• Honda works on Civic SUV crossover

    16Jan
    Categories: Honda Comments: 0

    honda civic euronHonda is currently developing a Civic SUV crossover which will meet head on the successful Nissan Qashqai. The Japanese car manufacturer is also hoping to boost its profits in Europe especially in the UK where their sales figures have dropped by as much as 50% in the last three years. The new Honda crossover will be a blend of Civic and the CR-V.

    We do not know yet how this new Honda crossover will be called but it will be using a tweaked version of the platform used by the Honda Civic. The new Civic SUV will be sold starting 2013. We can expect the design lines of the new Honda Civic with details like the narrow headlamps or the soft lines of the wheelarches. The front end of the vehicle might borrow elements from the concept car called Skydeck MPV with the underbody guard. For the interior, the crossover will be having rear flip up seats.

    According to initial reports the new Honda crossover will have a higher riding clearance and will be easy to handle, thanks to its Civic influences. The stiff subframe on the rear plus the bushes filled with fluid help keep the handling sharp and the ride smoother.

    Honda will put its 1.6L i-DTEC powerplant under the hood of the crossover. It is capable of giving out 118bhp with a torque of 300 NM. The carbon dioxide emission is at 110 grams for every kilometer while the fuel mileage is reported to be at 70 miles per gallon. The efficiency might be attributed to a well designed power steering setup and a stop start system.

    The more potent 147 bhp 2.2L i-DTEC powerplant will also be available plus another option to go for the 1.8L gasoline dependent engine that gives out 138 bhp.

    Honda will have their marketing centered on their new generation of hybrid technologies which we might see being used on this newcomer. There could be an electric motor on the rear wheels to give it an all wheel drive version. The Japanese car manufacturer is also working on plug-in hybrid setup for their bigger vehicles, and according to some source the new crossover might get this.

    The crossover is expected to have a tag price around the area of £17,000. It might hit the showrooms by next year.

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  • Honda unveils new Insight Hybrid in the U.S. with better fuel economy

    21Oct
    Categories: Honda, Hybrid, Hybrid Car Comments: 0

    During the recent auto show in Frankfurt, Japanese car manufacturer Honda unwrapped the revised Honda Insight Hybrid 2012 model year that is hit to hit the shores of the United States.

    Honda now accepts orders for the 2012 Insight which implemented cosmetic improvements for both the exterior and interior of the car. The Insight also features additional features for some models and also boast of an additional 1 mpg fuel mileage across its range. The sticker price for the 2012 Honda Insight is currently at $19,120 which includes handling and destinations fees amounting to $770. There is just a minor increase of $150 from the 2011 Insight.

     

    2012 Honda Insight EX with Navigation

    The designers of the new Honda Insight restyled the front grille of the vehicle incorporating a blue accent bar. The bumpers on both ends were also revised. Other changes include improved headlights, graphics of the brakelight, and enhancements under the body of the car improve its aerodynamics. The new look is completed by the new design for the alloy wheels and new look of the wheel covers.

    The upgrades of the equipment of the Insight involves map lights and audio controls on the steering wheel for te LX variant. The EX gets automatic headlights, Bluetooth connectivity, and leather treatment for the shifting know and the steering wheel.

    The car is still powered by the IMA system made up of the iVTEC 1.3L engine partnered with the electric motor with an output of 10kW. The setup generates an output of 98 horsepower with a torque of 123 lb-ft. The engineers have also reduced the friction encountered by the CVT or Continuously Variable Transmission of the Insight. The fuel mileage numbers are pegged at 40 mpg for city driving and 43 mpg for highway driving.

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  • Honda’s Profit Expectations Raised

    01Mar
    Categories: Honda Comments: 0

    Reports show that Honda Motor Co. has raised its expectations for its annual profit figures despite its enormous fall last year. Clearly, Japanese car company’s latest figures exceed great expectations from the market, zoning in on various U.S. markets to meet these new figures.

    During the last quarter of year 2010, Honda Motors Co. has reported a staggering 29 percent fall at only $1.5 billion. Its previous reported yearly earnings were somewhere around 177 billion yen with an average of about 110 billion yen. According to Reuters, the figures were studied by seven financial analysts.

    Competitor Nissan Motor Co. ran past Honda Motors Co. The latter ranked as the third largest car company in Japan in 2010. Today, Honda raised its operations profit expectations from 500 billion yen to 620 billion yen in its March 31 time table. Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S’s team of analysts made a forecast that Honda would reap in profits of around 594 billion yen. Therefore, the car company raised their net profit forecasts from 500 billion yen to 530 billion yen.

    Amazingly, Honda’s expected profits in the span of nine months have exceeded the figures outlook for an entire year.

    Due to the price hike for raw materials and the end of financial support for eco-friendly brand models, it is expected that Japanese car companies would report a painful downfall in the figures of its last quarter profits. Despite these forecasts, these companies have already taken deliberate actions in terms of cost-cutting and efficiency in manufacturing process and activities to counter these incoming challenges in the automobile industry.

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  • Honda Gives Beijing the Li Nian Everus Concept Sedan for 2010

    29Apr
    Categories: Concepts, Honda Comments: 0

    Li Nian Everus ConceptDo you think you’re seeing double? With the twin sets of horizontal headlamps flanked on either side of the Li Nian Everus’ chrome-built grill, consumers might just blink their eyes to make sure. Li Nian is the newly formed line of Honda Cars designed especially for the Chinese auto market. Honda’s China Guangzhou branch served as the model’s opening stage. Two concept cars were released by the branch in the past: a sporty roadster and a more compact crossover.

    According to Honda, the production version of the Li Nian concept will be available to the Chinese market during the Guangzhou Motor Show. This is set to happen by the end of 2010, but the company did not release any other details about the car. Reviewers suspect that the model will be based on the Honda City, a small sedan which was also based on the Jazz’s platform, but nothing official has been announced.

    The Honda City is powered by a 1.8 liter engine which is perfect for a smooth, city cruise. The concept car’s name “Li Nian” means “idea” in English, and with the spare information released about the concept car, it remains just like that right now: an idea. Consumers may have to wait for a few more months before this idea can be realized by Honda. The Li Nian concept car was first introduced to the public in 2008, and after two years of waiting, the Chinese market is just hoping that it will be well worth the wait. Based on the photos alone, the concept “idea” car Li Nian seems to hold a lot of promise.

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  • 2011 CR-Z Hybrid spells excitement as it was unveiled at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show

    25Jan
    Categories: CR-Z, Honda, Hybrid Car Comments: 0

    Honda CR-Z Hybrid FrontA big population of auto enthusiasts surely waited with eagerness for the coming of the sports coupe 2011 Honda CR-Z hybrid. The two-seater and its sporty line pumps some blood to the hybrid territory. The car is expected to be delivered as early as this summer.

    The CR-Z hybrid will be powered by the 4-cylinder i-VTEC 1.5L engine that makes use of the Integrated Motor Assist(IMA) by Honda. It looks like that this car shares most of its DNA with the recently rolled out Insight Hybrid. The CR-Z makes use of a 10 kilowatt electric motor which accelerates the car and recaptures power as it coasts and decelerates. The energy is stored in a 100 volt battery pack made of nickel metal hydride.

    The fuel economy is not the best as we expect for small hybrids. The electric engine is paired with six speed manual transmission or via a continuously variable transmission. The CVT version rates 36/38 mpg which is just like the Ford Fiesta while the manual hits worse at 31/37 mpg.

    2011 Honda CR-Z Hybrid

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  • Honda: Not looking into production of RWD sedans

    07Aug
    Categories: Acura, Honda Comments: 0

    The speed is always compromised when you speak of front wheel drive vehicles. They are definitely not the epitome of what fast means. Front-wheels though have leverage in terms of marketing for their efficiency. The new Honda president, Takonobu Ito, is firm that there will be no RWD cars rolling off their factories.

    Some experts comment on the absence of the Honda brand in the premium end of the auto world where rear wheel drive sedans from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Lexus dominate the race. Ito does not see the sense in producing front engine and rear drive cars by imitating the other brands that have devoted almost half a century developing their cars.

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