Honda Aircraft completes tests on HondaJet

Awesome....

Honda Aircraft Co., the company building HondaJet, said this week it has completed key tests on its HondaJet aircraft at its factory in Greensboro, North Carolina.

HondaJet plans to build a $9 million sales and maintenance hangar at Albany International airport. Construction of the Albany hangar—initially scheduled to open this year—was delayed by the recession. HondaJet will provide sales and maintenance services for Honda Aircraft Co.

The Albany HondaJet hangar would open around the time the first HondaJet is scheduled to hit the market in 2012, airport spokesman Doug Myers said. The operation is expected to create 25 to 30 local high-paying jobs.

HondaJet will own the building and has a 25-year lease with the Albany airport that includes a first-year leasing rate of $65,393. New York state will pay $500,000 toward the project.

HondaJet’s recent tests, combined with structural testing planned for this summer and a first “conforming” flight test scheduled for later this year, should lead to Federal Aviation Administration certification of the private five- to six-person airplane, Honda Aircraft CEO Michimasa Fujino said during this week’s 2010 EAA AirVenture conference in Wisconsin.

“With this significant milestone achieved, we are now focused on the integration of avionics and other electrical systems in anticipation of first flight later this year,” Fujino said.

While a prototype of the HondaJet light aircraft has been flying since 2003, the conforming craft must meet FAA requirements for flight certification.

Honda aircraft also said it is nearing completion of the superstructure of the 250,000-square-foot production facility on its campus near Piedmont Triad International Airport, in Greensboro, with installation of electrical and plumbing systems next on the agenda. That facility should be completed early next year.

About 450 people work at the Greensboro HondaJet facility now, with about 600 total employees expected when full production begins.

The Albany HondaJet hangar will be built between the Million Air terminal, where HondaJet has set up temporary operations, and the vacant Eclipse Aviation hangar.

The Eclipse hangar at the Albany airport has been vacant since the Albuquerque, New Mexico company filed for bankruptcy November 2008. It is being marketed by the Albany office of NAI Platform, a global real estate company.

Myers said NAI Platform has shown the hangar a number of times since Eclipse was released from its lease in September 2009.

Source;
http://albany.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/2010/07/26/daily44.html

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NHTSA To Update Test Process for Five-Star Safety Ratings

Just the Facts:
NHTSA will test 55 vehicles using new crash methods.
The new tests will result in a single, easy to compare score.
NHTSA says it will be harder for vehicles to achieve the coveted five-star rating under the new test criteria.

WASHINGTON — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will test 55 vehicles from the 2011 model year, putting them through a new "tougher" crash test and giving them a single overall safety grade at the end. It's part of NHTSA's newly updated five-star safety rating program.

The agency says the changes to the program will make it easier for consumers to compare the safety performance of different vehicles. The safety ratings will also include information about lane departure, forward collision warning and other modern electronic safety features on vehicles. NHTSA says it will be harder for vehicles to achieve the coveted five-star rating under the new test criteria.

The list of vehicles to be tested includes 24 passenger cars, 20 SUVs, two vans and nine pickups, all from the 2011 model year. The list includes the Audi A4 ; BMW 5 Series; Buick Lucerne; Chevrolet Cruze and Malibu; Dodge Caliber; Ford Fiesta, Fusion and Taurus; Honda Accord and Civic; Hyundai Sonata; Infiniti M37; Kia Forte and Optima; Mazda 6; Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Nissan Altima, Sentra and Versa; Toyota Camry, Corolla and Prius; and Volkswagen Jetta.

The SUVs to be tested are the Acura MDX; Chevrolet Tahoe, Traverse and Equinox; Ford Edge and Escape; Honda CR-V and Pilot; Jeep Grand Cherokee; Kia Sorento and Soul; Lexus RX 350; Nissan Murano and Rogue; Subaru Forester and Outback; Toyota Highlander, RAV4 and Venza; and the Volvo XC60.

The vans are the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna. The pickup trucks to undergo the new NHTSA testing are Chrysler's Ram 1500 Crew and Quad Cab models, the Ford F-150 Super Cab and Super Crew Cab and the Ranger Extended Cab, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Extended and Crew Cab and Toyota's Tacoma and Tundra Double Cab models.

NHTSA did not give details of the new crash test protocol. The agency also said it will not be possible to compare the new safety ratings to NHTSA's previous ones since the criteria are different. The new ratings will be made available at NHTSA's Web site once they are completed.

Source;
http://www.insideline.com/car-news/nhtsa-to-update-test-process-for-five-star-safety-ratings.html

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Honda, Mazda Improve Bottom Lines

TOKYO—Japanese automakers Honda Motor Co. and Mazda Motor Corp. both said that sales was growing strongly in Asia and North America as both reported improved earnings for the quarter.

Honda fared better of the two, reporting a surge in net profit of 272.49 billion yen ($3.13 billion) in the fiscal first quarter ended June 30, a huge jump from 7.56 billion yen in the same period a year earlier. The company also boosted its full-year outlook as solid sales in Asia and North America and cost-reductions more than offset the impact of the yen's strength.

Operating profit grew more than nine-fold to yen 234.44 billion in the April-June quarter, from 25.16 billion yen a year earlier.

The net profit beat the average forecast for a 106.78 billion yen based on a survey of four analysts compiled by the Tokyo-based financial information service provider Quick.

Honda, Japan's third-largest car maker by sales volume, said sales rose 17.9% to 2.361 trillion yen in the three months ended June from 2.002 trillion yen.

For the current fiscal year through March, Honda said it now expects group net profit of 455 billion yen against earlier forecast of 340 billion yen and operating profit of 450 billion yen against 400 billion yen.

Its full-year sales outlook was trimmed to 9.100 trillion yen from earlier-projected 9.340 trillion yen even as it raised its global vehicle sales target to 3.640 million units from 3.615 million units projected in April on an anticipated boost in sales for Asia.

Honda also said it will buy back up to 12 million shares for 25 billion yen and cancel 1.3% of outstanding shares Aug. 6.

Meanwhile, Mazda said Friday sales in North America and China, along with cost cuts, helped it narrow net losses in its fiscal first quarter, leaving it on track to return to profit this fiscal year after restructuring.

The company said said its retail sales rose 21% by volume in North America and 28% in China, which caused revenue to increase 35% to 578.0 billion yen from 428.2 billion yen last time.

Mazda, in which Ford Motor Co. owns an 11% stake, said its net loss narrowed to 2.10 billion yen in the last quarter, compared with a net loss of 21.5 billion yen in the same period a year earlier.

Though it finished the period in the red, Japan's fifth-biggest car maker by volume did log an operating profit of 6.37 billion yen in the April-June quarter, compared with an operating loss of 28 billion yen a year earlier.

Mazda, best known as the maker of the Mazda3 subcompact and the MX-5 Miata convertible, left unchanged its forecast for the current fiscal year through March.

The car maker continues to expect a net profit of 5 billion yen, an operating profit of yen 30 billion and sales of 2.270 trillion yen.

Honda reports earnings under U.S. accounting standards. Mazda reports earnings under Japanese accounting standards.

Source;
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703999304575398510078219100.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

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2012 Nissan Versa Spied

If it looks like the illustration, this could inject a little bit of life into the Versa....
Source;
http://www.burlappcars.com/2010/07/2012-nissan-versa.html

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Honda CRZ Game

Check out a rather simple but nevertheless enjoyable arcade-style racing game featuring the Japanese carmaker's hybrid ....
Link to the game;
http://cr-z.honda.com/3-mode-mania/

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You Asked For It, You Got It: Toyota Secures New Trademark on Supra Name

Wow, Toyota's getting serious about this sportscar stuff....shame, no S2000, no Prelude, sure we are getting a new hybrid version of a CRX....
Toyota has applied to trademark the iconic Supra name, according to documents it filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on July 16. The company’s previous trademark on the model name expired in 2006, and for the past four years Toyota didn’t bother to renew it.

This may be more than just business as usual. Only four days earlier, Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda told journalists in Japan that he wants “to see the next Supra tested in the near future”, although he qualified that by adding “even if one president [Toyoda himself] says that we want to have a Supra again, the whole company is not going to be responding to that request.”

We spoke with Toyota’s vice president of external communications, Mike Michels, this afternoon for more info. Toyota, like many other carmakers, categorically won’t comment on future product plans except when, you know, they will. This was a case when they wouldn’t—Michels told us that Toyota likely just registered the name “provisionally” to “make sure we have a lot of latitude to use names in the future.” This is true, and it happens often. But the trademark system is really designed around use (or honest plans to use the trademark for a product), and, generally speaking, a company would have three years to use the name until it’s considered abandoned.

Of course, Toyota hasn’t revealed what it will be calling the on-again, off-again production version of the FT86 concept, which is a joint project with Subaru. Could it be called Supra? There’s also the possibility that the Supra name could be attached to a second, completely different model, leaving the FT86 to adopt the Celica badge. In any event, Toyota filing a trademark for the Supra name—especially when taken with Mr. Toyoda’s comments—is telling, but it’s still too early to bet the mortgage money on any one scenario. Until Toyota finally rolls out a new Supra and puts the speculation to rest—and gives enthusiasts a reason to look at the company again—you can at least enjoy a vintage one.

Source;
http://blog.caranddriver.com/you-asked-for-it-you-got-it-toyota-secures-new-trademark-on-supra-name/

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Honda raises money for Make-A-Wish Canada

Edmonton, Alberta – Honda Canada has raised $112,578 for the Make-A-Wish children’s charity, through two weeks of fundraising initiatives during races in Toronto and Edmonton.
Honda donated its sponsorship signage to Make-A-Wish Canada for Canadian IndyCar driver Paul Tracy’s race suit, pit signage and car.

Visitors to the Honda Indy Toronto and Hondy Indy Edmonton were invited to offer a donation in exchange for programming and interactive activities that included racing simulators, tire change pit stop challenges and other activities. For a donation, racing fans could also sign Tracy’s race suit.

Honda Canada matched funds raised by race fans dollar-for-dollar, while half the sponsorship of other Tracy sponsors, including Motegi Wheels, PHD, The Taylor Group and Grip Limited, were donated to the charity.

Source;
http://www.canadiandriver.com/2010/07/27/honda-raises-money-for-make-a-wish-canada.htm

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2011 Honda CR-Z hybrid is a sporty eco-activist

I've spoken to a few Honda people that have driven the CR-Z already and they were pleasantly surprised....
The CRZ has a far more aggressive stance than other gas-electrics on the market and shows off its road-hugging ability. (Don Kelsen, Los Angeles Times / June 28, 2010)

Cars typically force drivers to make a choice: sporty but piggish on fuel or efficient and underwhelming.

With its 2011 CR-Z, Honda Motor Co. is playing with a new concept. It's called responsible indulgence, and Honda's debuting the idea with a two-seat "sporty hybrid coupe" that's got some spunk but doesn't force drivers to check their environmental consciences at the door. Starting at $19,200, the CR-Z offers conservationist virtues and Kardashian curves on a Kmart budget.

The latest gas-electric powertrain from Honda is slightly larger than the one used in its slow-selling Insight hybrid. The CR-Z has 0.2 liters of additional displacement and twice as many valves on its inline four cylinders. As a result, its 1.5-liter i-VTEC engine and 10-kilowatt brushless electric motor are slightly less fuel efficient, rating 39 miles per gallon on the highway for the automatic and 37 mpg for the one I tested — a six-speed manual transmission, a first for a hybrid car.

Fuel economy varies, of course, depending on how a car is driven. In that arena the CR-Z provides options that go beyond the usual accelerator and brake-pedal inputs. The 3-mode drive system switches the balance of performance and fuel economy, letting drivers choose between the bridled torque of "econ," just-the-facts-ma'am "normal" and "sport," which is quite frisky for such a small engine.

Taking it on serpentine stretches of the historic Arroyo Seco Parkway (a.k.a. the 110 freeway near Pasadena), I was impressed with the CR-Z's handling in sport mode, and how well this little hybrid hugged the road.

The CR-Z never lets the driver forget its environmental mission. Each drive mode rings the tachometer in a different hue of neon light, kind of like a mood ring: green for economy, blue for normal and red for sport. When an up- or down-shift would help the car achieve better fuel economy, a light on the 3-D dash display in the manual version let me know. And if I didn't get the message while I was flooring it, the car's Eco Assist feature pointed it out in no uncertain terms. It actually assigned me an "eco" score that was presented with a botanical-themed graphic, rather than numbers. The more efficient my driving, the more "leaves" that appeared on the dashboard.

How'd I do? Uh, time to up my contribution to Carbonfund.org.

The CR-Z is primarily designed to appeal to the young and single — or anyone, really, who wants to roll lean and green. Part of what enabled Honda to keep the cost under $20,000 is the car's Integrated Motor Assist, a system that mounts the ultra-thin electric motor between the transmission and gasoline engine and metes the flow of electricity to and from the motor.

Design-wise, the CR-Z is quite the looker. Its teardrop body shape makes it clear the car is a hybrid, but it has a far more aggressive stance than the upstanding-citizen look of other gas-electrics on the market. Although the CR-Z looks similar to the Insight and other products in the Honda portfolio, it's related in the same way Khloe, Kim and Kourtney Kardashian look like sisters — only the CR-Z has the pedigree and the personality and the curvaceous, come-hither bod all rolled in to one.

Like the sport cars that provided its inspiration, the bonnet and, more importantly, the engine and motor beneath it are both situated low for a more sporty performance. The double spoiler is in the front to provide better aerodynamics. Overall, the CR-Z's profile is lean and low slung, and its seat will make drivers feel like trolls.

The driver's seat can be moved upward. It just has to be pumped by hand, and pumping it too much nearly cranked my cranium into the roof. Luckily, we're not living in the 1980s, because big hair would be squished.

There's no way to seat anyone in the back. Although the Japanese and European versions of the CR-Z have a rear seat, the American CR-Z is a two-seat coupe. At least it has a rear storage area. With the push of a button, the rear cargo "console," as Honda calls it, can be flattened, providing 25.1 cubic feet of space for the loads of dirty laundry single guys tend to haul home to their mothers, or a couple of pony kegs of beer, which will be unloaded at their apartment.

Although it has two seats, the CR-Z seems designed for solo driving. That's evident from the curvature of the car's controls, which are angled in toward the driver, almost cup-like. The shape not only beckoned me to become one with the CR-Z, but improved the ergonomics, making it easy to operate the 360-watt stereo and satellite-linked, voice-activated navigation system of the EX version I tested.

For such a low price, I was relieved Honda didn't cheap out the interior. The seats aren't leather, but the textiles and other touch points were soft, the color scheme a pleasing metallic and black.

My EX came with a manual transmission, but the automatic would have been my preference because manuals are a pain in L.A. traffic and the automatic's outfitted with paddle shifters. More fun. Less work.

Both versions offer far less fuel economy than the Toyota Prius, which has the best of any car currently on the market — 51 mpg city and 48 highway. That lands the CR-Z in the mpg and price realm of sporty mini- and sub-compacts like the BMW Mini and Honda Fit, market segments that are also gaining momentum and are likely to be competition for the CR-Z.

Overall, I wish the CR-Z felt a bit torquier and sportier, and that the fuel economy was more Prius-like, but the design and concept are both spectacular. I look forward to the CR-Z, generation two.

Source;
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-car-review-20100729-56,0,2236112.story

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HONDA NSX (EXTENDED VERSION) BY FORMAT67.NET

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Consumer Reports: Best used SUVs: Affordable utility

SUVs continue to be a popular vehicle choice for many drivers due to their higher driving position, versatile cargo-carrying capabilities, towing capacity, and available all-wheel drive. Plus, full-sized models can seat up to eight and offer even greater towing capacities. New SUVs range in price from around $17,000 to luxury models costing over $60,000. Used models can save you significantly as long as you choose wisely.

The first major purchase consideration is deciding what size you need: small, medium, or large. For most drivers, a small or medium-sized car-based SUV (aka crossover), such as a Toyota Highlander or Nissan Murano, can provide a good balance of features, fuel economy and function.
Be honest with how you intend to use your SUV. For example, if you almost never go off road or tow a trailer, it doesn’t really make much sense to buy a heavy truck-based model (such as a Toyota 4Runner or Ford Explorer), and have the vehicle carry around all that extra weight and hardware that you’ll never use. Plus, truck-based models tend to be thirstier at the pumps than car-based vehicles.

As with all cars, safety is a key concern with SUVs. Due to their inherent higher center of gravity, SUVs are more prone to rollovers. When shopping for a used model, check to make sure that it’s equipped with electronic stability control and curtain air bags—two features we strongly recommend. Most 2005-present midsized and large SUVs have these important safety features.

To help you narrow the field, we have compiled a list of Consumer Reports recommended used SUVs. These vehicles have performed well in our road tests, have average or better reliability, and have performed adequately if included in crash tests.
If you are in the market for a used SUV, keep these buying tips in mind:

-Determine your needs. Narrow down your choices between car-based and truck-based models.

-Car-based SUVs have better handling, comfort, and fuel economy. Truck-based SUVs generally have a rougher ride, but have true four-wheel drive, which is useful for towing and serious off-roading.

-Evaluate engine and power. SUVs have a variety of engine sizes, from four-cylinders to V8s.

-You will also need to determine whether you want two-wheel drive, all-wheel drive, or four-wheel drive. AWD is especially useful if you drive on snow or ice.

-Compare fuel economy. The mileage can vary significantly--and made worse with roof carriers, brush guards, oversized tires, and towing.

-Check safety features. Many later model-year SUVs have standard stability control and side air bags. A backup camera may also be useful, since the blind spots of SUVs make it difficult to see when backing up.

-Take it for a test drive. While many people enjoy the higher seating position of SUVs, some may find it difficult to get in and out and find a proper seating position. Try before you buy to make sure it’s a good fit. Uplevel trims and luxury SUVs typically have seat-height adjustments that may improve comfort.

-Look at private sellers for the best price, but make sure you have a mechanic inspect the vehicle before you buy.

-Check your insurance. An SUV can be more expensive to insure than a conventional car, so find out the rates before you feel that you absolutely have to have one.

-For Ratings and recommendations on convertible models, see our SUVs buying guide. Also, check out our used car buying guide.

Source;
http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2010/07/best-used-suvs-affordable-utility.html

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News Scoop – FT-86 is on time

I can't wait to see this car! C'mon Honda, bring back the Prelude!!!!!Good news FT-86 fans. I was invited as one of the only foreign journalists to attend a press day on Wednesday where the JDM only Noah and Voxy Minivans were being showcased by G’s, the sports vehicle oriented arm of Toyota Japan. The FT-86 though, didn’t take long to come up in the conversation…

Most importantly, Toyota held the strictly invite only event not only to show off the G’s upgrades to their people movers but also to offer access to some of Toyota’s innermost engineers and sports department managers.

This presented an ideal opportunity to discuss Toyota’s involvement in the current market and inevitably, questions regarding the FT86 surfaced quickly.

A private 20 minute question and answer session I had with Dr. Shigeyuki Hori, Project General Manager for the Sports Vehicle Management division and Kazuo Okino, Group manager for the same division uncovered a number of promising pieces of news.

I can confirm that the cars development is on schedule and that the reports for the cars release in 2013 are erroneous. Toyota reiterated its intent to release the car by the previously appointed date, in November 2011. I can also confirm that the car is approximately 50% complete with the target price remaining steady for the mid level spec FT-86 at approximately 2.5 million yen ( approx. $29,000 USD ). One can only speculate at the moment what the base grade spec and price will be and no mention was made of the price for the top spec model but one can be led to guess this will involve a turbocharged motor.

While on the subject of turbocharging, Hori san and Okino san both confirmed that discussions were still being held and nothing had been decided yet. Both were hesitant to provide any confirmation on the radical Gazoo Racing model that wowed the world at last years Tokyo Auto Salon. It needs to be remembered that G’s is ostensibly a street car oriented arm of Toyota and as such the cars will be basically stock power wise with most of the modifications coming in the way of aesthetic changes and suspension, chassis and brake upgrades.

But take heart – the Voxy and Noah concepts at Wednesdays conference appeared in almost exactly the same configuration as the cars that were displayed at the TAS last year. This bodes well for the FT-86.

Another interesting fact about the cars development is that it will remain virtually unchanged, design wise. Okino san was clear in his remarks when he said that the FT86 will only be modified in regards to its aesthetic parts, namely items relating to the body but the overall shape will not change.

One last piece of news that is sure to bring some relief, was the comment made that a hybrid version was not being considered for the FT86. Hybrid technology is indeed being considered for the sport car segment but in another form of car. This car is most likely to be the new Toyota Hybrid sports concept.

Later in the day, the Chief Officer for Toyota’s Motor Sports Division, Tadashi Yamashina, held an exclusive round table conference for the assembled journalists of which 7tune was privy to.

One of the journalists at the conference reminded Yamashina san that there is a very high level of anxiety amongst the public over the FT-86, to which Mr Yamashina replied categorically that the cars development was on schedule and that because of Toyota’s connection with Subaru, there was no way that the car wasn’t going to be great. Read from that what you will but it is clear that Toyota is holding this hand very very close to its chest and is intent on releasing news and coverage on the car when it feels the time is right.

Who can blame them really? This is one of the most anticipated cars to come from Japan in over a decade, so Toyota and its members are quite within their right to be guarded with information.

I was very encouraged by the positive signals coming from within the organization and the general tone appears to be one of positivity in the changes taking place.

I would like to personally extend my thanks to the Corporate Communications Department personnel, and Toyota as a whole, for offering 7tune the opportunity to be a part of this important conference.

Source;
http://www.7tune.com/news-scoop-the-ft-86-is-on-time-and-unchanged/

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Porsche launches 2011 Cayenne in India - Porsche Cayenne Hybrid Photos, Price, Pics, Images

German Sports car manufacturer Porsche launches its much awaited SUV "2011 Cayenne" in India on Thursday, 22nd July, 2010 at Mumbai. The new 2011 version of Porsche Cayenne reducing CO2 emissions of up to 26% and a reduction in fuel consumption of up to 23% less.

New Porsche Cayenne basic version starts with the Rs 65.82 lakh, powered by a 300 horsepower 3.6 litre V6 petrol engine mated to a Tiptronic S eight-speed transmission. Next version is the 400 bhp, 4.8 litre V8 Cayenne S that will carry a tag of Rs 78.62 lakh. The most powerful Cayenne, monster 500 bhp, 4.8 litre V8 Cayenne S Turbo with mammoth price tag of Rs 1.27 crore and 240 bhp Cayenne Diesel tagged at Rs 59.22 lakh. Cayenne S Hybrid powered by 333 horsepower 3 litre supercharged V6 engine with a 47 hp electric motor and can operate on either both priced at Rs 75.46 lakh.

The ex-showroom prices, excluding all local taxes and duties, for the new Cayenne models in India are:

Porsche Cayenne - 65.82 Lakhs
Porsche Cayenne S - 78.62 Lakhs
Porsche Cayenne Turbo - 1.27 Crore
Porsche Cayenne Diesel - 59.22 Lakhs
Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid - 75.46 Lakhs

Porsche Cayenne Exterior Photos:







Porsche Cayenne Interior Photos:

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2012 Dodge Durango/Magnum Revealed....via Twitter

This is for those interested....
Source (via autospies);
http://twitpic.com/27l91x

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This Man Fought Toyota For Stealing His Hybrid Tech And Won

Wow, interesting read....
Alex Severinsky, a Soviet emigrant who began his career developing antitank-warfare instrumentation, patented a system for powering gas-electric hybrids in 1994. Toyota used his system for the Prius without permission or payment. Until this week.

Alex Severinsky recieved his master's degree in electrical engineering from the Kharkov College of Radioelectronics, in Kharkov, Ukraine, in 1967. Eight years later, he earned his Ph.D. in the same discipline from Moscow's Institute for Precision Measurements in Radioelectronics and Physics. Three years after that, he emigrated to the United States as a refugee.

On September 6, 1994, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued Severinsky a patent for a high-voltage method of powering gas-electric hybrid vehicles. He called the method, and the technology involved in it, "Hyperdrive." The filing was the culmination of years of work and research, and it represented an early version of the thinking that led to the drivetrain in most modern hybrids.

Three years after Severinsky was awarded that patent, Toyota released the first generation of its Prius hybrid. The car wasn't the first hybrid vehicle sold to the public, but it marked the start of the single most successful hybrid brand to date — the second-generation Prius sold astoundingly well, and the car's name became shorthand for "green car."

The Prius incorporated — and continues to incorporate — a version of Severinsky's technology. It was used without license or permission, and while both parties now have issued statements saying that it was developed in parallel (independently and without knowledge of other advancements or patents), Toyota initially refused to acknowledge Severinsky's efforts. The then-alleged patent infringement resulted in a six-year legal battle between Severinsky and Toyota, one that recently culminated in a royalty settlement.

This is how a single man won a lawsuit against the biggest and most powerful car company in the world.

The Beginning
"We [were] met by a high degree of cynicism from the automakers." —Alex Severinsky, on the industry reception to his technology in the pre-Prius era, to Auto Field Guide

Predictably, Severinsky's interest in hybrid vehicle power grew out of computing. In the 1980s, he spent a great deal of time working on uninterruptible power supplies for computer systems. Patents for gasoline-electric vehicle technology had been awarded before, but the seamless management of drive torque — the subtle transition that makes a hybrid feel like a normal car and not an on-off gas/electric light switch — had long been limited by available computing power and the cost of the necessary components. After years of research and investigation, and encouraged by outside research and the evolution of high-voltage power semiconductors (needed, as the Innovation Hall of Fame puts it, to deliver "satisfactory energy efficiency and power for acceleration" from an "electric traction motor"), Severinsky founded Paice (Power Assisted Internal Combustion Engines) Corporation in 1992. He began working on his idea.

Inexpensive versions of those semiconductors, which became available in the late 1990s, allowed Severinsky to build his patented ideas into a working vehicle prototype. In October of 1999, he demonstrated his technology in a Cadillac Coupe de Ville and pursued licensing agreements from manufacturers.

The Patents
Make no mistake: Toyota is a juggernaut. The world's largest car company has suffered a few setbacks of late, but it still has a stranglehold on the market for consumer hybrid vehicles. It's also aggressively pursued the protection of its technology. According to an Australian study, Toyota has filed for more than 4000 patents relating to hybrid-car technology in the United States, or roughly 43 perecent of the hybrid-car patents ever filed. More than 1000 of those patents were claimed for the 2009 Prius alone.

A clarifying point: Contrary to popular belief, Severinsky's patents are not for hybrid cars or hybrid systems in their entirety. Hybrid vehicles have existed for as long as the automobile, if not longer, and the principle is not new. Severinsky's patents focus on a problem of implementation: the method by which torque from an electric motor is seamlessly blended with that of a gasoline engine. In a nutshell, his company owns the notion of back-and-forth cooperative management of an internal-combustion engine and an electric motor.

Put another way, the digital integration of countless variables — engine speed, road speed, throttle position, load, air density, etc. — into the gas-or-electric-power decision that a hybrid car makes countless times a day? That's his.

Excerpts from Severinsky's first patent, as well as two others he filed for similar technology, can be seen in the gallery above. The complete text of the relevant patents can be found on Google:
U.S. Patent No. 5,343,970
U.S. Patent No. 7,104,347
U.S. Patent No. 7,237,634

The Fight
Severinsky took his problem to the courts, invoking a six-year legal battle that ended yesterday. Although the Prius contains technology that infringes upon Severinsky's 1994 patent, Toyota maintained that its vehicles were the result of its own research and invented independently. The courtroom war that ensued is best chronicled by the following timeline, borrowed from (yes, we fact-checked it) Paice's website:

June 8, 2004: Paice files suit against Toyota Motor Corporation in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas for infringement of Paice's patents related to hybrid vehicle technology.

December 20, 2005: At the conclusion of a 10-day trial, a jury finds that Toyota's hybrid vehicles infringe two claims of the Paice ‘970 patent. The jury rejects Toyota's claims that the asserted claims of Paice's patent are invalid and awards Paice past damages of $4,269,950 (based on U.S. sales of the Toyota Prius, Toyota Highlander Hybrid and Lexus RX400h Hybrid between June 2004 and November 2005). Following the December 2005 trial, Toyota files a motion asking the U.S. District Court judge to set aside the jury's infringement finding or give Toyota a new trial.

April 2006: Dr.Severinsky resigns as Paice CEO to become CEO of Fuelcor LLC, an intellectual property development and management company for making synthetic fuels. Robert Oswald, an automotive executive with 45 years' experience at Ford and Robert Bosch North America, is named CEO.

August 16, 2006: The U.S. District Court judge rejects Toyota's motion to set aside the jury's finding of patent infringement of the ‘970 patent and rejects Toyota's request for a new trial. The judge sets an ongoing royalty of $25 per car for the three infringing vehicles (Prius II, Highlander Hybrid and Lexus RX400h) for the remaining life of the ‘970 patent.

August 31, 2006: Toyota appeals the U.S. District Court's judgment that Toyota infringes the ‘970 patent. Paice cross-appeals certain issues, principally whether the ongoing royalty of $25 per car is the right amount. The case goes to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

September 12, 2006: Paice is awarded U.S. Patent No. 7,104,347.

May 8, 2007: Paice files a second lawsuit against Toyota in the Eastern District of Texas, alleging that Toyota is now willfully infringing the ‘970 patent with respect to its new hybrid vehicles brought to market after the December 2005 trial. (Specifically, the Camry Hybrid, Lexus RX 450h, Lexus HS 250h, and third-generation Prius. —Ed.)

July 3, 2007: Paice is awarded U.S. Patent No. 7,237,634. The company amends its second lawsuit to allege that this new patent also is infringed by Toyota's hybrid vehicles.

October 18, 2007: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirms the judgment regarding Toyota's infringement of the Paice ‘970 patent, rejecting Toyota's challenges to the jury's verdict.

July 21, 2008: A one-day evidentiary hearing is held in U.S. District Court on the remanded issue of ongoing royalties in light of Toyota's continued infringement of the '970 patent.

April 17, 2009: The U.S. District Court determines that, in light of the testimony and evidence presented at the July 2008 remand evidentiary hearing, the appropriate ongoing royalty should be set as "a percentage of wholesale vehicle price, of 0.48% for each Toyota Prius II, 0.32% for each Toyota Highlander, and 0.26% for each Lexus RX400H." These percentages would result in a royalty of $98 per each vehicle based on current Toyota pricing.

April 21, 2009: The U.S. Supreme Court denies Toyota's petition for certiorari seeking review of the liability finding on the ‘970 patent.

May 15, 2009: Toyota appeals the U.S. District Court's ruling regarding the determination of the ongoing royalty. The case again goes to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

September 3, 2009: Paice files a complaint with the International Trade Commission, alleging infringement of the ‘970 patent by certain Toyota hybrid electric vehicles that went on sale after the August 2006 final judgment in the first lawsuit.

September 25, 2009: In the second lawsuit, the U.S. District Court stays the damages portion of the case with respect to the ‘970, ‘347 and ‘634 patents pending resolution of the ITC investigation of the ‘970 patent. A trial date has not yet been set for the infringement portions of the case for the ‘347 and ‘634 patents.

October 5, 2009: The U.S. International Trade Commission votes to launch an investigation into whether Toyota infringes Paice's ‘970 patent. The ITC has the authority to block Toyota from importing its hybrid vehicles into the United States.

The Decision
On July 15 of this year, Paice announced that it had reached an agreement with Ford — it licenses Toyota's hybrid technology, remember — to license Severinsky's 1994 ('970) patent. As the Paice timeline notes, the ITC has the authority to stop Toyota from importing vehicles that infringe upon U.S. patents. The commission's investigation was set to begin yesterday, four days after the Ford settlement.

Shortly before the investigation commenced, Toyota agreed to settle the dispute. The terms of each agreement were not disclosed, but both companies issued separate statements containing the following:

"The parties agree that, although certain Toyota vehicles have been found to be equivalent to a Paice patent, Toyota invented, designed and developed the Prius and Toyota's hybrid technology independent of any inventions of Dr. Severinsky and Paice as part of Toyota's long history of innovation."

Bloomberg's Business Week published Severinsky's more pointed quote Monday. "Finally," he said, "people understand the merits of what I invented and give it the proper value. Toyota is the leading technology company and finally appreciates the value of the invention."

Source;
http://jalopnik.com/5592533/this-man-fought-toyota-for-stealing-his-hybrid-tech-and-won

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2012 Euro Honda Civic Spied!

Well, look at what we have here. Back in May, our intrepid spy shooters managed to snap off a series of images showing the next-gen European Honda Civic hiding in plain sight under an amalgam of ill-fitting current-gen bodywork. The latest set of spy photos seen here prove that Honda's little compact hatchback is progressing along rather nicely.

Unlike previous spy photos, it's clear that the car being tested is wearing its new bodywork... though it's obviously obscured as much as possible with funky matte black panels with strategically placed cutouts for doors, lights and glass. In any case, we can see a clear hatchback body design, as you would expect for the European market, along with an overtly wedge-like profile.

We have no way of knowing what's powering this vehicle at the moment, but previous reports suggest our European friends will get a typical choice of gasoline and diesel four cylinder engines along with a possible hybrid.

Source;
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/21/spy-shots-2012-honda-civic-struts-its-stuff-in-europe/

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Edmunds Inside Line: 2011 Honda CR-Z vs. 1987 Honda CRX Si

Honda has pretty much dared everyone to do this comparison. If it had called its new hybrid two-seater the Insight Coupe or the H2S or the EI-EI-O, then maybe those of the thick-headed persuasion would never thought of comparing the 2011 Honda CR-Z with a 1987 Honda CRX Si.

But no, Honda went and called its new car "CR-Z" (it stands for "Compact Renaissance Zero," the corporate product planners tell us), so we're all comparing it to the CRX in our minds if not in sheet metal. So Honda, don't whine. You asked for it.

If the CR-Z comes up short, don't blame us. Instead blame all those engineers working at Honda back in the early 1980s, some of them now up in senior management, many of them retired and a few dead. They're the ones who did such a spectacular job with the original Civic CRX. Because it is a car with a magical luster that hasn't faded with time.

Back to Simple
In 1976 Honda adopted one of the greatest ad slogans ever chiseled out of an agency flack's brain: "We Make It Simple." These four words perfectly summarized the guiding principles of Honda's design philosophy back when the Honda Accord was brand-new and the company still had to prove itself in the American market. This was back when people bought Hondas because they were, in fact, simple and exquisitely engineered. And even though Honda stopped using "We Make It Simple" as a slogan way back in 1982, a lot of people still believe that's what Honda is all about. Or, at least, is supposed to be all about.

The Honda Civic was due for a generational change with the 1984 model year, but the CRX was an unexpected addition to the line. "Honda's all-new Civic CRX 1.5 suggests the term 'Rollerskate GT' because," wrote Kevin Smith for Motor Trend upon first encountering it, "walking up to it for the first time you may think it's easier to strap it to your feet than to climb into; it truly looks like a toy."

Almost 27 years later, we approach Chris Hoffman's well-preserved and well-used 1987 CRX Si and it still seems inconceivably small. At just 144.7 inches long, this first-generation Honda CRX is 0.9 inch shorter overall than a 2010 Mini Cooper, while its 86.8-inch wheelbase is an amazing 10.3 inches shorter than the BMW-engineered Mini. More pertinently, the CRX is a staggering 15.9 inches shorter overall than the new CR-Z, while its wheelbase is 9.1 inches shorter.

The Style of No Style
But it's not just the Honda CRX's super-dink proportions that differentiate it from its hybrid grandkid. The CRX's body is almost unadorned; the flat body panels are clean and free of styling flourishes. This unfussiness lets the CRX's slope-backed profile become the visual focal point of the car. The CR-Z's visual firepower, on the other hand, lies in details like the character lines that run along its flanks, around the beautifully shaped rear taillights and across the rear glass panel.

Where the CR-Z fails stylewise, is in its flat and busy nose. It's too flat (thanks for the pedestrian impact standards, EU!) and over-decorated with a massive grille. The big, heavily sculpted holes beneath the headlights contain driving lights that look as if they were pulled from a parts bin as an afterthought. With the old CRX you have to work hard to even find the grille. And while the CRX's driving lights might as well be stuck on the front of the car with Elmer's Glue-All, they're as square as the headlights at least.

Of course there are design elements to the CRX that are archaic. The 14-inch wheels with four round holes in them are pure retro from the Huey Lewis era, the mud flaps look like they're off a Kenworth big rig and the marker lights in the front fender are just arbitrary. But overall, the CRX is still a sweet little package. And it's still a great-looking car — timeless, really.
The CR-Z isn't likely to age that well.

Interior Simplicity
Both the CRX and CR-Z do a great job of accommodating two people and more of their stuff than you might think possible. There are some style and convenience differences, however. And they matter.

Of course the CRX was built back in those bloody, gore-splattered, awful days when airbags weren't a mandated element of every car. So when you face the steering wheel, the dashboard seems almost barren. Still, however, every control is at the driver's fingertips. There's a nice cubby with a hinged lid atop the dash in which to accumulate change for the tollway (back when tollways didn't require folding money), and there's a real cigarette lighter next to a real ashtray for those precious moments that can only be completed by firing up a Benson & Hedges Menthol 100.

The CRX's harshly trapezoidal dash cover over the instrumentation looks dated; the orange-on-black numerals of the instrumentation was a bad idea back then and still is; the slider-based ventilation controls aren't as convenient as dials; and both the seats and door panels are covered in mouse fur. But these are just decorator issues. The driving position is low, but perfect. The seats are nicely shaped. And any single-DIN radio will slide right in.

The CR-Z innards are, yes, better than the CRX's. The seats are better, there are more storage areas strewn around the cockpit and the navigation system is an improvement over any single-DIN radio. Yes, the instrumentation is a bit too Tokyo pop, but otherwise the CR-Z interior is a great driving environment.

Nevertheless, once you throw some airbags into the CRX, round off the dash angles, redesign the instrumentation graphics, add power windows and mirrors and upholster everything in contemporary materials, this interior would be among the best offered in any small car today.

Driving Simplicity
According to Honda's factory specifications, the 1987 Honda CRX weighed 1,830 pounds with a full tank of fuel, which makes it 824 pounds lighter than the CR-Z EX. The math says this means every one of the CRX Si's 91 horses has to move 20.1 pounds of vehicle mass. Each of the CR-Z EX's 122 horses has to contend with 21.8 pounds of heft. Virtually all the measurable performance differences between the two cars can be explained in light of those numbers.

In deference to Chris Hoffman's CRX Si's age and 108,500 miles, we're using performance numbers generated by Motor Trend in its issue of March 1985, which featured coverage of the 1985 Honda CRX Si. The CRX galloped to 60 mph in 8.1 seconds (with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip) and ripped through the quarter-mile in 16.2 seconds at 84.5 mph. That's not terrible performance today, and it was terrific performance for back then. Faster than the Mitsubishi Mirage Turbo, Pontiac Fiero V6 and Toyota MR2, the editors noted.

These acceleration numbers, however, don't tell the whole performance story of the CRX Si. Its punk-spec, fuel-injected SOHC 12-valve 1.5-liter inline-4 might predate the introduction of VTEC variable valve timing, but it's still a rev-happy twerp. Throw in the precise shifting of the five-speed transmission and the result is still a blast to drive. It's not just good in a vintage way; it's good in every way.

In contrast, the CR-Z is simply more of a chore to drive. First, the driver needs to pick a driving mode — Econ, Normal or Sport — and then it's a matter of tuning oneself to drive within that mode. A soft touch for the Econ, a moderate touch for Normal and moderately harder touch for Sport. The CR-Z demands more attention than the CRX.

Like the original CRX Si, the CR-Z has a fuel-injected SOHC 1.5-liter inline-4, and thanks to 16 valves and i-VTEC it makes 113 horsepower on its own. Combine it with Honda's Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid system and the output goes up to 122 hp. And in Sport mode, there's actually some low-end torque to play with.

At full throttle the CR-Z performs the same no matter what mode it's in. And that performance is a trip to 60 mph in 8.8 seconds (8.5 seconds with 1 foot of rollout) and 16.5 seconds at 84.1 mph for the quarter-mile. If you engage the traction and stability control system (technology the CRX Si conspicuously lacks), you get to 60 mph in 9.4 seconds (9.1 seconds with 1 foot of rollout) and reach the quarter-mile in 17.1 seconds at 82.9 mph.

The CR-Z's six-speed shifts great and the entire hybrid drivetrain is refined, but it's not as quick as the old CRX Si. And yes, that's even after taking into account Motor Trend's aggressive weather corrections and timing methods in 1985.

Simple Life, Simple Pleasures
Set up right on aggressive tires, an old CRX is a monster in autocross events. But even wearing the modest 185/60R14s that Chris Hoffman's car does, the CRX Si is a precise driving instrument from the tip of its manual steering to the trailing edge of its rear beam axle.

In comparison, the CR-Z really is one of the very best-driving hybrids to go on sale in America. But it can't duplicate the direct connection between car and driver that the CRX provides. The CR-Z does have a more compliant and controlled ride than the CRX, but it's nowhere near as much fun.

But also keep this in mind. While we all remember the CRX for its extraordinary fuel mileage, this is because of the special, low-performance, fuel-sipping CRX HF. Back in 1987 the EPA rated the Honda CRX HF at an incredible 52 mpg in the city and 57 mpg on the highway. But once you calculate the CRX's numbers with the latest EPA methodology, its results drop to 42 mpg and 51 mpg, respectively. The 1987 CRX Si, on the other hand, carried a sticker showing an EPA-certified 30 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway, which converts to 26 mpg in the city and 30 on the highway today. The legend of the hyper-parsimonious CRX is at least somewhat conditional.

But the bigger, heavier 2011 Honda CR-Z six-speed carries an EPA rating of 31 mpg in the city and 37 on the highway. While other hybrids do better, the CR-Z actually does very well in the context of its ancestors.

A Simple Summary
As we've discovered here in this 1987 Honda CRX Si, the CRX Si in its first- and second-generation forms remains among the most lovable cars that Honda has ever produced. And if Honda produced something directly equivalent to them today — as lightweight and with just as delightful a powertrain — we'd all want one.

But that's not what Honda offers us. Times have changed, and the 2011 Honda CR-Z shows us that modern standards of safety and comfort have taken their toll on the size and weight of small cars, even as improved structural rigidity and electronically enhanced engines, brakes and vehicle control systems have made them better for everyday transportation.

Yet what Honda offers in the CR-Z isn't that bad at all.

Source (with more pic's);
http://www.insideline.com/honda/cr-z/2011/2011-honda-cr-z-vs-1987-honda-crx-si.html

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Honda improves the specification and settings of its Insight hybrid

This is confirmed for the UK market, I'd imagine we'll get the same treatment here in North America....
Honda announced today that it has improved the specification and settings of its Insight hybrid helped by customer feedback. The changes include a new suspension adjusted to improve ride comfort and NVH levels as well as high-spec interior with leather and Sat nav.

Honda also announced a new, top-of-the-range, EX model, featuring black leather upholstery and DVD Sat Nav and hands-free telephone equipment. According to Honda, the Insight also received a number of chassis changes such as adjustments for the recoil rate of the springs, changes for the rear camber angles as well as V-shape rear suspension brace and adjusting mounts. Honda has added rear parking sensors to ES-model Insights and above, and has changed some trim to smarten the interior. Inside we find new colours for the dashboard and seats. Chrome rings for the air vents and doors have been given a silver garnish feature. There are also two new paint options for Insight customers, with the introduction of Dynamic Blue Pearl and Carnelian Red Pearl. Pricing starts at £16,325 for the SE model, but with Honda’s current Affordable Driving consumer offer, the hybrid is available at £14,995 OTR until the end of September. The most expensive Insight EX starts at £20,215 OTR.

Source;
http://www.4wheelsnews.com/honda-improves-the-specification-and-settings-of-its-insight-hybrid/#more-9375

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Summary of 2010 Mid-Year CEO Speech

07/20/2010 -
One year has passed since I acceded to the president of the company in June of last year, and we have entered into the stage where we need to draw up and execute a new growth strategy.

In the past several years, consumer preference has quickly shifted toward smaller sized vehicles in every automobile market around the world due to increasing environmental awareness on a global basis, as well as the structural changes that happened to the global economy. Honda must quickly respond to such changes in the times to achieve further growth and expansion in the future.

Our highest management priority is to establish a corporate structure that ensures a profit while we develop and commercialize advanced environmental technologies, strengthen our business in emerging markets and take prompt action to respond to the market shift toward small-sized vehicles.

Especially, as we are in the midst of a difficult business environment, nothing is more important than going back to Honda's basic principle, that is, to see things from the customer's view point, and continue offering products that please our customers.

Based on this understanding, Honda's "Direction for the next 10 years" was set. What I think is most important and the message I conveyed strongly to all Honda associates was "to provide good products to our customers with speed, affordability and low CO2 emissions."

By "good products" we mean to embody customers' wants and needs in attractive products using Honda's unique technologies, knowledge and ingenuity. Such good products must be delivered with speed without making our customers wait, and at affordable prices which make our customers happy with their purchase. This is the direction Honda will take.

"With low CO2 emissions" represents our conviction based on the strong sense of crisis that, as a manufacturer of personal mobility, Honda will have no future unless we achieve a significant reduction of CO2 emissions.

In order to provide good products with speed, affordability and low CO2 emissions, concrete measures will be taken with a focus on the following three core areas:

1) Advancement of environmental technologies
2) Strengthening of the manufacturing system and capability
3) Strengthening of business operations in emerging nations

Advancement of environmental technologies

Automobiles
Honda has been reducing CO2 emissions through technological advancement of a wide range of products including motorcycles, automobiles and power products. Honda has also been committed to the reduction of its environmental footprint through its energy creation products such as solar panels and cogeneration systems.

Honda will accelerate the effort to reduce its environmental footprint by advancing its environmental technologies and making even more effort to achieve widespread market introduction of such technologies.

Widespread market introduction of IMA Hybrid System
Honda introduced new models equipped with Honda's original lightweight and compact IMA hybrid system, namely Insight and CR-Z. The percentage of hybrid vehicle sales among all Honda vehicle sales in Japan increased to 16% in 2009. Honda will accelerate widespread market introduction of IMA by enhancing the lineup of models equipped with the IMA system.

Honda will introduce multiple models, mainly small-sized vehicles, equipped with the IMA system in Japan within approximately one year from now. The first one will be the Fit Hybrid which will be introduced to the Japanese market this fall.

Honda will also pursue the advancement of battery technologies that are critical to the advancement of hybrid vehicles. The next-generation Civic Hybrid will be equipped with a high-output and compact lithium-ion battery, which will be supplied by Blue Energy, a joint venture company between GS Yuasa and Honda that will begin production of the battery at its plant in the latter half of this year.

Honda has been devoting its company resources to the development of advanced environmental technologies. The results of such a strategy will start to be seen as products sometime around 2012.

Plug-in hybrid
A new plug-in hybrid system for mid-size to larger vehicles is currently under development. Vehicles equipped with this new system are scheduled to go on sale in 2012 in Japan and the U.S.
Honda will fulfill customer demand more precisely by developing and adopting multiple hybrid systems that are appropriate for vehicles of different sizes and uses.

Gasoline engine
In the mid-term, internal combustion engines will remain as the main source of power for automobiles, and therefore Honda will continue advancing technologies to improve the performance and fuel economy of internal combustion engines. Honda will begin renewing its engine and transmission lineup starting in 2012 to further improve its fuel economy.

Diesel engine
Diesel engines are also effective in reducing CO2 emissions. In addition to the currently available 2.2l engine, Honda is making progress in the development of a smaller diesel engine. A model equipped with this new smaller diesel engine will be introduced in Europe in 2012.

Fuel-cell electric vehicle
In the long-term, fuel-cell electric vehicles will provide the ultimate mobility. And Honda will continue working on the technological advancement of the FCX Clarity as well as our hydrogen refueling systems.

Battery electric vehicle
Though there still are some issues that need to be addressed such as range per charge and recharging time, battery EVs have the potential to create a new market as mobility that emits no CO2 during operation. Leveraging the technologies established through the development of fuel-cell electric vehicles, Honda will make progress in the development of a battery EV with a goal to put it in real world use as soon as possible. Honda's battery EV is scheduled to go on sale in Japan and the U.S. in 2012.

Honda will introduce these products by around 2012 and further advance them and accelerate their more widespread introduction to the market in the next 10 years.

Motorcycles
Considering the current limitation of battery performance, a battery EV will fulfill customer needs in the form of electric motorcycles.

In December of this year, Honda will begin lease sales of EV-neo to businesses and individual business owners in Japan. Honda will continue to advance the technologies and reduce costs to make it available to individual customers as promptly as possible.

As a unique trend in the world's largest motorcycle market of China, the market for electric bicycles is rapidly growing there in addition to the market for the motorcycles equipped with gasoline engines Honda is planning to introduce a new product into this market in 2011.

Honda will introduce electric motorcycles to both advanced and emerging nations, further improve product performance and cost competitiveness and strive to become a market leader in this field, as well.

Power products
Honda will further advance its "energy creation products" such as solar panels and cogeneration systems to pursue their potential as the future household infrastructure.

Demonstration testing of the next-generation personal mobility
At the Tokyo Motor Show last year, Honda proposed a concept for the future low-carbon mobility society that utilizes electromotive technologies. Honda will embody this concept and begin demonstration testing with the concept of "Honda Electric Mobility Synergy" in Japan and the U.S. within this year.

In Japan, within this year, and conducted jointly with Kumamoto and Saitama prefecture where Honda already has some operations, Honda will begin the comprehensive demonstration testing of next-generation personal mobility that combines an energy supply infrastructure such as a solar-powered EV-refueling station with advanced environmentally-responsible vehicles such as the electric scooter EV-neo, plug-in hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles as well as other electromotive products such as the electric cart, Monpal. In addition, through the cooperation of the local community, Honda will study how future personal mobility should be designed to contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of local residents.

In the U.S., starting by the end of this year, Honda will begin demonstration testing of automobile environmental technologies such as battery-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles with participants including Stanford University, Google Inc. and the City of Torrance, California in separate testing under the Advanced Technology Demonstration Program.

Strengthening the manufacturing system and capability

Role of Japan
Manufacturing technologies for advanced environmental technologies including electromotive technologies will be established and advanced in Japan where we have accumulated highly sophisticated manufacturing technologies and know how. In addition, further advancement of manufacturing technologies to accommodate the trend to make our products smaller will evolve from Japan to other parts of the world.

Based on the recognition that the role played by Honda factories in Japan will become increasingly more important, Honda management has been discussing the roles our factories in Japan must play in the future.

Honda factories in Japan will focus on the following three roles; 1) pursuit of manufacturing technologies for environmentally-responsible products and small-sized vehicles, 2) efficient production of the products to be sold in Japan and 3) strengthening the support functions for Honda plants outside of Japan.

Based on this determination of the focus areas, the direction was determined for the two new plants in Japan where plans have been pending.

Yorii plant - which will become operation in 2013
With a goal to begin production in 2013, Honda will resume preparation of the Yorii plant in Saitama. The Yorii plant will play a role not only to strengthen Honda's cost and quality competitiveness, but also to establish the necessary and highly sophisticated next-generation manufacturing technologies related to the production of environmentally-responsible products and low CO2 emissions production. Furthermore Yorii will be responsible for evolving such technologies to other Honda production operations around the world.

The Yorii plant will create new value and innovative technologies which can be realized only at the Yorii plant and lead other Honda plants around the world as a state-of-the-art next-generation plant which pursues energy efficiency.

Through various initiatives, including the introduction of a system which optimally controls the amount of energy used for production and the recycling of energy, the Yorii plant will strive to become an environmentally-responsible and advanced auto plant which reduces the amount of energy used to produce each vehicle by more than 30% compared to production at the existing Sayama plant.

The Yorii plant will start with small-volume production of environmentally-responsible vehicles which requires highly sophisticated manufacturing technologies to mature its advanced technologies, then eventually increase production volume. Then Yorii will evolve such manufacturing technologies, that are keys to the next-generation of Honda, to other Honda operations around the world to achieve the global growth of Honda.

Starting production of mini-vehicles in Suzuka Factory and cancelling the construction of a new Yachiyo plant

To accommodate the global shift toward smaller vehicles, Honda will begin production of mini-vehicles at its Suzuka Factory in 2012. Through mini-vehicle production at Suzuka Factory, Honda will establish manufacturing technologies that will contribute to the effort to reduce the bodyweight and cost of Honda's next-generation models.

Such manufacturing technologies will be applied to small-sized vehicles, and then evolved from Suzuka to other Honda production operations around the world.

Based on this decision, Yachiyo Industry decided to cancel the planned construction of a new Yachiyo plant. The mini-vehicle production at Yachiyo's existing plant will be continued.

Global production
Based on its basic policy to build products close to the customer, Honda will further localize its production mostly in emerging markets.

Honda will strengthen its cross-factory/cross-border supply system by increasing the flexibility of its manufacturing system. As a result, Honda will establish a solid manufacturing system which enables Honda to better respond to drastic changes in the market.

Strengthening business in emerging markets
In emerging nations, where continuous growth is expected, Honda will leverage its strength of having access to a wider range of customers through its motorcycle, automobile and power products businesses and thoroughly be committed to deliver products that customers want with more speed and affordability.

Motorcycle business

Emerging nations
In emerging nations, motorcycles are a part of people's daily lives, and giant markets with the overwhelming size of their populations have the potential to grow further and become key pillars of Honda's business.

Today, key competitors in those markets are Chinese and Indian makers. In order for Honda to remain as a market leader, Honda must not only maintain the high attractiveness and quality of our products but also further improve cost competitiveness to match the low prices of these competitors.

In addition to developing attractive products, Honda has been increasing its cost competitiveness by pursuing the thorough localization of production including local procurement of components and materials. As a result of more than 40 years of such continued effort, Honda's motorcycle production plant in Thailand has grown to be a production base of Honda's global models.

Following the introduction of PCX, an all-new sports type model will be introduced first to the Thai market this fall, then to other markets around the world. Honda will increase the number of global models produced in Asia.

To achieve further localization, production capacity will be expanded. In addition to the capacity expansions in India and Vietnam, Honda will expand its annual motorcycle production capacity in Indonesia to 4 million units by building a new plant with a capacity of 500,000 units, which will become operational in the latter half of 2011. Moreover, Honda will continue introducing new models to the market to accommodate the growth of the Indonesian market.

After the completion of these capacity expansions, Honda's annual motorcycle production capacity in Asia (excluding Japan) will increase from the current approximately 16 million units to 18 million units by the end of 2011, enabling Honda to more quickly meet customer demand.

By leveraging the economies of scale achieved by the annual production of 18 million units, Honda will make more progress in localizing all processes from development to procurement and production in order to further improve its competitiveness.

Advanced nations
In advanced nations, the business environment is tough as the overall motorcycle market continues to shrink. However, Honda will leverage its competitiveness in Asia and create attractive products with more affordability. In doing so, Honda will strive to expand customer segments and revitalize the market.

First, Honda will introduce a new mid-class model, which is expected to be a new benchmark for the FUN model category which is focused on recreational needs, to market around the world from next year.

Unlike conventional FUN models which focus on high power output, the new model will utilize advanced technologies and ideas unique to Honda and highlight the joy of riding and ease of handling with some unique characteristics such as a dynamic ride with low-speed torque. By offering it at an affordable price, Honda will strive to make it a product that pleases more customers.

With the introduction of FUN models, which offer new values and that more people feel familiar with and enjoy riding, Honda will create a new motorcycle market in advanced nations.

Nigeria
In continuously growing African markets as well, Honda will leverage its competitiveness in Asia to expand sales.

In Nigeria, the largest motorcycle market in Africa with the size of approximately 800,000 units annually, we can expect further expansion of a new market for motorcycles as an everyday means of transportation for individual consumers. Honda will launch a new 125cc model in mid-2011. China-made parts and components will be used to increase the cost competitiveness of the product, but at the same time the model will be appealing as it adequately fulfills customer requests.

Honda will expand motorcycle sales for individual consumers in other African nations in addition to Nigeria.

Automobile business
For automobile business as well, Honda will leverage the strength it has obtained through its localized motorcycle business in Asia.

In order to be competitive in emerging nations where the market for small-sized vehicles is rapidly growing, Honda will further accelerate its effort to localize automobile production based on the concept to produce locally using locally produced dies, materials and components.

In India, Honda is planning to introduce a new entry model vehicle in 2011 at a price less than 500,000 rupee.

In Thailand, a new eco-car with an excellent level of fuel economy, based on the same vehicle to be introduced in India, will be introduced to the market in 2011. This vehicle is scheduled to be exported to other ASEAN nations as well.

Power products business
In emerging nations, power products are even more closely involved in people's daily lives than motorcycles, and therefore explosive growth of the market can be expected.

Especially in Africa where demand for generators is growing rapidly, Honda will aim to increase generator sales by offering attractive products at affordable prices while maximizing the use of its production base in China and India. In India, in addition to conventional generators, Honda will begin production of an inverter-equipped generator, which can be used for precision equipment such as medical equipment and requires a high level of technological capability to produce. This will be the first time inverter-equipped generators will be produced in India.

In China, where mechanization of agriculture is taking place, Honda will become the first Japanese maker to begin local production of a small tiller. By leveraging its accumulated technological capabilities and knowhow, Honda will proactively cultivate new markets.
Conclusion

The next 10 years will be very critical for Honda to survive in the midst of major changes in the times that include an increase in environmental awareness and changes in the global economic structure.

Honda is totally committed to provide good products with speed, affordability and low CO2 emissions while viewing things from the viewpoint of our customers.

To address the increase in environmental awareness, Honda will further advance its original and advanced environmental technologies and accelerate the more widespread market introduction of such technologies by offering them in attractive products.

To address changes in the structure of the global economy, Honda will re-strengthen its capability as a manufacturer that is unique to Honda. This includes two primary areas;
1) strengthening business in emerging nations and
2) strengthening the competitiveness of Honda's small-sized vehicles.

While executing these initiatives speedily, Honda will strengthen its corporate structure to achieve further growth and make another leap forward.

Source;
http://www.hondanews.com/categories/1097/releases/5528

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