Honda to Compete with the Smart Car?

Say it aint so Vince! This is a market that I want NO part of, though I must say it sure looks a heck of a lot better than the SMART car....Source;http://www.burlappcars.com/2009/05/honda-to-compete-with-smart.h...

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2010 Honda CRV Spyshot?

The one on the left is the spyshot of a pretty un-camo'd CRV, with slight changes (as Honda usually does to a vehicle once it hits its 3rd year run), the one on the right is of the 2007-2009.A forum user named "Puttz" at the Temple of VTEC took a picture of a manufacturer-plated CR-V in Dublin, Ohio near Honda's Marysville plant. In addition to a set of wheels that Puttz said were reminiscent of those on an RDX sketch, the grille is bigger and wearing a lot more chrome work. On the left is the spy shot, on the right is the 2009 CR-V. As another forum user noted, the 2-piece center section is somewhat of a return to the previous generation CR-V.Beyond that, the bumper gets reshaped with a different profile leading into the lower front fascia,...

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72% say that the Honda Element is getting Stale

Well the results are in, and it appears that the majority of the readers think that the Honda Element is getting stale. I for one would be excited to see a 2nd generation Honda Element, especially with the clones coming out (Nissan Cube, HHR, Scion......

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Schwarzenegger gives shout out to Honda, just like Obama's nod to Ford

I never thought I'd see the day that Arnold drove a Honda.... Strange times indeed!On opposite coasts, two of the nation's best known political figures have been lauding their cars.First, President Obama told Ford CEO Alan Mulally and a large gathering in the White House last week how much he misses the Ford he left behind in Chicago. It's still waiting for him, he said. “By the way, I just want to mention, I think I still have my Ford parked in Chicago. It’s a Ford hybrid. It runs great. You guys should take a look,” he was quoted by TheNew York Times as having said. Mulally "broke into a wide grin and pumped his fist enthusiastically."Then yesterday, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who happened to have been in the Rose Garden that...

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Introducing....2010 Honda Accord Wagon, Spyshots

Wow, those temple of vtec people have been busy....VWVortex Member Michael J Balisky was vacationing in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park when he spotted this posse of Crosstours getting their test on. I guess this sighting lends a lot of credence to the October 26, 2009 onsale date rumors that were just posted. Mr Balisky does not list an e-mail address in his profile so we were unable to contact him. Here is a lnk to the thread at VWVortex: name the car (spy pics)Source;http://www.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=834...

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TOV: Honda confirms crossover is coming this fall, also confirms it's NOT ZDX-based

Straight from Temple of Vtec;With all the rumors that have been flying around lately, there has been some confusion surrounding the "CrossTour". I now have some information that I can share, and it came directly from Honda PR.First of all, Honda has confirmed with us that a new "Crossover" vehicle will be going on sale this fall. The delay that was rumored earlier is false. That said, Honda has not confirmed nor even acknowledged that the name will be "Crosstour". They are simply referring to it as the 2010 Honda “Crossover Vehicle”. I asked whether or not this would be based upon the same platform as the ZDX, and surprisingly they confirmed what we had heard earlier, and that is that it will NOT be based on the ZDX. Beyond that we were told...

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Honda S2000 successor independently rendered

Late yesterday, we showed you the handiwork of 3D rendering guru Lars Martensson (a.k.a. 'GRID'), who had applied his skills to a future vision of a new Subaru WRX STI. Today, we bring you the skilled Swede's take on what a next-generation Honda S2000 roadster might look like.While this concept has no basis in reality (and rumors of an S200 successor have thus far amounted to nothing), as with the Subie, we find a lot of merit in what we see. Source;http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/28/grid-iron-honda-s2000-successor-independently-render...

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2010 Honda Accord Wagon (Passport?!?)

Here is some info that I found on the upcoming Honda Accord Wagon.Pictured below is the Euro Accord Wagon....Powertrains for the 2010 Honda Passport will naturally come from Accord sedan­s and should also parallel Venza choices. That likely means a base 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine retune­d for around 190 horsepower, and a 3.5-liter V6 with Honda's gas-saving VCM cylinder-deactivation system and maybe 275 horses. A 5-speed automatic should be the only transmission. Buyers will have the usual choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, though 4-cylinder model­s may be denied AWD for performance and fuel-economy reasons.­Not surprisingly, the 2010 Honda Passport will borrow many other features from its sedan sire. That should mean standard...

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2009 Honda Odyssey Comparison Chart

I stumbled upon a great chart over at the www.Odyclub.com by one of their members that compares the 2009 Honda Odyssey Touring to the following vehicles;-2009 Toyota Sienna Limited FWD-2009 Nissan Quest 3.5L SE-2009 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT-2009 VW Routan SEL Premium-2009 Hyundai Entourage LimitedIt compares pretty much everything, very comprehensive.Anyway, here's the link;http://www.urvi.net/2005odyfan/2009_6_Way_Van_Comparison.h...

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Forbes: In Pictures: The Cars You'll Drive in 2014

6. Honda CR-ZHighlights: The 140-horsepower sporty hybrid concept will include the motor and battery platform currently used in the Honda Insight. Honda execs say it will be fun to drive, efficient and affordable.Why we care: The two-seater is designed to remind drivers of the CRX, Honda's popular front-wheel drive sports car from the 1980s. The company has confirmed it will bring CR-Z (shorthand for "Compact Renaissance Zero") to dealer floors in the next few years.Read on for more lists, rankings and auto coverage including facts about what Fiat means in the U.S. and why some cars are still selling, despite the auto industry downturn.Here is the link to the Source and the rest of the cars, it's a pretty cool read;http://www.forbes.com/20...

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Honda is suppliers' favorite, study shows

BY JEWEL GOPWANIFREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITERA study evaluating the relationships between auto suppliers and six major automakers shows that Honda Motor Co. has the best rapport with its parts makers, and that Ford Motor Co. has made strides to improve its relationship with suppliers.In its eighth annual study, Birmingham-based consulting firm Planning Perspectives Inc. surveyed 231 suppliers between February and April, asking them questions such as how much they trust their customers and how often customers make last-minute changes."It really comes down to individuals believing that having good relations is worthwhile," said John Henke, chief executive officer of Planning Perspectives.The survey comes as automakers and suppliers suffer from low...

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Honda releases driving simulator kit to teach safe, green driving

Driving simulators can vary from arcade-like video games to serious training aids for racing drivers, but so far few if any have put the emphasis on safe, green driving. Honda is hoping to change that with its latest release, however - a simulator dubbed 'Honda Safety Navi'.The system comes with software plus a steering wheel and pedal kit to enable controls that mimic real-world conditions. But instead of setting the hottest lap at Monza, drivers will be learning the rules of the road, how to drive safely in inclement weather or at night, and how to get the best fuel efficiency out of a car.Two modes are available: 'Eco-Drive', which teaches the best practices of green driving, and 'SD Coacher' which helps drivers learn safe and defensive...

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Honda FF-S2000 Rendering

To accompany the previous article (http://thehondaportal.blogspot.com/2009/05/honda-may-introduce-2-new-hybrid-sports.html) here is a pic of what they may be proposing the next gen S2000 hybrid.Source;http://www.autospies.com/news/Honda-Planning-Two-New-Hybrid-Sports-Cars-442...

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Washington Post: U.S. to Steer GM Toward Bankruptcy

Just a update on what's going on in GM land, this is a few days old but still relavant....Filing Expected as Chrysler Set to Emerge.By David Cho, Peter Whoriskey and Kendra MarrWashington Post Staff WritersFriday, May 22, 2009 The Obama administration is preparing to send General Motors into bankruptcy as early as the end of next week under a plan that would give the automaker tens of billions of dollars more in public financing as the company seeks to shrink and reemerge as a global competitor, sources familiar with the discussions said.The move comes as the administration prepares to lift the nation's other faltering car company, Chrysler, from bankruptcy protection as soon as next week, industry sources said. The shifts into and out of bankruptcy...

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AT and T slowly begins rollout of CruiseCast in-car satellite TV service

Well, I saw this coming, surprised it took so long though....AT&T's entrance into the satellite radio/video market (dubbed AT&T CruiseCast) has soft-launched at select retail outlets, representing a delay from the company's original plans for a full launch in March, according to a report from TWICE.Still despite the delay, the company is targeting a hard-launch date in early June, although no actual date has been set, said company president Winston Guillory.The service will provide 22 channels of live TV service and 20 channels of radio service direct to equipped vehicles via its satellite service. Orbitcast had a live demonstation of AT&T CruiseCast earlier this year - see the writeup and photos here.AT&T is currently working...

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Honda may introduce 2 new hybrid sports cars in the near future

Above is the upcoming CRZ hybrid....Here is a joint venture (chinese company) prototype of something that could pass as a S2000 replacement.... Following the introduction of the second generation Insight, Honda has recommitted itself to developing hybrid drive vehicles. We now have the Civic and Insight in North America and Japan will soon have a Fit hybrid as well. Honda has also confirmed that a production version of the CR-Z concept will arrive within the next year as a hybrid coupe. It's being reported that the production CR-Z may have a 2.5-liter four cylinder engine with direct injection. If true, that would be Honda's first direct injected production engine. A second new sporty hybrid could be a successor to the soon to be discontinued...

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Skoda Launched All New Laura | Priced at Rs. 13 Lakhs | New Skoda Laura Pictures, Photos, Images

Skoda Launched All New Laura | Priced at Rs. 13 Lakhs | New Skoda Laura Pictures, Photos, ImagesCzech Republican luxury car maker Skoda launched its all new "Laura" in the Indian market on 20th May, 2009. New Skoda Laura is completely redesigned compared to old Laura and looking much better and equipped with 1.8 litre TSI petrol engine and two diesel engines 1.9 litre and 2.0 litre TDI PD engines.Price: 12.98 Lacs to 17.63 LacsAll New Skoda Laura Exteriors:All New Skoda Laura Interio...

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Temple of Vtec uncovers a of Acura RDX Rendering and a MDX update

"We received two renderings from an anonymous tipster this morning, each depicting the updates to the MDX and RDX for the 2010 model year. We showed these illustrations to some of our sources who are close to Honda, and while they were unable to comment on the illustrations, they confirmed that both vehicles would be receiving their mid-cycle updates for the 2010 model year, and both are due in showrooms later this year."Source;http://www.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=832858 Source;http://www.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=832...

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