Monday, June 2, 2014
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Mag-X Renders the next Honda Step WGN
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| I caught the prized possession information about the new Step WGN. Gimmick to increase significantly the usability of a minivan that is newly adopted. |
Convenience is improved by the gate exciting
5 number market many popular and cars Toyota Voxy / Noah to ride momentum from the sale of hybrid specification , such as Nissan Serena was raised product appeal in safety device , Step WGN is fierce sales competition .
That the new type of such Step Wagon , outrageous gimmick is woven is discovered . That it be named " gate exciting " is , 's unique hatch gate so far .
In a nutshell , a structure of the door in the door door sub is incorporated into the hatch opening on gated conventional . As the above illustration , the hinge is installed on the vehicle body near the center , two thirds left side of the hatch gate opens to the right . It would be a result of considering the access from the sidewalk side , but it's very new .
Low-floor technology of its own evolved . Opening of the hatch gate , that reaches to the bottom of the vehicle body by vertically through the bumper in the same manner as N-BOX +.
Engine , the downsizing turbo 1.5L. Supercharger is attached to the inline four engine , while fuel efficiency equivalent to or greater than that of 2L NA far enough power performance is ensured . It is also possible that it also improved more than 20% from 15.0km / L of the current model , more than 18.0km / L JC08 mode fuel consumption is .
Serena and Voxy / Noah rival while the extended fuel economy in hybrid technology , composition Honda fights back in downsizing turbo interesting . Starting with a unique behind , expected to increase to a lot of new attractions .
※ It is a prediction article about the announcement of the new car in 27 days of May 2014 . It does not guarantee publication
Source;
http://www.carsensor.net/contents/newmodel/_25179.html
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Honda Performance Developement unsung heros of 2014 Indianapolis 500
Honda Performance Development has been in the racing game since 1993.
With Andretti Autosport dropping Chevrolet for Honda in 2013, Torque News notes a paradigm shift in the Racing Universe.
Big things, baby…And nothing is bigger in racing on this side of the pond than the Indianapolis 500.
Torque News-Honda was very fortunate to have our associate Keith Griffin at the Brickyard. By the writing of this article, the whole world knows that 32 year old, Fort Lauderdale, Fl. native, Ryan Hunter-Reay of Andretti Autosport took the flag as this years Indianapolis 500 winner.
Ryan and Honda powered Team Andretti dominated the 500, with 5 of the top 10 positions taken by a Honda powered Andretti Autosport Dallara IndyCar.
For those few fans that were out fishing during the broadcast of the Indy 500, the first American to win the 500 in 8 years did so in the last 6 laps of the race.
32 lead changes between 11 drivers came down to the wire as a late red flag facilitated a re-start. And, a well maneuvered fake past Castroneves by Hunter-Reay clinched the race.
According to Hunter-Reay, the fact that his Honda HI14TT engine restarted after 480 miles driven, facilitated the win for him.
When we think about the beating this 2.2 liter twin turbocharged six cylinder takes during a 500 mile race, with average speeds reached of 186.56 mph, we must applaud Honda engineering and the engine builders of HPD for an extreme job well done.
HPD won its first CART championship in 1996 and has never looked back. Until 3 years ago, Honda was the exclusive provider of engines to the IndyCar series.
No small thing…From 2006-2011, Honda was the sole engine supplier for the Indy 500.
During that period of time there were no race day engine failures reported; None.
This 250 pound alloy blocked V6 produces a reported 580 horsepower @ 12,000 rpm; while holding together for no less than 1,000 race-miles between rebuilds.
The internal engine friction and temperature here is second to none. How does Honda do this? They're not saying.
But looking to the specifications of the 2014 IndyCar specification HI14TT V6, we glean a couple of interesting facts.
The HI14TT IndyCar engine is based on the iconic V6 found in your Odyssey minivan, Ridgeline pickup or Acura TLX.
Source;
http://www.torquenews.com/1574/honda-performance-developement-unsung-heros-2014-indianapolis-500http://www.torquenews.com/1574/honda-performance-developement-unsung-heros-2014-indianapolis-500
Monday, May 26, 2014
Toyota moving away from EVs in favor of hydrogen fuel cells
These are echoing the sentiments that Honda has been preaching for the last 10yrs....
by Mark Rechtin of www.autonews.com
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the recipient of a $7 million loan from Toyota Motor Corp. to help establish a network of hydrogen refueling stations.
LOS ANGELES -- Toyota Motor Corp. is walking away from building longer-range battery-electric vehicles in favor of its effort in hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, its top North American executive said.
At a time when EV maker Tesla Motors is the darling of Wall Street, Jim Lentz, CEO of Toyota’s North American region, said Toyota sees battery-electric vehicles as viable only in “a select way, in short-range vehicles that take you that extra mile, from the office to the train, or home to the train, as well as being used on large [corporate] campuses.
“But for long-range travel primary vehicles, we feel there are better alternatives, such as hybrids and plug-in hybrids, and tomorrow with fuel cells,” Lentz said in an interview after Fortune magazine’s Brainstorm Green conference.
Because hydrogen fuel cells are cheaper on a cost-per-vehicle basis and are more efficient on a well-to-wheel basis, Toyota has turned away from a 20-year effort to create a viable battery-electric vehicle.
Lentz’s comments come on the heels of Toyota’s decision to end its r&d deal with Tesla to supply the RAV4 EV. Lentz said the deal, through which Toyota agreed to buy Tesla components for 2,600 RAV4 EVs over three years, “was never about open-ended volume. It was time to either continue or stop. My personal feeling was that I would rather invest my dollars in fuel cell development than in another 2,500 EVs.
Lessons learned
“We learned a lot about being a smaller entrepreneurial company in the auto business and being faster to market,” Lentz said. “They learned about our quality control. It was more about two types of companies working together than about batteries. We’re not anti-battery. We are a big battery company. We have 6 million hybrids running on batteries.”
Not that Toyota has done poorly investing in Tesla. When Toyota President Akio Toyoda joined forces with Tesla CEO Elon Musk in 2010 with a $50 million capital infusion, there was no way Toyota would know the investment would be worth 10 times as much today on Wall Street.
“It’s done OK,” Lentz said, with a hint of sarcasm. “It’s an investment and we have to treat it like an investment. If it were my money in my pocket, I would take a little off the table. But it’s a [Toyota Motor Corp.] investment, so I don’t control it.”
Toyota’s commitment to fuel cell infrastructure in California -- timed to coincide with the launch of its hydrogen fuel cell vehicle as well as those of Honda and Hyundai -- includes a $7 million arms-length loan to FirstElement Fuel Inc. to help build refueling stations.
FirstElement, led by former General Motors marketing chief Joel Ewanick, is planning a network of hydrogen refueling stations across California by Fall 2015.
A Toyota study has calculated that it will take 68 refueling stations to meet the needs of 10,000 California fuel cell customers to not worry about being stranded. By the end of 2016, California should have 50 stations in operation, “which is a good step,” Lentz said.
He said most of the hydrogen fuel will have to be trucked in, initially, before self-generating hydrogen stations can become affordable.
“My hope is that other automakers will see our investment and will invest as well, so hopefully we can accelerate to 70 [stations] before 2018,” Lentz said. “Unlike hybrids when we were on our own, all the major players will be out there with us in fuel cells.”
Source;
http://www.autonews.com/article/20140520/OEM05/140529984/toyota-moving-away-from-evs-in-favor-of-hydrogen-fuel-cells?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
 |
| Lentz on Toyota and Tesla: "We learned a lot about being a smaller entrepreneurial company in the auto business and being faster to market. They learned about our quality control." |
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the recipient of a $7 million loan from Toyota Motor Corp. to help establish a network of hydrogen refueling stations.
LOS ANGELES -- Toyota Motor Corp. is walking away from building longer-range battery-electric vehicles in favor of its effort in hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, its top North American executive said.
At a time when EV maker Tesla Motors is the darling of Wall Street, Jim Lentz, CEO of Toyota’s North American region, said Toyota sees battery-electric vehicles as viable only in “a select way, in short-range vehicles that take you that extra mile, from the office to the train, or home to the train, as well as being used on large [corporate] campuses.
“But for long-range travel primary vehicles, we feel there are better alternatives, such as hybrids and plug-in hybrids, and tomorrow with fuel cells,” Lentz said in an interview after Fortune magazine’s Brainstorm Green conference.
Because hydrogen fuel cells are cheaper on a cost-per-vehicle basis and are more efficient on a well-to-wheel basis, Toyota has turned away from a 20-year effort to create a viable battery-electric vehicle.
Lentz’s comments come on the heels of Toyota’s decision to end its r&d deal with Tesla to supply the RAV4 EV. Lentz said the deal, through which Toyota agreed to buy Tesla components for 2,600 RAV4 EVs over three years, “was never about open-ended volume. It was time to either continue or stop. My personal feeling was that I would rather invest my dollars in fuel cell development than in another 2,500 EVs.
Lessons learned
“We learned a lot about being a smaller entrepreneurial company in the auto business and being faster to market,” Lentz said. “They learned about our quality control. It was more about two types of companies working together than about batteries. We’re not anti-battery. We are a big battery company. We have 6 million hybrids running on batteries.”
Not that Toyota has done poorly investing in Tesla. When Toyota President Akio Toyoda joined forces with Tesla CEO Elon Musk in 2010 with a $50 million capital infusion, there was no way Toyota would know the investment would be worth 10 times as much today on Wall Street.
“It’s done OK,” Lentz said, with a hint of sarcasm. “It’s an investment and we have to treat it like an investment. If it were my money in my pocket, I would take a little off the table. But it’s a [Toyota Motor Corp.] investment, so I don’t control it.”
Toyota’s commitment to fuel cell infrastructure in California -- timed to coincide with the launch of its hydrogen fuel cell vehicle as well as those of Honda and Hyundai -- includes a $7 million arms-length loan to FirstElement Fuel Inc. to help build refueling stations.
FirstElement, led by former General Motors marketing chief Joel Ewanick, is planning a network of hydrogen refueling stations across California by Fall 2015.
A Toyota study has calculated that it will take 68 refueling stations to meet the needs of 10,000 California fuel cell customers to not worry about being stranded. By the end of 2016, California should have 50 stations in operation, “which is a good step,” Lentz said.
He said most of the hydrogen fuel will have to be trucked in, initially, before self-generating hydrogen stations can become affordable.
“My hope is that other automakers will see our investment and will invest as well, so hopefully we can accelerate to 70 [stations] before 2018,” Lentz said. “Unlike hybrids when we were on our own, all the major players will be out there with us in fuel cells.”
Source;
http://www.autonews.com/article/20140520/OEM05/140529984/toyota-moving-away-from-evs-in-favor-of-hydrogen-fuel-cells?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
Rendering – 2015 Honda Jazz Twist (Not for North America)
The Fit Twist, launched at the 2012 Sao Paulo Motor Show was Honda’s response to the Hyundai HB20X. Hatchbacks that pretend to be crossovers are very common in Brazil – the Etios Cross’s debut market was Brazil – and contenders for this niche segment include the VW CrossFox and Gol Rallye.
According to recent reports coming from Brazil, Honda will extend the soft-crossover proposal in Brazil even with the new generation and Noticias Automotivas has a rendering of it.
Changes to the car include a new grille, darkened, heavily designed bumper and a silver faux skid plate. New skirts, wheels, side sills, mirror caps and roof rails round up the exterior changes.
Complementing these changes, the previous generation model had redesigned lighting, new interior upholstery and chrome highlights on the aircon vents and handbrake lever.
The Twist will mechanically stay unaltered, using the 1.5L i-VTEC Flex engine delivering 116 hp, with a choice of 7-speed CVT with paddle shifters.
Since the discontinuation of the Jazz in India, the new breed of SUV-style hatchback versions have populated the Indian market, that would tempt Honda to conduct feasibility studies for the Twist variant when the Jazz goes on sale early next year.
[Original Source - NoticiasAutomotivas.com.br]
Friday, May 23, 2014
Next Generation Honda Ridgeline Rendering by Culong
Mazda 3 MPS to have turbo 2.5-litre, AWD
Turbocharged Skyactiv Mazda 3 MPS could be in market within two years with all-wheel drive.
While recent reports have indicated Mazda was considering a diesel drivetrain for the MPS -- which will face off against the VW Golf GTI, Ford Focus ST and coming Honda Civic Type-R as main rivals -- an article in the Japanese magazine Holiday Auto suggests the MPS will stick with turbo petrol power in the form of a highly efficient Skyactiv-G engine.
“They have denied rumours about the turbo officially, but have continued their research," a Japanese industry source was cited as explaining. "It was said that the turbo and Skyactiv with a high compression ratio don’t work well together, but it has been already solved.”
Mazda's Skyactiv petrol engine range optimises heat efficiency and high compression ratios with the aim of delivering excellent performance while still keeping the fuel economy figures low.
With European carmakers focusing on high-output, low-emission turbo engines to help meet their tightening environmental regulations, Mazda is said to be also looking in that direction to keep pace with the rest of the hot hatch field.
The Japanese source told the magazine the 2.5-litre turbo Skyactiv-G engine could be ready for release within two years, suggesting the Mazda3 MPS could arrive in 2016. The drivetrain is said to be all-wheel-drive with a six-speed manual transmission.
And the outputs? A bench test has confirmed 320ps (235kW) of power but final output is likely to be 300ps (220kW) depending on the tuning, according to the report.
This would give it a 30kW lift over the previous MPS which exited in 2013 with 190kW and 380Nm of torque from its turbocharged 2.3-litre engine, which predates the Skyactiv push.
Source;
http://www.carsguide.com.au/news-and-reviews/car-news/mazda_3_mps_to_have_turbo_2.5_litre_awd_83590_20140519?origin=hpc3
2015 Honda Fit Delivery Delayed (US)
This article is primarily for the US, here in Canada, the FIT was going to land at dealerships sometime in JUNE anyways, not sure if this news will affect us in here or not....
The 2015 Honda Fit was supposed to begin shipping to customers in April 2014, but that hasn’t happened yet.
Consumer Reports is reporting that dealers are telling customers who have already ordered a Fit that there is a “shipping delay nationally,” and offering no other information. A Honda spokesman did shed some more light on the situation however, and revealed the issue to be the car’s new production plant in Mexico.
“The Fit is being built for the first time in North America, a significant new investment in Honda’s 8th auto plant in the region and on that features some of Honda’s latest and most advanced manufacturing technologies,” said Chris Naughton, Honda’s Northeast PR Manager. “As this is an all-new plant, we are taking a measure approach to the production ramp up and shipments from the plant have been slower than anticipated,” he said.
Source;
http://www.houseofjapan.com/auto-moto/2015-honda-fit-delivery-delayed
Consumer Reports is reporting that dealers are telling customers who have already ordered a Fit that there is a “shipping delay nationally,” and offering no other information. A Honda spokesman did shed some more light on the situation however, and revealed the issue to be the car’s new production plant in Mexico.
“The Fit is being built for the first time in North America, a significant new investment in Honda’s 8th auto plant in the region and on that features some of Honda’s latest and most advanced manufacturing technologies,” said Chris Naughton, Honda’s Northeast PR Manager. “As this is an all-new plant, we are taking a measure approach to the production ramp up and shipments from the plant have been slower than anticipated,” he said.
Source;
http://www.houseofjapan.com/auto-moto/2015-honda-fit-delivery-delayed
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