2011! Happy New Year from The Honda Portal!

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Honda and Ford has the lowest complaint ratios for any large manufacturer

By Mark Kleis

2010 will likely go down in history as one of the most historic years in the automotive industry, with major shifts in paradigms, safety legislation and global alliances. Of the most memorable events will likely be the seemingly endless string of safety recalls that plagued Toyota, and as a result the number of complaints logged by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration were driven to a record high of over 40,0000 valid complaints.

By mid-December of 2010, NHTSA had already received complaints across all automakers totaling over 40,000, which is four times more than previous years based on analysis by Edmunds and The Los Angeles Times. The same data showed Toyota leading with the most complaints of any automaker with nearly a quarter of all complaints.

Toyota’s complaints per 100,000 vehicles climbed from 37 in 2009, to 87 in 2010. The second worst offender was Nissan, logging 62 complaints per 100,000 vehicles sold, followed closely by Volkswagen with 58 complaints. The overall industry average came in at just 47 complaints per 100,000 vehicles sold – a figure bumped from just 30 the previous year.

Ford and Honda had the lowest complaint ratios for any large manufacturers in the U.S.

Source;
http://www.leftlanenews.com/toyota-tallies-most-nhtsa-complaints-in-2010-ford-honda-have-fewest.html

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Honda Customers Affected By E-Mail Hack

Honda doesn't request personal information online, so, DO NOT supply any if you recieve a email from Honda recently.
Just the Facts:

American Honda says thieves have hacked 2.2 million customers' personal data.

Names, e-mail addresses and VINs are among the data, but no financial information.

A second list of 2.7 million Acura owners was also stolen but included e-mail addresses only.

TORRANCE, California — It sounds bad, but perhaps it's not as bad as it could have been: American Honda has notified 2.2 million customers that a list including e-mail addresses, VINs and login information has been stolen by unknown hackers. Company officials say the list didn't include Social Security numbers, birthdates, bank information or other data that would leave people vulnerable to identity theft.

The Columbus, Ohio, Dispatch reported that the list belonged to an outside vendor who was using it to send "welcome" e-mail messages to customers with OwnerLink or MyAcura accounts. Reportedly, 2.7 million Acura owners were on a separate list that was also stolen, but that one had only e-mail addresses on it.

American Honda contacted its customers to apologize and remind them about the possibility that bogus e-mail could come to them asking for private information. Owners can get more information on this FAQ page.

Source;
http://www.insideline.com/honda/hackers-hit-honda-steal-millions-of-customers-data.html

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Honda's Sportscar plans for 2012 and beyond?

A Temple of Vtec member AznSupastar came across a MagX style magazine with some renderings/illustrations of what the next gen S2000 and NSX may look like....
Here's the link to the TOV forum that I found this on, some of the other members have translated the text;
http://www.vtec.net/forums/one-message?message_id=946550
Awesome find!

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Car and Driver: 2011 Acura RL SH-AWD - First Drive Review

2011 Acura RL SH-AWD - First Drive Review

One more gear and one more year for Acura’s aging flagship.
BY STEVE SILER December 2010

What Is It?
A mildly refreshed version of Acura’s generally capable but unremarkable and slow-selling flagship sedan. On sale in much the same form since the 2005 model year, the 2011 Acura RL gets a tweaked front fascia with chrome spears in the outboard air intakes and a slightly toned-down version of the much-maligned, guillotine-esque beak that was fitted a couple of years ago. It’s still unattractive, natch. Also new are the decklid trim; power-folding side mirrors; and 15-spoke, 18-inch wheels. Inside, the infotainment interface has been revised (although the quality of its graphics remains largely the same), and genuine maple trim and a new Sea Coast interior color are now available. (Yes, Sea Coast could refer to just about any color, from sandy beige to watery blue to oil-slicked black. Here, it’s a light tan.) The most significant alteration is the upgrade from the previous five-speed auto to a six-speed box. It’s the only transmission available.

How Does It Drive?
Just fine, as before. It’s easy to forget what a nice car the RL is to drive—as consumers seemingly do on a regular basis—until you slide back into it. The naturally aspirated 3.7-liter V-6 (generating 300 hp at 6300 rpm and 271 lb-ft of torque at 5000 rpm) pulls with zest and remains silky smooth all the way to its 6800-rpm redline, the latter a consistent trait of Honda’s engines. Acura claims the six-speed automatic’s extra ratio allows the RL to hit 60 about 0.5 second quicker than before, while gaining 1 mpg in the city and 2 on the highway. For reference, the 2011 is rated at 17/24 mpg, and we tested a 2009 RL to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds.

And as always, Acura’s torque-vectoring Super Handling All-Wheel Drive makes sure little of the power at hand goes to waste, with absolutely tenacious grip and an impressive ability to mitigate understeer. Indeed, as the nose starts to push, the outside rear wheel gets the lion’s share of the torque, realigning the RL’s pointy snout with the driver’s intended line. If we had to find one nit to pick, it would be the brakes. They need to be a little stronger to match those of the RL’s more-performance-inclined competitors.

Acura claims the 2011 is quieter inside, thanks to resonator devices that are said to chop 1.3 decibels off the tire-noise scale. With the new resonators, the RL isn’t yet as quiet as, say, a Lexus LS, although the Acura’s noise levels can hardly be characterized as loud.

How Does It Stack Up?
The RL is good to drive, but as fine as it is in that area, the fact remains that the car is down on power and/or torque compared with many competitors in the $50,000 arena. This includes the Infiniti M37X, the Lexus GS350, and the BMW 535i—all of which offer V-8 alternatives for those wanting even more power. Just as egregious is the RL’s distinct lack of, well, distinction. Sure, it has the grille that no one likes, but other than that, it has little identity. Shoppers in this segment are often looking for some cachet, and this car doesn’t have it. Further, more room in the rear seat and trunk would help Acura cajole fifty large out of more than 200 to 300 people per month. In other words, the RL needs more than this refresh—it needs a replacement. Fortunately, one is around the corner, likely in a year. See our blog post on the next RL for details.

Source;

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/10q4/2011_acura_rl_sh-awd-first_drive_review

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KBB reveals 20 most researched cars of 2010

Dec 22, 2010 Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com Names 2010 Most-Researched New Vehicles, Brands With Greatest Share of Market Interest This YearSales Success Story Hyundai Sonata Makes Giant Leap to No. 5 on 2010's Top 20 Most-Researched New Cars ListIRVINE, Calif., Dec. 22, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Kelley Blue Book, the leading provider of new car and used car information, today announces the most-researched new vehicles of 2010 on the company's top-rated website, www.kbb.com.

In addition, Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com reveals the top five brands with the greatest share of market interest for 2010.This year marks the fifth consecutive year that Kelley Blue Book saw increased visitation to its website, with nearly 24 million more visits to kbb.com in 2010 versus 2009.

Because kbb.com is one of the most-trafficked automotive research sites, visitation to specific vehicles has become a leading indicator of sales patterns for manufacturers.

Kbb.com's Top 20 Most-Researched New Vehicles of 2010

1. Honda Accord
2. Honda Civic
3. Toyota Camry
4. Honda CRV
5. Hyundai Sonata
6. Nissan Altima
7. Honda Pilot
8. Ford Mustang
9. Toyota Highlander
10. Toyota Rav4
11. Toyota Sienna
12. Honda Odyssey
13. Chevrolet Equinox
14. Toyota Corolla
15. Ford Fusion
16. Ford Escape
17. Toyota Prius
18. BMW 3 Series
19. Chevrolet Camaro
20. Volkswagen Jetta

The Honda Accord, Honda Civic and Toyota Camry (in varying orders each year) have been the top three most-researched new vehicles on kbb.com each year since 2004. However, a few vehicles made jumps into the top 20 most-researched new vehicles for 2010 that were not on the list in 2009, and many models have changed their standings among the top 20 when compared to last year.

The most noteworthy success story this year is the Hyundai Sonata, which made a giant leap up 24 positions, from number 29 last year to number five this year. Hyundai's popular all-new Sonata helped to re-shuffle the deck among the top 20 most-researched new cars of 2010, knocking a few vehicles further down on the list compared to where they were last year.

A number of popular new or redesigned models also increased their standing for 2010 versus 2009, including the Ford Mustang, up eight positions to number eight, the Toyota Sienna, up seven positions to number 11, and the Chevrolet Equinox, up seven positions to number 13. In addition, the BMW 3 Series was new to the list for 2010, making its debut at number 18.

Likewise, many vehicles that are staples on the annual kbb.com top 20 most-researched new vehicles list experienced a decline in standing for 2010 when compared to 2009. The Toyota Corolla fell nine positions to number 14 this year, and the Toyota Prius dropped nine positions to number 17. In addition, the Chevrolet Camaro was down seven positions to number 19 for 2010."

The site traffic on Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com clearly demonstrates which models are resonating with today's new-car shoppers, especially when we examine the most-researched new vehicles of 2010," said James Bell, executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com. "Hyundai's homerun Sonata was not only the darling of the industry this year, but also made a strong impression in the minds of new-car shoppers by leaping ahead to the fifth most-researched new car of 2010. In addition, two popular Toyota models, the Corolla and Prius, experienced drops on the list this year, likely due to a combination of lower fuel prices and reduced overall interest in compact and hybrid vehicles, and also possibly due to Toyota's public perception crisis during the recall saga of 2010."

Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com 2010 Top Five Brands with Greatest Share of Market Interest Among New-Car Shoppers

Toyota with 13.4 percent
Honda with 11.4 percent
Ford with 10.2 percent
Chevrolet with 8.3 percent
Nissan with 6.2 percent

Toyota, Honda, Ford, Chevrolet and Nissan (respectively) are the top five brands with the highest share of market interest -- defined as the percent of new-car shopper activity for a particular brand -- on Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com for 2010. While these five brands remain in the same positions as last year, Toyota has experienced a decline in share of market interest for 2010 while Ford's share of market interest continues to grow. Toyota managed to hold down its top spot for 2010, even though its share of market interest declined 2.4 percentage points from last year. While Ford remains in the number three spot, its share of market interest increased 1.5 percentage points for 2010 when compared to 2009. The remaining three (Honda, Chevrolet and Nissan) brands' share of market interest numbers remained relatively flat year-over-year.

Source (via autoblog);
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/26/kbb-reveals-20-most-researched-cars-of-2010/#continued

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BMW launched new SUV X1, priced at Rs. 22 to 29.9 Laca, BMW X1 Photos, Images

BMW launched its cheapest and smallest SUV "X1" in India on 23rd December, 2010 in New Delhi. BMW X1 is the youngest member of heavier X3 and X5 family is a compact SUV and will be CKD (completely knocked-down unit) produced in India.

BMW X1 launched in three variants: BMW X1 sDrive18i (petrol), BMW X1 sDrive20d (diesel) and BMW X1 sDrive20d Exclusive (diesel) at a very competitive price startinf grom only Rs. 22 Lakhs and give very tough fight to Honda CRV, Chevrolet Captiva, Ford Endeavour, Mitsubishi Outlander and Toyota Fortuner ranging almost the same price range.

Speaking on the launch Dr. Andreas Schaaf, President, BMW India said,

"The new BMW X1 is a modern vehicle that for the first time brings premium BMW characteristics into the compact vehicle segment. The new BMW X1 sets a benchmark by bringing together features of a Sports Activity Vehicle with spontaneous flexibility and outstanding fuel economy. The new BMW X1 is the perfect vehicle for customers focusing on areas such as leisure activities and lifestyle in their choice of car."

BMW X1 Prices in India:

BMW X1 sDrive18i - Rs. 22 Lakhs
BMW X1 sDrive20d - Rs. 23.90 Lakhs
BMW X1 sDrive20d Exclusive - Rs. 29.90 Lakhs

BMW X1 Exterior Photos:








BMW X1 Interior Photos:

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Happy Holidays from The Honda Portal!

May you have a safe and happy holiday!

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2012 Mazda MX-5/Miata Illustrations

Wow, now that is aggressive looking! Hopefully they put something under the hood to match these illustrations!
Source;
http://www.woodyscarsite.com/2010/12/2012-mazda-mx-5-miata.html

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New Honda Jet Makes First Flight

Honda Motor Co. says the first FAA-conforming version of the small business jet it has been working on for years made its first flight. The plane, called the HondaJet, flew from the company’s Honda Aircraft Co. operation at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, N.C.

While an earlier version called a proof-of-concept aircraft has logged more than 500 hours of flight testing, flying the version built to Federal Aviation Administration rules is what really counts toward bringing the plane to market.

Honda’s project is part of a renewed and growing intersection between automobiles and aviation that is occurring around personal- and business-transport. Honda touts the same qualities for the plane, such as “dynamic performance” and efficiency, as it does for its cars. The company has said it is essentially applying lessons learned in auto manufacturing to the aircraft business.
Cirrus Aircraft, a longtime maker of small single-engine propeller-driven planes is developing a small jet designed for personal use that it has described as a minivan with wings. Terrafugia, a small aircraft start-up in Woburn, Mass., plans to start selling a flying car called the Transition late next year.

Honda says it will build five FAA-conforming jets for testing before ramping up production in 2012. The company says it has more than 100 orders for the light business jets, which have a top speed around 483 mph and a ceiling of 43,000 feet. Honda plans to deliver the first one in the third quarter of 2012.

Source;
http://blogs.wsj.com/drivers-seat/2010/12/22/new-honda-jet-makes-first-flight/

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Acura Will Keep Flagship Sedan Conservative, May Add High-End Sporty Vehicle to Lineup

The launch of the refreshed Acura RL flagship gave us a chance to drill the company’s executives and PR reps with questions about the car’s successor as well as Acura’s latest plans to bring back something sports-car-like to the lineup. The information firewall was up in full force, so we were left to read between the lines. Following numerous conversations with Acura’s ebullient product chief, Vicki Poponi, and others, this is what we can surmise about the top of Honda’s top line.

The next Acura flagship likely will be called RL, not Legend or anything else terribly evocative, and it most certainly will not have a V-8 (we were told to stop asking). A former chemical engineer, Poponi is a numbers person, and she cites surveys that Acura believes disprove any notion that cylinder count is of real importance to luxury customers. “The market is moving to us,” the Acura folks said, citing increasing demand for higher fuel economy as well as the economic downturn prompting luxury customers to rein in their extravagant ways. We also kept hearing statements such as “Honda is a very conservative company,” and “the RL customer is a conservative customer.”

These hints suggest that the next RL will build upon the improvements made for 2011 in the areas of quietness, safety, and material quality, although the car will probably not feature terribly radical styling, nor will it grow all that much. So it won’t be a Lexus LS fighter but more like an Infiniti M fighter. Given that, we would also be very surprised if the next-gen car doesn’t add 25 to 50 horses so it can at least match the M37’s base output of 330 hp. When will we see the next-gen RL? With the current model’s age—and abysmal sales of about 3000 per year—it can’t come soon enough. Nods and nudges from Acura folks suggest that it will arrive very soon, perhaps within the next 12 to 18 months. We think the RL had better be at least a bit flashy if Acura hopes to get newfound attention from consumers in the brutally competitive $45K–$70K luxury-car segment. In this case, erring on the side of conservative may be an error indeed.

Details were far sketchier regarding additional members of the Acura lineup. We were told that Acura will soon introduce something unconventional sometime around the launch of the new flagship sedan. Will it be sporty? Probably. Will it be called NSX? Who knows. Will it be the front-engine supercar we saw lapping the Nürburgring a couple of years ago? No. Although that car was all but finished, according to Acura insiders, it was cancelled—not even shelved—due to Honda’s concerns that it might be crass to offer a $150K–$175K sports car in the face of worldwide economic hardship. However, much of the technology developed for that car will appear in the new car. Whatever it’s called.

Source;

http://blog.caranddriver.com/acura-will-keep-flagship-sedan-conservative-may-add-high-end-sporty-vehicle-to-lineup/

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Mahindra launches Off Roader Thar CRDe, Priced at Rs. 599 Lakhs, Mahindra Thar Photos, Images

Mahindra & Mahindra launched its much awaited 4x4 off-roader "Thar CRDe" in India on 21st December, 2010. The Thar is a manual 4×4 machine coupled with a powerful CRDe engine 77 kw, delivers on power and fuel economy.

Speaking at the launch Mr. Rajesh Jejurikar, Chief Executive, Automotive Division, Mahindra &Mahindra Ltd, said,

“Having realized the potential of this emerging segment of offroad enthusiasts and lifestyle seekers, we have launched the Thar in India. The Thar is an extension of our legacy and what Mahindra stands for. Popular amongst generations of off-road enthusiasts, style seekers and even war-veterans, not many vehicles share the same legendary past and iconic status of the Mahindra Thar.”

Mahindra Thar CDRe Price in India:

Rs. 5.99 Lacs

Mahindra Thar CDRe Photos:

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W. Virginia McDonald's to Have 2 Charging Stations for Plug-in Cars

Come July 14th, a new “green” McDonald’s will be opening in Cary, NC. It will be the first U.S. location for the fast food chain to offer electric car recharging.

The restaurant–located at 1299 Kildaire Farm Road in Cary–will be using a ChargePoint station to provide the service. ChargePoint is a private fee-based network of charging stations. They provide grid access and related services for owners of plug-in cars.

Also, the building is registered with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design® (LEED). It is part of a LEED for Retail pilot program.

Details from this McDonald’s will be used to create two new LEED for Retail rating systems.

“Our customers will have a dedicated place to park and recharge their vehicles,” said Ric Richards, the independent owner of the McDonald’s.

The restaurant will also feature an interactive component for educating customers about the building. It will use an Energy Efficiency Education Dashboard (EEED) that can display live data about a building’s energy efficiencies and green initiatives streamed from the building’s automation system.

“QA Graphics is excited to help McDonald’s inform the public on all the green features they have integrated into this new building,” said Dan McCarty, president and founder of Quality Automation Graphics. The system was designed by Quality Automation Graphics.

It will show a 360 degree digital tour of the inside of the building, where users can select different features to learn more about the innovative designs like water efficient equipment, recycling areas and more. It will also provide users with local transportation information, including pedestrian paths and bicycle paths.

Other sustainable highlights include:
Use of solartubes designed to use 97 percent natural light
LED lighting fixtures
Renewable materials like sunflower seed board and bamboo
Drought tolerant landscape plants

Of course, McDonald’s has been criticized for decades about their environmental practices. Most notably, the destruction of the rainforest to make way for cattle ranching.

I don’t wanna be a half-empty and just chalked this all up to Shamrock Shake-flavored greenwashing. Not that I would argue it isn’t. But a lot of people visit McD’s. I just think there are definitely some educational opportunities here.

Source:
http://gas2.org/2009/07/06/mcdonalds-debuts-plug-in-car-charging-station/

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Honda trials solar-powered EV charging station in Japan

One of the main problems that electric vehicles (EVs) face is that lack of support infrastructure. You wouldn’t want to drive interstate only to find that there isn’t a charging station for your EV in the area. Honda’s vision for a solar-powered home-based hydrogen production station is an effort to ease the transition from fossil to alternative fuels. The company has since revealed plans to trial a solar-powered public EV charging station. The program will be tested over in Japan and the ultimate goal of it is to achieve what Honda calls Total Energy Management, which is a system that supplies households and communities with energy for personal use, while supporting a comfortable low-carbon lifestyle.

Source;
http://ubergizmo.com/2010/12/honda-trials-solar-powered-ev-charging-station-in-japan/

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Honda Uses Toshiba Lithium-Ion Batteries in Test Version of Electric Car

In China first....
Honda Motor Company is using lithium-ion batteries made by Toshiba Corp. in a test version of its electric car, expanding upon a supply agreement for electric scooters.

Honda’s joint venture with Kyoto-based GS Yuasa Corp. will supply lithium-ion batteries for its hybrid cars, including a plug-in vehicle, while Toshiba’s packs may be more suitable for all-electric cars, which require more power, Tomohiko Kawanabe, head of Honda’s research and development division, told reporters today in Saitama prefecture, north of Tokyo.

Japan’s second-largest carmaker unveiled the test versions of its electric car and plug-in hybrid today, joining Toyota Motor Corp. and Nissan Motor Co. in efforts to meet tighter government emissions rules. Honda has supply agreements with four battery makers, including Panasonic Corp. and its subsidiary Sanyo Electric Co., which make nickel-metal hydride packs for Honda’s current hybrid cars.

Honda’s electric car can go more than 160 kilometers (100 miles) on a single charge, farther than Nissan’s Leaf electric car, Tokyo-based Honda said today. The plug-in hybrid can run 25 kilometers on battery power before the gasoline engine kicks in, about the same as Toyota’s plug-in. The figures are based on Japanese highway testing methods.

Honda rose 1.6 percent to 3,285 yen as of 2:29 p.m. in Tokyo trading, extending its gain this year to 5.6 percent.

Nissan’s Leaf

The carmaker hasn’t decided whether it will use Toshiba’s batteries for mass production, Kawanabe said. Toshiba already makes lithium-ion batteries for Honda’s EV-neo electric scooter, which it started leasing to corporate customers this month.

The company is also seeking to sell batteries made by Blue Energy Co., the venture with GS Yuasa, to other carmakers to help lower costs, he said.

Nissan, Japan’s third-largest automaker, starts selling its lithium-ion battery-powered Leaf hatchback this month in Japan and the U.S. and will begin selling it in Europe next year. Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn has estimated that electric cars may account for 10 percent of global auto sales by 2020.

Toyota plans to sell a short-distance pure electric car and a plug-in hybrid by 2012.

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Honda scoops European Excellence Award

Honda Motor Europe's crowd-sourced, social media activated film project, Live Every Litre, has been recognised by the European Excellence Awards hosted in Prague last week (9 December, 2010).

Short-listed in a total of three separate categories - Best Campaign, Social Media and Automotive and Transport - Live Every Litre was rewarded in the Automotive and Transport category.

Laura Price, Social Media Manager for Honda Motor Europe, said: "Live Every Litre gave those who consume media online the chance to do something unique and different. This was such an exciting project for Honda because the crowd sourced nature of the campaign allowed the online community, rather than us, to mould the final outcome thereby tearing up the rule book on traditional car launches."

Marc-Oliver Voigt, Communications Director and Chairman of the Jury for the European Excellence Awards, commented: "As one of only 58 winners from a field of over 1,450 projects, Live Every Litre has been recognised as one of the best projects in European public relations over the past year."

Live Every Litre is a social media activated, European road trip documentary project which encouraged people to submit their dream journey to http://www.liveeverylitre.com, where the public could rate their stories. The best journeys were chosen and the participants invited to join the pan-European odyssey, having their experiences recorded as they drove a new Honda CR-Z hybrid coupe on their trip of a lifetime. Over 1000 applications were received from 28 countries. Filming took place over 38 days, starting in the Netherlands, heading down through Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and finishing at the infamous Nurburgring circuit in Germany.

All of the short films that introduce the cast and their individual stories can be viewed on http://www.liveeverylitre.com. Or join the conversation on www.facebook.com/liveeverylitre.

Source;
http://www.hondanews.eu/en/news/index.pmode/modul,detail,0,1641-DEFAULT,21,text,1/index.pmode

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Electric Honda Fit Hits The Road In CA, Accord Plug-In Hybrid To Follow

Well, that was quick. Just one month after it unveiled the electric Fit EV prototype at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Honda is about to put the first of its electric subcompacts into daily use in southern California.

Amusingly, it's in Torrance, where rival automaker and hybrid leader Toyota has its U.S. headquarters.

The city of Torrance will receive a Honda Fit EV to test early next year, and then in 2012, a Honda Accord sedan fitted with Honda's new plug-in hybrid powertrain as well. Stanford University and Google will also receive their own Fit EV test cars.

In Torrance, the cars will be used by various city departments, including the Economic Development office, the Community Development department, and the Public Works office.

The president and CEO of American Honda Motor Co., Tetsuo Iwamura, took part in a ceremony with Torrance mayor Frank Scotto to hand over a symbolic Honda key. Honda's demonstration program will give the company real-world data on how drivers use both electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

The all-electric Honda Fit EV will be launched in 2012 in the U.S. and Japan, probably as a 2013 model. Its lithium-ion battery pack gives it a range of up to 100 miles (70 miles when applying EPA's adjustment factor), and Honda quotes a top speed of 90 miles per hour.

Source;
http://www.greencarreports.com/blog/1052617_electric-honda-fit-hits-the-road-in-ca-accord-plug-in-hybrid-to-follow

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Michael Vick Woodbury Nissan MVP (?!?!)

Whoa! I know that everybody deserves a second chance, but you'd think that Woodbury Nissan could have thought of a couple other 'celebrities' to hook their wagon to....

Source via woodys car site.

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2011 Honda Odyssey VS 2011 Toyota Sienna

Here's a quick review on two really good vans....

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New Toyota glass blocks UV by 99%

Toyota has invented an innovative glass technology that claims to reduce ultraviolet (UV) light penetration into the front of the car by approximately 99 per cent.

The new front-door glass will be used in various new cars to be launched on international markets during 2011.

Combined with UV-reducing windscreens, the use of the new front-door glass will result in an approximate 99 per cent reduction in overall UV penetration through the front-door windows and windscreen. Toyota estimates that the resulting sunburn protection is equivalent to that of wearing gloves while driving.

Windscreens, which use laminated glass, reduce UV by approximately 99 per cent through the use of a UV-blocking film between two sheets of glass in the laminating process. Door windows, however, generally use single-piece tempered glass that is often instilled with UV-absorbing material to achieve approximately 89 per cent UV protection.

For the new front-door glass technology, the interior side of the window glass has been surfaced with a high-performance UV-absorbing film to achieve approximately 99 per cent UV-reduction.

Source;
http://www.iol.co.za/motoring/cars/toyota/toyota-glass-blocks-uv-by-99-1.1002298

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Kelley Blue Book picks Honda minivan for best redesign

Kelley Blue Book selected the all-new Honda Odyssey minivan as the best redesigned vehicle for the 2011 model year.

Honda's engineers and designers succeeded in the tricky task of redesigning an already popular and successful model, Kelley Blue Book, a leading provider of new and used car pricing and other data, said today.

"The 2011 Honda Odyssey improves on its predecessor in every way imaginable, offering a better-looking, more contemporary exterior design, a sumptuous interior stuffed with innovative features, and class-leading fuel economy, " said Jack Nerad, executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com site.

"Its safety, refinement, resale value and trouble-free nature are combined with a surprising level of fun-to-drive."

The Odyssey's lower roofline and improved aerodynamics helped the minivan achieve class-leading fuel economy, KBB said, while the wider stance improved its appearance and expanded the interior space. The cabin has innovative, new features, such as a 'cool box' for drinks and flip-up trash bag ring, and more comfortable seating.

The Odyssey, which starts at $27,800, beat out a list of finalists that included the BMW X3 small SUV, the new Ford Explorer, redesigned Hyundai Sonata, the Infiniti M, Jaguar XJ, Kia Optima, Porsche Cayenne, Volvo S60 and the Odyssey's traditional archrival, the Toyota Sienna minivan.
Automakers typically start launching new model year vehicles in the late summer, though some come out earlier.

Source;
http://www.detnews.com/article/20101216/AUTO01/12160491/1361/Kelley-Blue-Book-picks-Honda-minivan-for-best-redesign

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Car and Driver: 2011 Acura TSX Sport Wagon - First Drive Review

A charming new chapter in the station wagon revival.
BY TONY SWAN December 2010

At first glance, a traditional mid-size station wagon is unexpected from a company that’s scoring its best sales numbers with a crossover, the MDX. Considering there hasn’t been a conventional wagon in the U.S. Honda and Acura lineup since the fifth-generation Accord, which ended its run at the conclusion of the 1997 model year, the TSX wagon seems even more surprising.

But Acura knows not all the young, affluent small-family types out there are smitten with crossovers. There are at least a half-dozen traditional station wagons in the entry premium category—base prices range from about $30,000 to $40,000—and there’s potential for great growth if, well, if people would just realize how much better wagons are than SUVs.

Sport with a Small S

Acura didn’t create this car from scratch. Like the TSX sedan, the new wagon is a luxed-up version of the European Honda Accord. But there’s an asterisk. Unlike the sedan, which has charmed C/D staffers through two generations now, the wagon comes up a little short on the sporty score sheet. Agile: check. Competent: check. Quick, communicative steering: check. Excellent brake-pedal feel: check. No surprises: check. Comfort, quiet operation, and lots of standard features: check, check, and check.

Acceleration: not so fast. When it goes on sale December 21, the TSX wagon will offer a single powertrain—the base 201-hp, 2.4-liter four mated with a five-speed automatic. No manual transmission option. No V-6 option. With its modest torque, the 2.4-liter four isn’t an engine that’s likely to provoke acceleration brownouts or smoky burnouts. Paired in the sedan with the six-speed manual gearbox, a very slick unit in the best Honda tradition, it provides acceptable go amplified by the pleasure of engaging the right gear for the rather narrow power band.

Bolted to the automatic, though, the four-cylinder produces forward progress that’s distinctly more deliberate. And adding mass to the equation—Acura lists the wagon’s curb weight at 3599 pounds, 129 more than the four-cylinder automatic sedan’s and 199 more than the manual sedan’s—doesn’t make the going any quicker. Two-lane passing requires careful planning, and it’s hard to see the wagon as a weapon of choice for the free-for-all commuter.

If the absence of a manual transmission is disappointing, Acura’s rationale is hard to dispute. For one, even though most of the wagon’s major competitors offer do-it-yourself shifting, the take rate for the manual TSX sedan has dwindled to less than 3 percent, according to Acura. Second, Acura’s business case for the wagon is tentative—4000 units for 2011—making it important to keep the build orders simple. Four of the car’s prime competitors offer traction at both ends, but Acura has no plans to offer all-wheel drive on the TSX sedan or wagon.

The Good News

Although blistering performance may not be part of the deal, there is nevertheless a lot about the car to like. The wagon is 3.6 inches longer than the sedan and delivers far more cargo capacity. There are 26 cubic feet behind the rear seats, with a flat load floor, several tie-down points, and more storage under the floor. With the seats folded flat, the cargo well expands to 61 cubic feet, as good as anything in this class and bigger than most.

And, like other Acuras, the TSX wagon is well equipped. The base price of $31,820—that’s near the low end of the competitive spectrum and $1350 more than a sedan—includes a satisfying array of standard luxo features. There’s only one option, the Technology package, which adds $3650 to the sticker and navigation and ultra-high-end audio to the equipment list. The wagon is a tad thirstier than the four-cylinder sedan—22 mpg city and 30 highway, according to the EPA, versus 22/31—but is still near the top of the competitive charts.

The final plus: This is arguably the best-looking member of the TSX lineup and is close to the Audi A4 for visual leadership in the class. Acura has toned down the TSX’s lamentably beaky chrome grille for 2011, and the canted rear hatch adds a zoomy look to the package in addition to enhancing rear cargo access. A manual-transmission choice would make the station wagon more entertaining in our view, but the other TSX virtues are intact—and simply being a station wagon is a virtue unto itself.

Source (with a ton of pic's);
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/10q4/2011_acura_tsx_sport_wagon-first_drive_review

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Honda Civic Concept to Make World Debut at North American International Auto Show

Much better....

12/13/2010 - TORRANCE, Calif.

The styling direction of the next-generation Honda Civic will debut at the 2011 North American International Auto Show in January, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today.

The company released a sketch of the Civic Concept that conveys the sleek and aerodynamic profile of the show vehicle. The production version of the ninth-generation 2012 Civic based on the revealed concept will go on-sale in spring 2011. John Mendel, American Honda executive vice president of sales, will introduce the concept vehicle at a press conference, which will also be broadcast live via webcast on www.hondanews.com/live2011naias.

Source;
http://www.hondanews.com/channels/corporate-headlines/releases/honda-civic-concept-to-make-world-debut-at-north-american-international-auto-show

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The threat to Honda's mojo

Really good objective article....
Year of opportunity goes in reverse for Brand.

LOS ANGELES -- For Honda, 2010 was shaping up to be a year of tremendous opportunity.

With Toyota in the midst of the recall mess and two of the Detroit 3 climbing out of bankruptcy, Honda Division was in a unique position to increase sales and seize market share.

It didn't turn out that way.

Instead of gaining on its rivals, Honda's U.S. retail and overall share are down this year. Honda brand sales are up just 4 percent through November, in a market that's up 11 percent.

"Honda is not riding the wave" of the auto recovery, says Lincoln Merrihew, managing director of Compete Automotive, a market research firm.

Some of that has to do with timing. Two crucial products, the Civic and CR-V, are in the final year of their product cycle, and the Accord is 18 months from a redesign.

But other problems -- such as declining buyer consideration, an outdated inventory system and a sliding reputation among younger car shoppers -- suggest a brand that has lost some of its mojo.

Some missteps are easily reversible. For example, Honda held back production and inventory in February when the economy began to show signs of life, giving an opening to more aggressive manufacturers.

John Mendel, American Honda executive vice president, says a lull in Honda's product cadence arrived with the recession. Combine older products with Honda's aversion to discounting -- at a time when people were looking for deals -- and the division failed to keep pace with brands willing to dicker and sell volume to commercial fleets.

Share? Who cares?The view at Honda?
It's a short-term blip that doesn't matter.

At Honda, "no one talks about share," Mendel said in a recent interview. "Chasing share gets you into bad habits. We set a business plan to sell a certain number of cars. We don't set the plan based on an assumed share. We plan to grow 2 or 3 percent in volume in good times, and bad times. And there are times we'll give share back.

" Honda was wary of cranking up production too soon, and it paid a price for that cautiousness.

"We had the capacity. We saw a blip in the truck market, but we wanted to make sure it was sustainable, so we were six months late," Mendel said.

But the problems go deeper than that.

Honda dealers are having trouble providing shoppers with the vehicles they want. Honda's inventory and allocation system was designed when Honda had far fewer nameplates and trim levels, and the model proliferation has quickly outstripped the system's ability to let dealers order the exact vehicles they want.

The outdated system is a key reason for the slippage in Honda's dealer satisfaction scores on National Automobile Dealers Association surveys.

"Inventory has been a problem," said Ron Theis of Honda of Corvallis, in Corvallis, Ore., who is chairman of the dealer advisory board. "We could sell more if we had them."

Honda also is losing cross-shop battles, according to Compete Automotive, which measures buyer consideration of brands.

During the summer, Hyundai -- whose sales are only half those of the Honda brand -- nearly eclipsed Honda in the percentage of consumers that shopped their respective brands, according to Compete. And the company says the number of shoppers entering the new-car market is growing faster than the number of shoppers interested in Honda.

"Ford and Hyundai shoppers are cross-shopping Honda less," says Merrihew. "Even Toyota shoppers are shopping Honda less."

Loyalty -- but . . .

On the plus side, the repurchase-loyalty rate among Honda owners has been growing, from 42 percent in 2001 to about 56 percent this year, according to R.L. Polk data. The industry average is about 44 percent.

That loyalty usually comes in handy when new product arrives. But Honda's recent record on new-product launches has been spotty.

"Typically you get a spike with your own customers when you have new-product launches, and Honda has been pretty quiet," said Polk analyst Lonnie Miller. "With sales performance and repeat selling, your owners get rejuvenated with new products." For all its recall troubles, Toyota is trouncing Honda in two cases this year where competing models were launched at about the same time.

In the battle of dueling hybrids launched last spring, the Prius is outselling the Insight 8 to 1.

Honda's U.S. execs planned to sell 60,000 to 80,000 Insights a year; through November, only 19,325 were sold. That's probably why Honda introduced a base model Insight last week with less content that is $4,610 cheaper than the base Prius.

The Accord Crosstour hasn't fared much better against the Toyota Venza, which has a base price of about $1,500 less. Through November, the Venza has outsold the Crosstour 43,325 to 25,927. Data from auto research firm TrueCar show that both Crosstour inventories, and the discount needed to sell them, are larger than those for the Venza.

Honda's sporty new CR-Z hybrid coupe has fallen short as well. The CR-Z was launched with much fanfare in August, but with a modest 15,000-unit annual sales target. Still, Honda sold just 4,373 units in its first five months, with 3,000 cars sitting in inventory as of Nov. 1.

On the plus side of the launch ledger, the recently redesigned Odyssey minivan introduced in September is off to a strong start.

Why have the launches been letdowns?

"Lowest-common-denominator styling," says Jesse Toprak, a TrueCar vice president.

He says consumer clinics and word of mouth show that an increasing number of shoppers feel Honda has lost its way.

"The growing Gen Y demographic is more discriminating with their taste," he said. "Honda has become a safe purchase and developed a boring-car image, especially in Los Angeles and Florida, where opinions are formed for the rest of the nation."

And while the Venza is marketed to 60-somethings, "the Crosstour isn't being marketed at all, and it's expensive as heck," says Tracey Schneiter, vice president of financial analysis and forecasting for consultancy IRN Inc. in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Schneiter says that the Crosstour, which tops out above $37,000, is an example that shows Honda doesn't understand the proper model mix and features for its targeted consumer.

Losing APEAL

Art Wright, a Honda and Hyundai dealer in Lehigh Valley, Pa., says marketing has never been Honda's strong suit. And with tougher competition from Hyundai and Ford, Wright says it is no longer just a matter of waiting for customers to show up for their next new Honda.

"We've always been a product-oriented company," he says. "But right now the market is value-oriented, and you have to have the right marketing to go along with it."

In 2007, Honda reported its 11th straight year of record sales. It also grabbed four awards out of 19 categories -- the most of any brand -- in J.D. Power's APEAL survey, which measures how gratifying a car is to own.

From being among the leaders of mass-market brands in 2007, Honda's APEAL scores have fallen to below-average each year since.

Honda executives and some dealers see a much brighter 2011. They expect an economic recovery to coincide with a new Civic and CR-V due in the next six months and a redesigned Accord for mid-2012.

Says Mendel: "When the latest survey was done, the majority of our volume was old-model product. We were still on our old Odyssey and Civic, an Accord just prior to model change, and no CR-Z. We're going to stand tall on APEAL next time around."

Mendel is focusing on the early success of the redesigned Odyssey minivan, instead of niche products like the Crosstour and CR-Z. Sales of the new minivan are up nearly 50 percent over last year's sales of the old model.

Honda appears to be catching up since it cranked up North American truck production in August. Recent sales of the Odyssey, Pilot and CR-V all have been stronger.

Honda also is getting heavier into the incentive game, with an all-time high level of consumer incentive spending, though still well below the industry average. In the fourth quarter, Honda also unveiled cash-per-car dealer incentives ranging from $500 to $2,500 on the Civic and Accord, aiming for a 16 percent volume boost.

The Civic hit the target in November, but Accord sales were up just 10 percent.

Inventory snarls

Dealers say they could hit sales targets if Honda would fix its inventory and allocation system. The system, called MOVE (for market-oriented vehicle environment) was rolled out in 2001. Honda has promised an update in 12 to 18 months.

Oregon dealer Theis, a 25-year Honda veteran, said increasingly complicated model proliferation has taxed the current MOVE system. It's about more than just days' supply on a dealer's lot going toward turn-and-earn; it determines what vehicles can be ordered at a particular time.

Large and small dealers agree that Honda's inventory, allocation and manufacturing systems are not properly aligned, requiring a combination of mathematics and luck to get the right cars in stock.

The new Odyssey is an example of what frustrates dealers. With pricey options such as rear-seat video, power tailgate and leather seats, the new van has many more trim levels and features. Dealers believe they are better judges of local tastes than are factory reps.

"Right now we can choose within certain build constraints each month, but that can still be reconfigured by the factory," said Theis. "Dealers say if they could get the cars they want, and get more local control, they could grow."

The new allocation system "will provide dealers with an intuitive, more localized and market-focused way of managing their inventories," said Dennis Manns, vice president of sales and logistics planning.

The current inventory system is one reason dealer satisfaction scores, as measured by NADA, have fallen. Mendel says he takes the NADA survey seriously, but still brushes off the complaints as being closely linked to dealer profits.

"The NADA score has correlated to dealer profits for time immemorial," he said. "Honda and Toyota have been at the top forever, so relatively speaking, if I were a Ford or Hyundai dealer, I would be ecstatic.

"But I know of no Honda dealer who would swap a Hyundai dealer for their store straight up."

Good and bad news
PRO
• Odyssey starting well
• Civic, CR-V coming in 2011
• Low inventories
• Strong retention

CON
• Lackluster launches
• Staid styling
• Obsolete allocation system
• Fewer cross-shoppers.

Source;
http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101206/RETAIL03/312069954/1178

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More 2012 Honda Civic Speculative Pic's

I have been told that this won't be the actual car, that this is the one that Ito said re-do to....
Source;
http://www.burlappcars.com/2010/12/2012-honda-civic-illustrations.html

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