Category: Honda

Honda number 3 in the US
After being overtaken by Toyota, Ford leaves the Top 3 on the American market as Honda has sold more cars than Ford.
Honda is taking profit of its lineup by increasing its sales on the American market in April and overtaking Ford there. Honda sold 437,102 vehicles last month, While Ford delivered 421,000 units. This trend will likely be confirmed next month and in the future as long as gas prices are rising.
Honda lineup features small vehciles such as the Fit, CR-V and Civic will enables the carmaker to increase its sales by 3.6 per cent since the beginning of the year, while the market has decreased by 9.2%. Ford suffers from a lineup focused on large vehicles. Often criticized for not selling V8-powered models, Honda might be the winner of the economic downturn. Chevrolet only sells 30,000 units more than the Japanese carmaker. At this pace, Honda will likely become the second brand in the US by the end of this year.
May 30, 2008
More details on future hybrid-powered Honda
Honda’s President, Takeo Fukui, has revealed more information about the eagerly-awaited affordable hybrid models.
The first model will be a hatchback version that Honda will launch in December of this year before selling it in April 2009. The five-seater will be powered by a small 1.4-litre petrol engine and a electric motor located under the front passenger seat. The new model will be able to run on full electric mode. The total power is announced for 95bhp which will likely be enough of urban journeys, but also for motorways. The small engine will enable the future hybrid-powered Honda to achieve an impressive 80mpg.
At 3,980 mm long, 1,720 mm wide and 1,55 mm high, the future model will offer similar dimensions to that of small models in Europe such as the Fiat Grande Punto or the Peugeot 207. Despite the battery pack, this hybrid car will only weigh 1,180kg which is similar to the top-seler in this market segment.
Built in Japan alongside the Civic Hybrid at Honda’s Suzuka factory, the future model is expected to cost around £10,000 on the Japanese market. Honda has a target of £13,000 for Europe. Honda plans to sell 200,000 units per year.
May 23, 2008
New Hinda Freed to be unveiled next week
Honda has confirmed it will unveil next week the Freed model which is a minivan version of the Civic compact car.
The Freed will share its underpinnings with the Civic. Lengthened and widened, it will be able to carry up to eight passengers. The Freed will likely replace the weird Mobilio which is available as five or seven seater in Japan.
The compact MPV will be powered by the 118bhp 1.5-litre unit seen on the Jazz/Fit.
Will the Freed be imported to Europe? The answer is likely to be a firm no. However with a growing small MPV market, Honda might be convinced to bring the Freed on our shores.
May 23, 2008
China first quarter saloon sales figures
Here are the results of saloon sales for the first quarter of 2008 in China.
As usual the Shanghai VW Santana(pictured) takes the first rank followed by the Buick Excelle. Another VW, the Jetta, ranks third. The first Chinese car ranks fifth with the Tianjin FAW Xiali whiel the small Chery QQ gets the sixth place thanks. Volkswagen also records a tenteh rank for the Passat GP. In total, Volkswagen holds three of the top ten sales. Japanese carmakers have two models, while the American carmakers have only one model.
1. Shanghai VW – Santana – 69,214
2. Shanghai GM – Excelle – 62,750
3. FAW VW – Jetta – 61,202
4. Guangzhou Toyota – Camry – 54,123
5. Tianjin FAW Xiali – Xiali – 48,421
6. Chery – QQ – 46,251
7. FAW-Haima – Family – 45,352
8. Guangzhou Honda – Accord – 42,160
9. Beijing Hyundai – 41,556
10. Shanghai VW – Passat GP – 36, 865
May 17, 2008
Future Honda hybrid to fit standard nickel-metal hydride batteries
Honda CEO Takeo Fukui has revealed more details about the future low-cost hybrid model due to be unveiled at the next Paris Motor Show.
The closer we get to the launch date, the more Honda reveals about its mass-market hybrid models which will take on the established rivals in term of volume sales. The future model will be fitted with standard nickel-metal hydride power packs. Honda President Takeo Fukui says the technology is still too unreliable to go into mass production. "Lithium-ion batteries are still not usable from our perspective," Fukui told Automotive News in an interview at Honda’s Tokyo headquarters on Wednesday, March 19. "In terms of reliability and durability, I must say there still remain some concerns," he said. "I don’t think they are necessarily best suited for mass-produced vehicles."
Fukui’s statement stands out against other carmakers as GM, Toyota, Nissan and Mitsubishi have announced plans to sell cars equipped with lithium-ion batteries. The Japanese carmaker remains wary as it wants the hybrids to make up 10 percent of sales by 2012. The future hybrid model is expected to find 200,000 buyers every year.
March 26, 2008
Next Acura RL might feature a V8
The next-generation Acura RL might feature a V8 petrol engine according to company sources. This confirms the V8 engine announced by a car magazine for the next Legend.
Last month, Petrol-Head reported the rumour spread by Best Car about a V8-powered Honda Legend. Some company sources in the US are confirming the carmaker is currently working on a 420bhp 4.8-litre V8 engine. The Japanese car magazine expected the V8 to a displacement of 4.5-litre that delivers about 400bhp. Such an engine would be welcome by showrooms as the Acura RL suffers from poor sales in the US due to the lack of V8 engines. However in Europe, The Legend would need a diesel engine to compete with the German clique.
The future engine would embed the same cylinder deactivation technology seen on recently launched Japanese V6-powered Inspire model. The next Acura RL will be launched in 2010 at the same time as the Honda Legend.
March 19, 2008
Honda to invest £250 miilion in Kei cars production
Honda has announced it will invest £250 million into its subsidiary Yachiyo Industry to reorganize its production output of Kei car models.
The investment will help to modernize the current Yokkaichi plant and build a new facility. The combined annual production capacity of the two plants will be approximately 240,000 units, which is almost the same as the current capacity.
The two factories will separate the production based on product characteristics. The new plant will produce the front-engined models, Life and Zest, while the existing plant will focus on the midship-engined models, Acty and Vamos. The new facility will start building engines in the first half of 2009 and will switch to car production by 2010.
Honda wants to reorganize its Kei cars production system in order to reduce cost and offer competitively priced models on the Japanese car market which has been in recession for the last fifteen years.
March 18, 2008
Honda annouces pricing for the new Accord
Honda has announced the pricing for the new Accord saloon that will try to take on established rivals such as the Audi A4 or BMW 3-serie.
The new Accord will be available with three trim levels: ES, ES GT and EX. The entry-level ES starts at £19,250 and features 16-inch alloy wheels, climate control, cruise control, front and rear electric windows, and electric / heated folding mirrors.
The ES GT adds 17-inch alloy wheels, half-leather seats, aero kit and sports suspension for £20,010. The EX grades start from £22,250 and come as standard with DVD sat nav, Bluetooth hands free telephone, full leather seats, electric/heated front seats, rear parking camera and a premium 6CD stereo.
Due to go on sale on 1 June, the new Accord will off three engines, a 156hp 2.0-litre petrol engine, a 201hp 2.4-litre engine and the 150hp 2.2-litre i-DTEC.
The Tourer version of Accord will go on sale in the UK on 1 September.
Accord saloon pricing:
2.0 i-VTEC ES Manual: 19,250
2.0 i-VTEC ES Automatic: £20,550
2.0 i-VTEC ES GT Manual: £20,100
2.0 i-VTEC ES GT Automatic: £21,400
2.0 i-VTEC ES GT NAVI Manual: £21,200
2.0 i-VTEC ES GT NAVI Automatic: £22,500
2.0 i-VTEC EX Manual: £22,250
2.0 i-VTEC EX Automatic: £23,550
2.4 i-VTEC EX Manual: £23,250
2.4 i-VTEC EX Automatic: £24,550
2.4 i-VTEC EX Manual TECH PACK: £25,250
2.4 i-VTEC EX Automatic TECH PACK: £26,550
2.2 i-DTEC ES Manual: £21,050
2.2 i-DTEC ES GT Manual: £21,900
2.2 i-DTEC ES GT Manual NAVI: £23,000
2.2 i-DTEC EX Manual: £24,050
2.2 i-DTEC EX Manual TECH PACK: £26,050
2.2 i-DTEC EX GT Manual: £24,900
2.2 i-DTEC EX GT Manual: TECH PACK: £26,650
March 13, 2008
Geneva: Honda Accord
Honda has launched the eighth generation Accord at Geneva hoping to meet the same success as with the outgoing model.
The new Accord is the carmaker’s new attempt to take on the German clique such as Audi, BMW and Mercedes… However the new model will likely compete with the Alfa Romeo 159 and Saab 9-3 models. With this new generation, the company went wild in terms of design. The exterior styling is not as futuristic as the Civic, but it is sharper and more aggressive than the outgoing generation.
The eighth Accord will offer two petrol engines and a diesel unit. The entry level will be powered by a 2-0litres, followed by the 200bhp 2.4-litres unit. Along with the petrol engines, the unique diesel offer will be the 2.2-litres DTEC engine.
March 10, 2008
Honda CEO optimistic about the American market
In an interview with Automotive News, Honda CEO Takeo Fukui made comments regarding the American market that conflicted with Carlos Ghosn’s. While Nissan CEO talks about a recession, Takeo Fukui doesn’t foresee any downturn for this year.
Honda CEO confirmed that some states encountered a recession like California or Florida which dropped, but East Coast and Midwest markets generated good sales results for the company. Overall, Honda’s sales have dropped by 2.3% while the market recorded a 4.2% decrease. The company has no plan to offer incentives at this moment
"It is true that in states like Florida and California, the numbers are going down," Fukui told Automotive News. " But if you look at the U.S. as a whole, I don’t think we’re seeing a recession. There are still good business opportunities. There is firm demand for automobiles."
Honda suffers less from the SUV segment’s recession as the carmaker never offered V8-powered SUV like Toyota and Nissan did. Its smaller and economical models are appealing to people with rising gas prices.
February 29, 2008