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 Kleis2010 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...

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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...

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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=946550Awesome fi...

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

2011 Acura RL SH-AWD - First Drive ReviewOne 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),...

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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...

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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...

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Happy Holidays from The Honda Portal!

May you have a safe and happy holid...

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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.h...

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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,...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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/ho...

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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....

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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...

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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...

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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 si...

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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....

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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...

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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 2010At 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...

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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-con...

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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,...

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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.h...

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