
Highs: Amenities galore, refined drivetrain, rides like a ’70s-era Caddy.
Lows: Way too much body roll, vague steering, platform feels twistable.
The Verdict: Functional, rational, justifiable—but not much fun to drive.
Lows: Way too much body roll, vague steering, platform feels twistable.
The Verdict: Functional, rational, justifiable—but not much fun to drive.
Link to the full review;
Here is the Test Sheet
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