Statement Regarding Forthcoming White House Fuel Economy Announcement by John Mendel, Executive Vice President of Sales for American Honda

07/27/2011 - TORRANCE, Calif.

Honda is proud to have actively worked with the Administration as they developed their proposed national fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards. Honda embraces this challenge, which will be good for our customers and for the environment, and we welcome the competition we will have with other automakers that will result from these new standards.

- John Mendel, Executive Vice President of Sales, American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

Source;
http://www.hondanews.com/channels/corporate-headlines/releases/statement-regarding-forthcoming-white-house-fuel-economy-announcement-by-john-mendel-executive-vice-president-of-sales-for-american-honda

Autoblog; U.S. hybrid price war preview: Insight takes lowest hybrid price crown in UK

When the new Honda Insight and third-generation Toyota Prius go on sale in the U.S. later this year, there will be a bit of battle to see if the lower-priced Insight can topple the third-generation Prius from the top hybrid spot. Now that pricing for the Insight has been announced, we can see a preview of that match-up brewing in the UK, and Honda is staking it's claim for the "most affordable hybrid" title. The Insight will start at £15,490, and go up from there to £18,390. The entry-level Insight SE CVT will cost £2,380 less than its nearest rival, which is, you guessed it, the second-generation Prius T3 CVT. We can vouch that the Insight is capable of 60+ mpg, too. We'll have to see how many miles we can squeak from the 2010 Prius when we get our chance behind the wheel soon. See more details from Honda after the jump.

Source;
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/02/24/u-s-hybrid-price-war-preview-insight-takes-lowest-hybrid-price/

Toyota (TM) And Honda (HMC) Finally Lock Up US Market

American car companies hoped the day would never come. Data from October is expected to show the market shares of Toyota (TM) and Honda (HMC) for US vehicle sales is expected to be over 30%.

GM's share is only expected to be 21%, so it may lose first place in its home market to Toyota for the first time, ever.

While the auto sales environment may not get much worse, American car companies may not have the capital for product development, marketing, and auto financing to allow them to get share back when conditions improve. Toyota and Honda have balance sheets and cost structures which will allow them to get though the crisis without ruining their ability to compete in future years.

October sales figures may be so bad that the race for market share may be secondary to simply surviving through the downturn. Car industry expert Edmunds expects total units sold to drop 29% to 872,000 vehicles. The would be the lowest number for a single month since January 1992.

If the rate of 900,000 new vehicles a month becomes a regular occurrence, the odds that Ford (F) and GM (GM) make it through next year as independent companies are nil.

Edmunds forecasts that the average year-over-year drop for US automakers in October will be 40% with GM dropping the most--42.9%.
Douglas A. McIntyre

Source;

http://www.247wallst.com/2008/11/toyota-tm-and-h.html

Honda supports U.S. loan package

Honda has endorsed the American government's decision to provide the Detroit 3 with a $25 billion loan, describing the aid package as “totally proper” and important for the development of more fuel-efficient models.

According to the carmaker’s CEO Takeo Fukui, General Motors, Ford and Chrysler were all too slow to respond to the current fuel price crisis, and this is the reason why they are in such dire financial positions. His support for the American government's bailout plan also stems from the fact that Honda sources parts from many of the same manufacturers that these companies do, and if any of the Detroit 3 goes bankrupt there’s a strong chance that many of its suppliers could too.

While the Detroit 3 are all suffering from dropping sales, Honda’s numbers are expected to increase this year compared with the last. This is because sales in emerging markets such as China and India continue to increase despite the global economic downturn, reports The Detroit News.

Fukui also attributed Honda's success to its focus on high mileage models, and its decision not to "dabble" in the pickup truck segment. While the Detroit 3 built its customer base and bottom lines on the back of these lucrative truck sales, Honda's non-American markets were not so focused on these segments. Sales of its sedan models have proven so popular the carmaker is cutting back production on its Odyssey MPV and Pilot SUV in order to boost capacity for its Civic and Accord.

The carmaker’s next major sales boost is expected to come from a new generation of hybrid vehicles, including a production version of the Insight concept as well as hybrid sports car based on the CR-Z concept.

Source;
http://www.motorauthority.com/honda-supports-us-loan-package.html

2010 Honda Odyssey Redesign Information

Well with all this talk of the Japanese Odyssey van being redesigned, I thought I'd put together a little piece on what us North American's can expect in the redesign here.

First off, Honda has raised the bar so high with the current model that aside from a potential Diesel engine, I dont' know how they are going to 'improve' on the van.

Here is what we can expect;

-a full model change for 2010 (I wouldn't be too surprised if Honda held off for one more year)

-"low-emission diesel V6 engine specifically designed for the U.S. market for the 2010 model year."

-as far as the potential diesel engine goes Forget notions of a rattling, smoking truck engine. This one will use Honda’s latest clean-diesel technology to provide smoothness and exhaust emissions that rival a gasoline engine, but with more torque (the thrust you experience when you hit the gas) and better fuel economy.

-the 3.5-liter diesel V-6 should be 30 percent more fuel-efficient than the equivalent gas engine.

-an updated version of the 3.5L gasoline engine will be sold along side the prospective diesel.

-updated interior, don't expect the 2nd row to fold into the floor, althought they will probably tumble closer to the front seats.

-expect the 2010 Honda Odyssey to continue with front-wheel drive and not offer all-wheel drive.

That's all I have for now.

Honda to produce more cars, fewer minivans, SUVs

I know, not exactly new news, but news none the less....

By BRENT SNAVELY • FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER


Honda Motor Co. said today it is boosting U.S. production of its Honda Accord while cutting production of its Odyssey minivans and Pilot sport-utility vehicles.


Honda said it is transferring most of its V6 Accord assembly from its plant in Marysville, Ohio, to its plant in Lincoln, Ala., where it has cut minivan and SUV production by 10,000 units this year. After moving most V6 Accord production to Alabama, Honda will boost production of four-cylinder Accords in Marysville, and plans to cut Odyssey and Pilot production there by an additional 22,000 units.


“We are trying to use our plant flexibility to minimize the effects of the market going down and satisfy our customers’ desire for more cars and fewer trucks,” said Honda spokesman Ed Miller.


The production shifts won’t result in an increase in availability of the Accord in the United States -- Honda will import fewer from Japan -- but does mean that Honda will make a higher percentage of Accords in the United States.


For the first nine months of this year, 253,922 of the Accords sold in the Untied States, or 81.1%, were built in the United States, according to Autodata Corp.


“Our rough goal is to build domestically 80% of what we sell in the U.S.,” Miller said. “We've been a little below that in recent years, mainly because of the success of the Fit, but this will bring us back up to 80% or more.”


So far this year, Honda has sold 313,032 Accords through the end of September, up 2.4% from the same period last year. Overall industry sales in the United States were down 12.8% for the same period.


Earlier this year, Honda announced plans to transfer production of the Ridgeline truck to Alabama from Canada in early 2009.


Sales of the Honda Pilot have decreased 16.8% through September to 79,430, while Odyssey sales declined 14% to 112,041.


Source;
http://www.freep.com/article/20081013/BUSINESS01/81013089

Engine plant expansion helping Honda make more products in U.S.

The Honda plant in Anna is the largest Honda auto engine plant in the world, according to the company. The plant recently spent $138 million to expand its production capabilities, and it will now supply steel components for four-cylinder motors made at all of Honda’s North American plants. Those parts used to come primarily from Japan.
Business First of Columbus - by Dan Eaton

Honda spent $138 million to expand its Anna automobile engine plant, but the Shelby County operation won’t be making more engines.

The expansion, which took two years to complete, increases the plant’s steel parts production abilities and makes the 23-year-old plant the North American hub of Honda of America Manufacturing Inc.’s engine operations.

“This has been a major project,” said Honda spokesman Ron Lietzke. “It’s almost the same cost of the new engine plant in Canada.”

The work at Anna has received less public attention than Honda’s other recent North American projects, including the $550 million Greensburg auto plant that is set to open this month in Indiana and the $154 million Alliston engine plant in Ontario. But Anna project leader Jim Hranica said it is equally central to the company’s operations.

Cranking it up

Completion of the expansion is part of a worldwide production reshuffle for the auto maker.

Most manufacturing of four-cylinder motors for Honda’s auto plant in Ontario is moving to an engine plant that opened next door Sept. 15. The Anna plant will take up engine production for Honda’s Greensburg assembly operation and it will continue to make V-6 engines for the Alliston plant.

“We’ve been gearing up to do more V-6 production, but now, with the opening of Greensburg, that is swinging back to four-cylinders,” Hranica said.

The Anna plant, which opened in 1985 to build motorcycle engines, employs 2,750 workers and produces 1.2 million engines a year. The expansion added 100 jobs.

The biggest change is in the manufacture of steel component parts for the four-cylinder motors, which the engine plant will be doing for all of Honda’s North American auto plants. Those parts were mostly imported from Japan.

The Anna plant is increasing and in some cases starting production on cylinder sleeves, crankshafts, camshafts and connecting rods.

“What’s going to end up happening is where we were purchasing parts before, we’ll be able to produce them cheaper here and that’s even without shipping costs,” Hranica said.

For the rest of the article, follow the link;
http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2008/10/06/story13.html?b=1223265600%5E1710780

Honda becomes official vehicle of the NHL

Honda becomes official vehicle of the NHL

Three-year sponsorship supports hockey in the U.S. and Canada

TORRANCE, Calif. -- American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Honda Canada, Inc., and the National Hockey League (NHL) have entered into a 3-year agreement naming Honda as the official vehicle of the NHL, the companies announced today. Elements of the agreement include Honda sponsorship of NHL television and Internet coverage along with active participation at NHL events in both the United States and Canada, such as NHL Face-Off Rocks 2008, NHL Winter Classic and NHL All-Star Weekend.

"With more than 53 million fans in the United States and Canada, the NHL is a big part of the sports landscape in North America," said Steve Center, vice president of advertising and public relations for American Honda. "Honda has a long history of supporting sports at all levels worldwide, and working with the NHL will give Honda a great opportunity to become an even bigger part of the hockey experience."

"This partnership integrates the leading brand in the automotive industry with the strength, momentum and excitement of the NHL brand," said Keith Wachtel, the NHL's senior vice president of corporate sales and marketing. “We are excited to have Honda as part of every major NHL platform while strengthening partnerships with NHL member clubs."

The 3-year agreement with the NHL includes provisions for advertising on NHL.com and during game broadcasts, camera-visible signage during games and events, on-site displays of Honda vehicles at select events, and much more. Honda began its involvement with hockey when it became the presenting sponsor of the Honda Center, home of the Anaheim Ducks, in 2006.

Okay, now let's bring back those Jets to Winnipeg!

Source;
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=385151

2009 Honda Civic Si Coupe Pic's

2009 Honda Odyssey Offers Efficient Performance and Comfortable, Spacious Seating in All Three Rows

09/09/2008 - TORRANCE, Calif. -
Following a significant refresh for the entire lineup of Odyssey minivans in the 2008 model year, the 2009 Odyssey receives additional upgrades on the EX-L trim level with features previously exclusive to the Odyssey Touring. The Odyssey EX-L adds a power tailgate to its existing features, while its available Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System gains Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink® as standard equipment.

"The Odyssey has earned a reputation for its spaciousness, versatility and a fun-to-drive feel," said Dick Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "For 2009, we've expanded the application of Bluetooth and added a convenient power tailgate to the Odyssey EX-L."

Contributing to fuel efficiency, the 3.5-liter i-VTEC V-6 engine exclusive to the Odyssey EX-L and Touring models benefits from Variable Cylinder Management™ (VCM®) technology that provides the capability to seamlessly deactivate either two or three of the engine's six cylinders during cruising and deceleration. An "ECO" light near the speedometer provides driver feedback when the vehicle is operating at an optimal level of fuel efficiency.

Known for its industry trend-setting One-Motion 60/40 Split 3rd-Row Magic Seat®, the Odyssey's innovative eight-passenger seating areas (seven-passenger on LX) quickly and easily adapt between passenger and cargo duties.

The 3rd-Row Magic Seat can accommodate up to three passengers and still provide 38.4 cubic feet of cargo volume behind the seats, or fold completely flat into the floor for cargo duty to create 91.1 cubic feet of cargo volume while still maintaining room for five passengers (four passengers on LX). With the second row seats removed, total cargo volume expands to 147.4 cubic feet. Total interior volume measures 209.8 cubic feet for passenger and cargo volume combined. The 2nd-Row PlusOneSeat™ integrates a storage bin inside the seat structure and is standard equipment on the Odyssey EX, EX-L and Touring.

The Odyssey achieves the highest five-star crash safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for both frontal and side impacts1 . The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rates the Odyssey as a Top Safety Pick with "good" ratings for frontal offset, side impact and rear crash protection crash tests, while including electronic stability control as standard equipment. All Odyssey models are equipped with Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®), also known as electronic stability control; standard anti-lock brakes with electronic brake distribution and brake assist; advanced dual-stage, dual-threshold driver's and front passenger's SRS front airbags; front side airbags with passenger-side Occupant Protection Detection System (OPDS); three-row side-curtain airbags with a rollover sensor; active front seat head restraints; daytime running lights and a pedestrian injury mitigation design in the front of the vehicle. An Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure provides enhanced occupant protection in a frontal collision.

Designed with families in mind, a total of three Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren (LATCH) child seat attachment systems exist: two are located in the outboard second-row seating positions and one is located in the middle third-row seating position.

Standard comfort and convenience features include dual-zone air conditioning (tri-zone automatic climate control on Odyssey EX, EX-L and Touring), tilt and telescope steering wheel, power windows and door locks, keyless entry and cruise control.

Available premium features include leather-trimmed seating surfaces; the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System™2 with voice recognition, an 8-inch screen, and Zagat Survey®3 restaurant guide information; and a Honda DVD Entertainment System with a 9-inch screen.

A rearview camera aids rear visibility on the Odyssey EX-L equipped with the available navigation system. Odyssey EX-L models without the available navigation system provide a rearview camera display via a 2.5-inch monitor embedded in the rearview mirror.

The 3.5-liter, all-aluminum, SOHC VTEC® engine on the Odyssey LX and EX produces 244 horsepower at 5750 rpm and 240 lb-ft. of torque at 5000 rpm. The Odyssey LX and EX models achieve an EPA-rated city/highway fuel economy of 16/23 mpg4 . A 5-speed automatic transmission is standard equipment.

The Odyssey EX-L and Touring models feature a 3.5-liter, all-aluminum, SOHC i-VTEC® V-6 engine with VCM for enhanced fuel efficiency. This engine produces 244 horsepower5 at 5700 rpm and 245 lb-ft. of torque at 4900 rpm. The Odyssey EX-L and Touring models achieve an EPA-rated city/highway fuel economy of 17/25 mpg4. (US MPG)

The 2009 Odyssey features Honda's latest version of VCM that provides the capability to selectively deactivate either two or three of the engine's six cylinders during cruising and deceleration.

Vehicles equipped with VCM use both an audio system-based Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) system and a chassis-based Active Control Engine Mount (ACM) system to cancel noise and vibration that can occur during cylinder deactivation

An independent front and rear suspension and a rigid unit body structure help provide comfortable and refined handling performance. Additional chassis components include power-assisted 4-wheel disc brakes and variable power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering. Odyssey LX, EX and EX-L models have 16-inch wheels (alloy on EX and EX-L) with all-season 235/65R16 tires. Odyssey Touring models are equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels and all-season 235/60R17 tires (standard); Michelin® PAX® System run-flat technology wheels and tires are available (460 mm wheels and 235-710R 460A tires). (PAX Tires US only-thank god).

1Government star ratings are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) New Car Assessment Program (www.safercar.gov). Model tested with standard side-impact airbags (SABs).
2 The Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System is available on EX-L and Touring models in the United States except Alaska. See your Honda dealer for details.
3Zagat Survey® is a registered trademark of Zagat Survey, LLC.
4 Based on 2009 EPA mileage estimates, reflecting new EPA fuel economy methods beginning with 2008 models. Use for comparison purposes only. Do not compare to models before 2008. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.
5 Testing of production engines for horsepower and torque output of the i-VTEC V-6 on the Odyssey EX-L and Touring models has revealed that the average horsepower and torque produced by these engines is higher than originally estimated prior to the start of mass production. Though there have been no design changes to the engines to create more power, the horsepower and torque ratings for the specified 2009 models have been increased to reflect the actual output of the engines. Note: 2008 to 2009 hp @ RPM = 241@5700 to 244@5700. 2008 to 2009 lb-ft. @ RPM = 242@4900 to 245@4900

Source;
http://www.hondanews.com/categories/1097/releases/4772

Honda could care less to go electric… for now

Besides Tesla Motors some automakers you think of when you think of an electric-car is GM’s Chevrolet, Toyota, Nissan - but no one thinks Honda (well some of you probably do). That’s because Honda is staying away from electric-cars and according to its r&d chief Masaaki Kato, Honda has no plans to produce electric-vehicles.

“Nowadays, the most advanced batteries are lithium ion batteries. But even though the size is getting smaller, the density of the energy is still too poor for cars,” Kato said.

Kato said that since right now electric-cars offer limited mileage, by 2015 they will account for less than 1 percent of the market in developed countries - a percentage that Honda is not satisfied with.

Toyota, Nissan, Subaru, Mitsubishi all plan on introducing an electric-vehicle within the next 50 years with a range of 60 miles on full-charge.

Source;
www.automotivenews.com (sub. req'd)

Honda's Moment Arrives (no, the moment isn't a new car being added to the lineup!)

Here's a nice article on Honda's steady strategy from the Washington Post.


By Warren BrownSunday, August 24, 2008

Honda could have been a contender. But it settled for being a winner instead.

The Japanese automobile manufacturer historically has ranked near the middle of the world's top 10 car companies in annual sales, content to earn a living selling mostly small cars with small engines that run nicely on relatively small amounts of gasoline.

That strategy once spawned detractors -- automotive journalists and some industry analysts who urged Honda to join the big league, to start rolling out big cars with big engines, to serve up something like a hot coupe with a banging V-8.

There were rumors that Honda would take the bait. "Those rumors have been around for 20 years," said Dan Bonawitz, Honda's U.S. vice president for corporate planning, speaking to journalists here.

Honda nibbled, offering up the car-based Ridgeline pickup, a bevy of mid-size sport-utility vehicles, and several impressive Acura and Honda sedans with V-6 engines. But Honda mostly remained true to its small-engine legacy, resisting the pressure to produce something with a V-8 and refusing to join Toyota and Nissan in taking on Detroit in the battle for big-truck supremacy.

"We chose to position ourselves for sustainable success," Bonawitz said.

Bonawitz has been saying that kind of thing for several years. But many of us in the media dismissed it as the convenient excuse of a company that didn't know how to make a competitive V-8.

"You could be a contender," we told Honda. "You could play with the majors. Look, even Hyundai is coming out with a V-8 in its Genesis luxury car. Are you guys going to let the Koreans beat you?"

Bonawitz and his people didn't listen. They just kept cranking out cars and pseudo-trucks -- the Ridgeline isn't a real truck -- with four-cylinder and six-cylinder engines. As a result, Honda is now in a league of its own, experiencing steady increases in vehicle sales in a market where most of its rivals are faltering.

Look at the devastation of the U.S. automotive landscape. Toyota is down. Nissan is down. General Motors and Ford are way down. Chrysler is on life support, awaiting rescue from potential partners who can supply it with the cars, especially small cars, it desperately needs to survive.

Honda, meanwhile, is expanding production of its hot-selling Civic compact cars in the United States. It is trying to cope with soaring consumer demand -- up nearly 72 percent in 2008 over 2007 -- for its Fit subcompact, which has been smartly redesigned for 2009.

Honda is planning annual U.S. sales of 85,000 Fits, which is so globally popular that the company is assembling it at plants in Japan, Brazil, Thailand and Indonesia.

"Our business strategy is more like that of the tortoise than it is the hare," Bonawitz said. "We might not be the first to come out with the biggest engine. But we concentrate on what our consumers want -- quality, efficiency, innovation. That doesn't always make a big splash. But it helps us to survive in challenging times like these."

That does not mean Honda will never produce a V-8 for the U.S. market. The company certainly knows how to produce powerful engines and fast cars, as evidenced by the success of Honda-engineered products in a variety of racing venues.

But, unlike its Detroit corporate brethren, Honda never really put much stock in the notion of winning at the track on Sunday and selling in the showroom on Monday. At Honda, a car for the track is one thing. A car for the practical demands of daily life is quite another. Put another way, the company has long understood that getting something right on the track does not ensure getting it right in the marketplace.

A HondaV-8?

Bonawitz laughed.

"These are very challenging times for our industry," he said. "We are witnessing what is likely to be a watershed moment for the American automobile industry" -- a moment when smart power, getting the most out of an engine using the least amount of fuel, trumps horsepower, Bonawitz said.

"At Honda," he added, "we've always been geared toward this moment."

Honda considering bringing Japanese models to the U.S.

Aug. 6 (Bloomberg) -- Honda Motor Co., encouraged by U.S. demand for Fit subcompacts, is reviewing its Japanese lineup for other possible imports as near-record fuel prices spark interest in cars once viewed as too small or quirky.

"There are a couple of things that we are looking at again, whether they make sense right now,'' Dan Bonawitz, Honda's U.S. vice president for corporate planning, said in an interview yesterday, without naming specific models.

The U.S. introduction of the Fit in 2006, five years after its Japan debut, is helping Honda post gains in 2008 even as a slowing economy and gasoline that topped $4 a gallon erode industrywide demand. U.S. sales of the hatchback, rated at 30 miles per gallon in combined city and highway driving, jumped 73 percent through last month.

Those gains contributed to making Honda the only major automaker to expand U.S. sales this year. General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. are now also considering bringing in small cars designed for overseas markets.

Honda has studied the compact Stream wagon and a Japanese version of the Odyssey minivan that would be categorized as a station wagon in the U.S., Bonawitz said in an interview in Malibu, California. He declined to say whether either would be added to Honda's U.S. lineup.

The automaker is also benefiting from demand for fuel- efficient Civic small cars and four-cylinder Accords. Honda's U.S. sales have grown 3.2 percent this year, compared with an 11 percent industrywide decline through the first seven months.

The company won't rush any Japan market models to the U.S. until it's confident current U.S. patterns are likely to continue, said Bonawitz, who manages a team of U.S. product planners.
"We've got a fairly long-term product plan laid out and we're going to try to stick with that,'' Bonawitz said.

The company's U.S. headquarters are in Torrance, California.
To contact the reporter on this story: Alan Ohnsman in Los Angeles at aohnsman@bloomberg.net.

US Auto Sales Down, HONDA Up

In todays Automotive environment, gas mileage, reliability, plus over all cost of ownership is dictating what people are buying and it is certainly being reflected in recent sales. Here are the results from the month of June 2008 as compared to June 2007. These are US numbers.

GM has reported a 18.5 percent decline in June sales.
Honda has reported a 13.8 percent gain over June 2007.
Toyota down by 21 percent (didn't see that one coming)
Hummer down 59.3 percent (saw that one coming)
Audi up 18.5 percent
Chrysler down by 36 percent (ouch)
Hyundai up 14 percent
Lexus down 21 percent
Mercedes-Benz up 12.4 percent
Mitsubishi down 35.2 percent
MINI up 41 percent
Nissan down 8 percent
Volkswagen up 13 percent

Source:
http://money.cnn.com/2008/07/01/news/companies/auto_sales/index.htm?section=money_autos

Nice Article About When Times are Tough, Why People Flock to Honda

Here's a nice observation by the people at Edmunds.com about Honda's recent success' in the face of a down market.

Suddenly Honda is a success — again. The 2008 Honda Civic became America's current best-selling vehicle in May, as some 53,299 examples hit the road in a single month. This is a new sales record for the Civic, almost 14,000 more cars per month than the previous record for the model that had been set just the year before.

When times are tough and gasoline prices rise, people come home to Honda. There's something unique about this company that seems to speak to Americans. As Toyota rose to its preeminent position in the last few years, there were those who despaired of Honda's future, as it seems so one-dimensional compared to diversified mega-corporations like Toyota. After all, Honda is just a simple little car company.

Yet now this simple little car company is promising the introduction of a new 50-mpg hybrid vehicle in 2009, one of four compact Honda hybrids that are expected to represent 500,000 sales a year by 2015. At the same time, it's developing a new front engine NSX powered by a 550-horsepower V10 and featuring all-wheel drive. And Honda is equally capable of unexpected innovation, as with its unibody Ridgeline pickup truck, which more manufacturers are adopting as the template for fuel-efficient trucks in the future.

When the subject is sales, people talk about Toyota. But when the subject is cars, people talk about Honda.

Here's the rest of the article;
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Features/articleId=127406?tid=edmunds.il.home.photopanel..3.*

Honda Civic #1Selling Car in US for Month of May (1st Time!)

This is old news for us Canadians, because the Honda Civic has been the #1 selling car for 9 years straight! This is pretty big news in the US though.

http://en.autos.sympatico.msn.ca/guides_and_advice/article.aspx?cp-documentid=6198519

The Honda Civic has become the best selling car in the United States in May, beating out both the , the Toyota Camry, by 53,299 for the Civic and 51,291 for the Camry.

If you really want to see what $4.00 a gallon gas has don,e then note that it has beat out the Ford F-150, the long time best selling vehicle, by 10.326 units!

Never underestimate the power of the pump!

Source:

http://www.autospies.com/news/Honda-s-Civic-Blows-Out-The-Competition-Out-For-Number-One-Spot-In-May-30690/

Honda Positioned Well in Current Market Conditions

With the current state of high gas prices across North America, buyers are switching their buying habits to smaller cars, which makes some manufacturer's more prepared than others. While some manufacturer's are shutting down production and laying off workers (Ford, GM, Dodge....), Honda with it's class leading Honda Civic and Honda FIT are selling in droves, which is having a positive affect for Honda's production. Sure, sales of the Ridgeline, Pilot, and even Odyssey have dipped a bit, but with the surgence of the Civic, Fit, and I will even say CRV, instead of laying off worker's or shutting down plants, Honda is just switching production around and moving workers from one plant to another to keep up with demand.

Honda saving U.S. jobs by switching models

Yuri Kageyama / Associated Press

TOKYO -- Honda will meet growing U.S. demand for small cars while maintaining North American jobs by moving production of two bigger models from Canada to Alabama, Chief Executive Takeo Fukui said Thursday.
Honda Motor Co.'s Pilot sport-utility vehicle and Ridgeline pickup, now rolling off its plant in Alliston, Ontario, will be produced in Lincoln, Ala., allowing the production of the Civic sedan to be raised in Canada, he said.
"Gas prices continue to rise, and the demand for cars with good mileage is growing," Fukui told reporters at a Tokyo hotel. "Efforts are under way to increase the local production of the Civic."

Even the usually booming Japanese automakers are sensing the pinch from a U.S. economic slowdown and soaring material costs, including steel. But the Japanese are holding up better than their American rivals because of their reputation for fuel-efficient offerings.

General Motors' top managers are working on additional restructuring measures to deal with a declining U.S. auto market and an accelerated shift from trucks to more fuel-efficient vehicles, a person familiar with the plan told The Associated Press late Wednesday.

Such a move would come on top of thousands of job cuts at GM over the past three years mainly through buyout and early retirement offers.

Ford said earlier this week that it's planning involuntary layoffs of salaried employees by August as part of a restructuring in the face of slumping sales and record-high gas prices.

Honda's production changes won't create -- or cut -- any jobs in North America. But Fukui noted it will maintain sales momentum.
"And the point is we won't have to reduce employment," he said.

Honda will create American jobs when its plant to build Civics opens in Indiana later this year. That plant, Honda's seventh in North America, is expected to add about 2,000 jobs.
Fukui said Honda's Fit subcompact is another model that is emerging a hit in the U.S., a nation previously known to favor gas-guzzlers.
Still, the overall U.S. auto sales are expected to drop to around 15 million vehicles this year -- down from 17 million as recently as 2005.

For April, General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler all saw double-digit U.S. sales declines compared to last April. But Honda, along with Nissan Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp., reported year-on-year gains.

Relatively new auto plants are flexible in production, allowing models to be switched to respond to shifts in demand. At some plants, the same assembly line can produce different models, one after the other.

Source:

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080529/AUTO01/805290438/1148

Honda Announces Additional Details on New Small Hybrid Vehicle

Reduction in component size and manufacturing costs to improve hybrid affordability

05/20/2008 - TORRANCE, Calif. -
Honda today announced additional details regarding its new small hybrid scheduled for introduction in early 2009, as part of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. CEO Takeo Fukui's mid-year address. An official name and full product details will be announced later this year.

In addition to weight reduction, a significant cost reduction in Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) components will result in the most affordable hybrid vehicle to date. This dedicated hybrid vehicle will be offered as a 5-door hatchback with seating for five passengers and will employ an exterior design concept that evokes the FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle. Along with the Civic Hybrid, the new vehicle will be produced at an expanded IMA production line at Honda's Suzuka factory in Japan.

The new small gasoline/electric hybrid vehicle will have expected annual global sales of 200,000 units per year - approximately 100,000 of which are bound for the North American market. Following this launch, Honda also plans to introduce another unique small hybrid vehicle based on the CR-Z sports car first shown at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show as well as a Fit hybrid model. Including the Civic Hybrid, these four hybrid vehicles are expected to reach combined annual global sales of approximately 500,000 units.

"Honda has been at the forefront of hybrid development since it first introduced the American public to hybrid technology with the Insight in 1999," said John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda. "These new advancements in Honda's technology and production systems will result in cost reductions that will allow us to make hybrid technology available to a whole new generation of buyers."

Featuring seating for five passengers, distinctive styling and high-value amenities, the new hybrid will present an appealing package. Taking advantage of reductions in the size of components, the battery and the internal processing unit will be positioned below the rear cargo area, allowing the hatchback design to provide adequate cargo space to meet the needs of a family. Additionally, various technologies, including a function to assist more fuel efficient driving, are being installed to achieve a further improvement of practical fuel efficiency. With its affordable price, the new hybrid vehicle will represent the best value in its segment.

The new hybrid will be produced at a newly developed second IMA production line at Honda's Suzuka factory, which currently produces the Civic Hybrid. With the second line in operation and improvements in IMA production efficiency, hybrid production capacity at Suzuka will increase from 70,000 vehicles per year to approximately 250,000 units, with future expansion possible if needed.

Honda is committed to offering products with the highest environmental performance produced at factories with reduced environmental footprints. A leader in the development of cleaner, more fuel-efficient mobility products, Honda introduced the first low-emission vehicles; America's first gas/electric hybrid car, the Insight and the world's first EPA-certified hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle, among other environmental achievements. In 2007, Honda was named "greenest automaker" by the Union of Concerned Scientists for the fourth straight time.

Update on Honda's New Hybrid

Well, looks like the new 'Global Hybrid' (one name around the world) that Honda is developing is going to have a sharp resemblance to the FCX Clarity Hydrogen car above. The car is said to cost less than the current Civic Hybrid and will use an engine based on the Civic's, but smaller and lighter. Honda is going to opt for the Nickel Metal Hydride Battery over the Lithium-Ion due to the proven track record of the Nickel and the high cost of the lithium-ion; however, According to Fukui, the new model is being engineered to allow for a running change to lithium when the batteries do meet the company's specifications.

2009 Acura RL Debuts at the Chicago Auto Show

The 2009 RL furthers cutting edge technology with the addition of new high-tech items including AcuraLink® weather, AcuraLink® Traffic Rerouting™, a new Note function for XM® Radio, Active Sound Control, and Bluetooth® Audio to an already robust list of features found on the previous RL. To enhance handling, new chassis technology abounds in the drivetrain in the form of improved Super Handling All-Wheel Drive™, a revised steering system, upgraded coil springs, better performing shock absorbers, larger rear stabilizer bar, and more aggressive wheels and tires. Performance improves with the RL thanks to a new, larger 3.7-liter V-6 that incorporates the first ever SOHC use of VTEC® valvetrain actuation for both the intake and exhaust valves.

"RL represents the very best we have to offer in terms of engineering, technology, performance, luxury and safety", said Dick Colliver, executive vice president, sales. "It's designed for a new generation of performance-luxury buyers looking to travel more quickly, more efficiently and more connected to the world around them."

For 2009, the RL will be offered in three different trim levels including RL, RL with Technology Package and RL with Technology Package Plus CMBS™. All RL's receive a potent new 3.7-liter V-6 engine, Super Handling All-Wheel Drive™, a Bose® Surround Sound audio system, Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink® connectivity and a GPS-based solar-sensing climate control system. The Technology Package includes the satellite-linked Acura Navigation System with Voice Activation™ with rearview camera, AcuraLink® Real-time traffic, AcuraLink® weather, Traffic Rerouting™, a rear view back-up camera, Active Front Lighting System (AFS), ventilated front seats, and a wood/leather steering wheel and shift knob. The top RL package is the Technology Package with CMBS™ which also includes Acura's acclaimed Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), and genuine wood instrument panel trim.

Here's a link to the press release;
http://www.hondanews.com/categories/1074/releases/4406