2013 Honda Civic getting a Diesel?!? (Not for N.A.)

This doesn't look like it will be for us in North America, although it would be nice to have a limited edition of this car here.
David Hodgetts, Managing Director of Honda UK spilled the beans on the compact diesel engine to a British publication Fleet News. The new Civic will hit the shores of Britain in January 2012 and within a year into its life, a new compact diesel engine option will be made available.

It is likely that this small diesel will be transplanted into the next generation Jazz which will bow in late 2013. However the currently running Jazz will not benefit from this development. Honda is developing a broad range of engines for Accord, Civic and Jazz, the report adds.

For overseas markets, Honda is mulling the 150bhp i-DTEC engine right from day one, but this engine might take the Civic’ price beyond acceptable levels in India.

Source;
http://indianautosblog.com/2011/03/honda-civic-diesel?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+IndianAutosBlog+%28Indian+Autos+blog%29

Honda changes course and switches from diesel back to hybrid

A few years back after getting the hybrid ball rolling with the original Insight and then Civic, Honda added a hybrid version of the Accord. Like the Insight, it was not a strong seller and, after a few years, it was discontinued and Honda decided to switch its focus for larger vehicles to clean diesel. The plan was to keep hybrids in smaller cars and while using oil burners in larger cars, SUVs and vans. Honda had planned to start its U.S. diesel push with a 2.2-liter four in the TSX this year. However, after diesel prices spiked last year and the overall market collapsed in the fall, that program was canceled.

Honda CEO Takeo Fukui has now revealed that plans for larger diesel engines have also been canceled as a result of the cost of trying to meet new U.S. and Japanese emissions regulations. Honda had hoped that its in-house developed NOx catalytic convertor would allow it to avoid using urea injection. Instead, Fukui said the company will develop a hybrid system suitable for larger vehicles. No timetable has been revealed for introduction. Fukui also said that Honda would not drop the price of the Insight in response to Toyota's price cuts on the Prius in Japan.

Source;
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/04/03/honda-changes-course-and-switches-from-diesel-back-to-hybrid/

UK Honda Accord i DTEC receives automatic transmission

Honda, recognizing the potential for growth in the demand for more economical diesel engines, has made public its plans to open its first automatic transmission for a diesel motor early in 2009.

The latest gearbox is ready to be introduced in the newest Accord Euro, but unfortunately the automatic option for the diesel engine will not arrive in the Acura TSX saloon of North America anytime soon. Reports gathered of late asserted that plans to launch a diesel TSX gas been placed by Honda on indefinite hold. Instead, Honda is hoping to make the Accord Euro version more attractive to a fresh section of buyers overseas, specifically in the corporate market, by the inclusion of an automatic in its i-DTEC turbodiesel engine.

Honda, which began producing diesel engines only in 2004, says that the automatic gearbox has been developed within as the company didn’t want to “compromise the performance” of its engine by joining it with a non-Honda transmission.

The new five-speed unit utilizes the same straight gate arrangement and paddle shift system as observed on the Accord Euro petrol automatic earlier. CO2 discharges are rated at 170g/km in the saloon version and 173-174g/km for the Touring wagon contingent on the model grade. Fuel efficiency, in the meantime, is rated at 44.1mpg (combined) for the saloon and 42.8mpg (combined) for the Tourer.

Ceiling speed is 129 mph for the sedan and 126 mph for the wagon. Top output is rated at 134 hp (100kW) and 258lb-ft (350 Nm) of torque. The fresh automatic diesel will be available for sale in Europe early next year.

The Accord i-DTEC automatic will go on sale in January 2009 priced from £22,400 (Accord 2.2 i-DTEC ES saloon) and £23,700 (Accord 2.2 i-DTEC ES Tourer).

Now, let's hope that they can perfect this transmission so they can hit emission's standards here in North America and if the moon and the stars align....maybe,.....just maybe......

Source;
http://www.4wheelsnews.com/honda-accord-i-dtec-receives-automatic-transmission/

Another Honda Diesel Article; Honda Delays 60-mpg Diesel Acura TSX

The European diesel-powered Acura TSX gets more than 60 miles to the gallon in EU driving tests. But Honda is delaying production for the U.S. due to cost issues and technical obstacles.

Honda announced last week that it will delay the launch of its planned first diesel [1] for the United States. The diesel-powered Acura TSX will be pushed back to 2010 from 2009, and some reports claim the company’s U.S. diesel program may be canceled completely.

The main reason for the delay is cost. Honda claims the expense of creating a diesel engine to meet California’s emissions standards—allowing it to be sold in all 50 states—has increased to more than $5,000 above a comparable gasoline-powered version.

The Japanese newspaper, Nikkei, said Honda is seeking to develop new catalytic converter technology that uses less platinum in order to keep prices down.

“We have to proceed cautiously in this environment.”

Honda spokesperson

In addition to cost factors, Honda has been unable to produce the diesel model with an automatic transmission that would pass emissions standards. Honda was not ready to move forward with marketing only a manual model in the American market.

The engine in question is a new version of Honda’s 4-cylinder 2.2-liter, i-DTEC engine. In Europe, where it’s sold in the Honda Accord—a model known as the Acura TSX in the US—the engine provides 188 horsepower, and more than 250 foot-pounds of torque.

Honda’s change of direction will send its engineers back to the diesel drawing board. In the meantime, Honda is said to already be working on a V-6 diesel that could be used in larger vehicles such as the Pilot SUV, Odyssey minivan, and Ridgeline small pickup.

Reuters recently reported that Honda also based its decision to delay [2] on the high cost of diesel fuel. With diesel prices higher than gasoline and weakening overall vehicle demand, Honda officials argued it was not the right time to roll out a more expensive new model, even with spectacular fuel economy. The European model gets more than 60 miles to the gallon in EU driving tests.

Source;
http://www.hybridcars.com/print/25245

Ward's Auto Confirms: Honda Cancels Acura Diesel

By Christie Schweinsberg WardsAuto.com, Oct 30, 2008 10:29 AM

Honda Motor Co. Ltd.’s plan to bring a diesel-equipped Acura TSX to the U.S. next year is dead before arrival.

“The (diesel in the) Acura has been canceled,” a source familiar with the program tells Ward’s.

A report in the Japanese business daily Nikkei News today says Honda will delay launching a diesel engine in the U.S. until 2010 or later.

A rumor, published this week on the “Temple of VTEC,” a Honda enthusiasts’ website, claims the engine did not meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s emissions standards when tested with an automatic transmission.

The diesel-powered TSX equipped with a manual gearbox reportedly passed muster, but Honda rejected the business case to make the vehicle available in the U.S. without an automatic.

American Honda Motor Co. Inc. declines comment.

Honda first announced plans to bring a diesel engine to the U.S. in May 2006. It later was revealed the engine would be the i-DTEC 4-cyl. turbodiesel, already available in the European Honda Accord that is sold in the U.S. as the Acura TSX.

While Fukui declined to reveal which model would receive the diesel, sources say it was intended to power the TSX midsize sedan.

Fukui was bullish on his company’s diesel plans, which were to include the Honda brand at the time, saying the business case suggested “an appropriate profit level,” despite the price premium applied to diesel fuel. He also forecast eventual annual U.S. sales of 150,000 units.

Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the non-profit diesel-advocacy group, Diesel Technology Forum, expresses surprise at the notion Honda did not foresee testing problems.

In terms of performance and emissions achievements, we’ve seen data presented at technical conferences that (Honda) could make this system work,” Schaeffer says. “People don’t make those kinds of announcements without expecting to meet emissions standards.”

For the rest of the article;
http://www.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=797648

Rumours Galore! Acura TSX Diesel and TSX V6 Update

Now, this is not good news for diesel fans in North America if it's true and keep in mind that this is truely just a RUMOUR at this point. However to find something like this on Temple of Vtec (which is a very credible source), gives me some concern that this may be true. Now I don't know what this could mean to the prospective diesel Accord or CRV, but it wouldn't look good, although I do know that the Accord and CRV diesel are to be released a year or two later, so that may give Honda the time to get things right.
Earlier this year at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, Honda CEO Takeo Fukui announced that 2009 would see Honda's first clean diesel engine to be sold in the USA. Though it was stated that the diesel engine would appear in an undisclosed Acura model, it was all but common knowledge that the TSX would be the first model to get the diesel engine.

Fast forward nearly 10 months, and we've received an anonymous tip asserting that the i-DTEC TSX has been delayed indefinitely (if not cancelled outright). According to the anonymous sources, the 6MT version of the i-DTEC TSX has successfully cleared emissions certification, but the automatic-equipped version has been unable to pass certification. According to these sources, Acura believes that the demand for a TSX diesel would be greatly compromised if it were only offered with a 6-speed manual, so the decision was allegedly made to put the TSX diesel on indefinite hold.

That's the bad news. The good news is that a V-6 version is said to be coming soon - it's supposedly being "fast-tracked" to make up for the missing diesel. We're still seeking any details we can uncover on that powertrain.

Source;
http://www.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=796361