Category: Honda

Honda has released a sketch of the Pilot concept car which will preview the next-generation Pilot due to be on sale from 2009. From the sketch, it appears that Honda designers took inspiration from Jeep models.

The SUV will share its underpinnings with the current Acura MDX, renewed this year, but will be less aristocratic and “will emphasize authentic SUV styling, clever interior packaging and advanced technologies for safety, fuel efficiency and convenience.“ according to the press release.

The SUV will likely be powered by the 300bhp 3.7-litre V6 tuned already seen in the MDX unless the car maker wants to differentiate more both SUVs and fit the Pilot with the current 240bhp 3.5-litre V6 petrol unit.

The second generation of Honda Fit/Jazz won the title of the car of the Year in Japan. It won over the Nissan Skyline and the Subaru Impreza.

Officially launched on the Japanese market in last October, the met a big success with 20,000 cars being sold in the first two weeks of availability thanks to its larger size and updated look which kept the original overall shape.

The car was elected by a 60-member panel composed mainly of car journalists.

Below you will find a list of the previous winners for the last 20 years:

2007–2008 : Honda Fit
2006–2007 : Lexus LS
2005–2006 : Mazda MX-5
2004–2005 : Honda Legend
2003–2004 : Subaru Legacy
2002–2003 : Honda Accord
2001–2002 : Honda Fit
2000–2001 : Honda Civic
1999–2000 : Toyota Vitz
1998–1999 : Toyota Altezza
1997–1998 : Toyota Prius
1996–1997 : Mitsubishi Galant
1995–1996 : Honda Civic
1994–1995 : Mitsubishi FTO
1993–1994 : Honda Accord
1992–1993 : Nissan March
1991–1992 : Honda Civic
1990–1991 : Mitsubishi Diamante
1989–1990 : Toyota Celsior
1988–1989 : Nissan Silvia
1987–1988 : Mitsubishi Galant

The success of the Toyota Prius has the ability to provoke strong reactions among the competition and the arrogance of the brand annoys other carmakers. Honda thinks it is time to fight back with its own hybrid car. After all, it was the first car manufacturer to sell a hybrid vehicle, the forgotten Insight.

In an interview given to Automotive News, the Honda USA CEO Takanobu Ito revealed that the car will go on sale in 2009. With its overall shape inspired from the FCX concept car, it will be roomy enough for five people and will be less expensive than the current Civic Hybrid. Aware of the excess weight generated by the batteries, Honda engineers are focusing on weight reduction.

Honda has big hopes for this totally new car. The Japanese car manufacturer plans to sell 200,000 vehicles every year. Half of this production total is destined to be sold on the American market.

Encouraging news for Honda: the recently launched Fit/Jazz model has recorded 20,000 sales in the first two weeks following its launch. With such a figure, Honda may claim the title of best-selling car in Japan, currently held by the ubiquitous Toyota Corolla.

Officially unveiled on the Japanese market at the Tokyo Motor Show, the new Fit/Jazz is 55mm longer (3900mm), 20mm wider (1695mm) and has a 50mm longer wheelbase (2500mm) than the previous model, which helps improve cabin space, especially rear legroom.

In Japan, two new i-VTEC engines are available, a 1.3 litre and 1.5 litre petrol. The 1.3 litre produces 99 bhp at 6000rpm and 98lb ft at 4500rpm while the 1.5 has an output of 118bhp at 6300rpm and a torque of 108lb ft at 4800rpm.

The Japanese Fit/Jazz is available with a continuously variable transmission in standard, but the 1.5, dubbed RS, may also receive a five-speed manual gearbox. Both models are available with four-wheel drive systems.

Mugen is a magical names for car enthusiasts. Every Honda car that receives the Mugen badge has something special, so special that Honda kept has always them in Japan. However, Honda USA announced yesterday that it would sell a Honda Civic SI Mugen in the U.S. this fall.

Nevertheless, the Cvic Mugen Si is not the kind of car you might expect. In fact, it is all front. While the Japanese versions receive a boosted engine, the American model is powered by the same 197-horsepower four-cylinder unit found on the standard Si model sold there. The main changes are the new body kit, which includes an updated grille, new spoilers and lighter wheels. On the inside, the car receives a new gear knob and a plack. Although the motor remains unchanged, the suspension system is track-tuned and there is a new exhaust system.

Only available in Fiji Blue Pearl colour and under the saloon shape, Honda USA will sell the Civic Mugen Si at a volume of only 1,000 units.

The Japanese car magazine Mag-X has revealed more information about the next generation Honda Fit/Jazz due to be launched at the next Tokyo Motor Show.

The biggest news concerns the design. The next Fit/jazz has been realised by the same designer who did the European Civic, Toshiyuki Okumoto. Although limited by the current design, which Honda wants to preserve, the designer will probably add his personal touch. Thus, the next Fit/Jazz will be edgy. The car may inherit the sun roof from the Airwave. The new model will grow: 2” longer and 1” larger than the current Fit/Jazz. These improvements, combined with an appealing design, will allow Honda to mode the Fit/Jazz upmarket.

As I reported in a previous post, the car will feature two all new i-VTEC engines, 1.3 litre and 1.5 litre. The 1.3 litre engine may jump from 86bhp to 100bhp according to Mag-X.

Honda CEO Takeo Fukui has announced that Honda will postpone the launch of the next NSX from 2008 to 2010. This is bad news not only for Honda fans but for all car fanatics.

The delay is due to the Acura brand that Honda wants to launch in Japan. Originally planned for 2008, Honda decided recently to postpone its introduction until 2010. One possible reason for their decision is fellow Japanese carmaker Toyota’s lack of success with its Lexus brand on the Japanese market.

Launched in 2005, Toyota sold 60,000 Lexus cars in 2006. This was half of their sales target. The problem was – and still is – that the Lexus brand has little recognition in Japan, where Toyota is not considered as a luxury brand (carmaker?). In order to offer the best possible service, Toyota sent Lexus staff to a well-respected institute that teaches etiquette. There the staff learned skills such as how to adopt the same posture used by samurai 700 years ago and the best way to serve tea. Unfortunately, though some customers were impressed, others found it to be simply too much.

Launching a luxury brand in such a conservative market is a real challenge. The delay announced by Honda seems justified, even though Honda has a better luxury image than Toyota.

Autocar announced that the NSX would probably not be launched before the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show as Honda will want to launch the supercar in its home market first. In my opinon, the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show may be the show chosen to unveil the car. Honda may sell the car a few months later in 2010. The 2010 Detroit Motor Show could also be a good choice as the brand Acura enjoys a strong image on American soil. 2011 would be too late and, with today’s shorter economic cycles, would increase the risk of the NSX arriving during a recession.

Launched in June 2001, the Honda Fit/Jazz has been built at more than 2 million units. It is a big success compared to its predecessor, the Logo.

Initially sold in Japan, it took first place on the sales chart, with approximately 962,000 Fits finding buyers there. The car was then sold in Europe in the summer of 2002. The Japanese carmaker was obliged to change the name of the car from Fit to Jazz for the benefit of European market, due to the Swedish and Norwegian meaning for the original name. In these countries, ‘Fit’ is a slang word referring to the female genitalia. It seems that Europeans are not prone to holding grudges, however, and a total of 467,000 were sold on the European market.

The Fit/Jazz has also convinced 77,000 American buyers of its merits since its introduction onto American soil in April 2006. In China the figure is 173,000 since 2003. Honda sold 230,000 cars in the rest of Asia and 151,000 units in South America.

Honda will unveil the successor of the Fit/Jazz at either the next Frankfurt Motor Show in September or the Tokyo Motor Show in October. The new model will be 2” longer and 1” larger than the current Fit/Jazz. It will feature two all-new i-VTEC engines, 1.3 litre and 1.5 litre to replace the current range. On the design side, Honda wants the next generation to be similar to the current model.

In an interview with Automotive News, Honda CEO Takeo Fukui said that a V6 diesel engine was likely to be built in a near future. The V6 engine will be available in Europe on the Honda Accord’s top version. The Honda Legend may also be equipped with the engine in order to improve its sales in Europe, which have so far been lower than predicted. Honda has also not ruled out the possibility of sell SUVs with the V6 diesel engine.

The engine will also be sold in the U.S. market on the bigger models such as the Honda CR-V, Pilot, Ridgeline, the Acura but also the Element. Honda could import the latter with the V6 engine in Europe. For the smaller models, Honda wants to rely on hybrid technologies.