Auto news and reviews from Car Buyer's Notebook.com: Honda Archives

August 14, 2008

New Honda hybrid will compete with Prius

Hybrid-only car, due in 2009, to be priced less than Toyota vehicle

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. - A top Honda Motor Co. executive said Wednesday the company's new gas-electric hybrid will be priced lower than the Toyota Prius, its prime competitor.

The new five-door car will only be available with a hybrid powertrain. It will be smaller than Honda's Civic and also will be priced less than a hybrid gas-electric version of the Civic, said Richard Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co.

Speaking to reporters at an industry seminar in Traverse City, Colliver said the new hybrid will be launched in April 2009.

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August 13, 2008

Honda honors top suppliers

TORRANCE, Calif. - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. President and CEO Tetsuo Iwamura today presented the company's Premier Partner Award to 15 American Honda suppliers for demonstrating excellence in quality, value and customer service.

This year's award recipients were selected from among 53 suppliers nominated by American Honda associates, out of more than 1,000 eligible companies.

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August 12, 2008

Honda's Lineup Prospers

If there were an award for the smartest and luckiest automaker, Honda probably would have been declared the winner this year. The spike in gasoline prices has pushed the product programs of some automakers into the shredder.

But Honda's conservative product plan was the proper path, after all. Honda ignored dealer and media criticism over the past years that it failed to offer what Americans really wanted: big, body-on-frame, V-8-powered SUVs and pickups.

August 11, 2008

2009 Honda Accord Sets the Pace

Torrance, CA -- The 2009 Honda Accord lineup is designed to impress with premium features, accommodating technology and efficient performance geared for both the finish line and the bottom line.

Available as a sedan or a coupe and powered by advanced 4-cylinder or V-6 engines, the Accord embodies a sophisticated design and provides an accommodating, spacious interior.

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August 10, 2008

2009 Honda Ridgeline Adds Power, More Standard Equipment

Torrance, Calif. -- Updated for 2009 with a total of 50 significant changes and new features, the Honda Ridgeline takes on a bolder look and feel with new exterior and interior styling along with a more powerful engine.

A trailer hitch becomes standard on every model, and newly-introduced premium features include Bluetooth HandsFreeLink and a rearview backup camera on Ridgeline RTL models equipped with the available Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System.

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August 5, 2008

Jamie Lee Curtis gets a Honda Hydrogen vehicle

TORRANCE, Calif. -- American Honda Motor Co., Inc., today announced that its second FCX Clarity customer, Jamie Lee Curtis, took delivery of the vehicle on July 31, 2008. Curtis and husband Christopher Guest are the second of approximately 200 customers who will begin leasing the vehicle in the United States and Japan over the next three years.

"I really wasn't expecting it to be so luxurious," said Curtis. "It's luxurious, luxurious, luxurious! I love the interior layout, design and access to controls. It is user-friendly and very modern."

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August 4, 2008

Honda's ASIMO Visits Children Suffering from Sichuan Earthquake

China -- Honda made an effort to lift the spirits of children suffering from the Sichuan Earthquake through a special visit by ASIMO, Honda's humanoid robot.

ASIMO visited a school in Deyang in the Sichuan province of China, approximately 100km away from the epicenter of the earthquake. Children attending the school, as well as children invited from other kindergartens, elementary schools, and junior high schools in the surrounding areas, were able to have a fun time with ASIMO.

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August 1, 2008

Honda Reports July Sales Down 9.2%

TORRANCE, Calif. -- American Honda Motor Co., Inc. posted July total vehicle sales of 138,744, a daily-selling-rate basis decline of 9.2 percent compared to July 2007 results.

Honda Division posted July sales of 125,916, a decline of 8.2 percent versus July 2007. The Fit sold an all-time record of 12,266, up 78.5 percent. Civic Hybrid broke its previous July record, set in 2006, with sales up 27.4 percent to 3,440, while the Accord increased 2.8 percent to 41,382.

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July 30, 2008

Chrysler, GM and Nissan are Tops in Online Search Visibility

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- iCrossing, a global digital marketing company, today announced the findings of the Vertical Visibility Index: Automotive, the first in a series of studies analyzing the paid and natural search media visibility leaders within specific industry verticals.

iCrossing found that Chrysler, GM and Nissan North America are doing the best job of taking a synergistic search engine marketing approach, with the highest scores for combined visibility. Ford leads for natural search visibility and Hyundai has the greatest paid search visibility for the keyword set analyzed.

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July 28, 2008

Honda Interactive Crash Test Demo Invites Viewers to "See What We See"

TORRANCE, Calif. -- American Honda Motor Co., Inc. has launched a unique online video experience of a vehicle crash test that invites viewers to witness the crash impact and explore it from different camera angles and at various motion speeds.

The crash test demo is part of Honda's "Power of Dreams" corporate ad campaign (http://www.dreams.honda.com) which invites consumers to view the world from inside Honda's vantage point.

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July 26, 2008

Honda FCX Fuel Cell Lease Program Begins With First Customer Delivery

TORRANCE, Calif. -- American Honda Motor Co., Inc., today announced that Ron Yerxa and Annette Ballester took delivery of their hydrogen fuel cell-powered FCX Clarity on Friday, July 25, 2008 at Honda of Santa Monica, one of three dealerships in Southern California that are part of the first fuel cell vehicle dealership network.

Yerxa and Ballester are the world's first FCX Clarity customers and the first of approximately 200 customers who will lease the vehicle in the United States and Japan over the next three years, with the vast majority of vehicles being leased in Southern California.

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July 25, 2008

Honda Beats Estimates, Sees Tougher Year Ahead

TOKYO -- Honda Motor Co.'s quarterly earnings handily beat market estimates but it cut its annual profit and global car sales forecasts as it battles with rising costs for raw materials and a crumbling U.S. auto market. Quarterly net profit at Japan's No.2 automaker ... showed a surprise 8 percent rise on Friday due mainly to a fall in allowances for U.S. sales incentives from the year before.

But like many other Japanese automakers due to follow with results in the coming weeks, Honda is suffering from a collapse in demand for big, gas-thirsty vehicles in the United States, its biggest market. With supply of popular, fuel-efficient cars such as the Civic falling far short of demand, Honda cut its sales forecast in North America this business year by 1.4 percent to 1.745 million cars and its global sales target also by 1.4 percent to 4.08 million cars.

July 23, 2008

Low Emission Honda Roadster Breaks Cover

Honda's low-emission sportscar study model has been revealed at the British International Motor Show, at ExCel, London.

The lightweight roadster design study is a concept showing Honda's core engineering principals, designing stylish and exciting cars that are also environmentally responsible.

Named the OSM (for Open Study Model), the two-seater joins the confirmed-for-production CR-Z sports hybrid and FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell car on the Honda stand at the show.

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July 22, 2008

Honda Cuts Odyssey, Pilot Output; Boosts Civic

Even Honda Motor Co. is feeling the pain of consumers' stampede from light trucks to cars. The Japanese automaker said today that it will reduce production of the Honda Odyssey minivan and Honda Pilot crossover by a combined 10,000 units this year at its Lincoln, Ala., assembly plant.

In the first half of 2008, Honda built 158,316 Odysseys and Pilots in Lincoln, down 2.4 percent from the same period of 2007. "Honda is not immune to the shift in the market," said Honda spokesman David Iida. "We don't want inventories to get too high."

July 20, 2008

Honda outlines environmentally responsible mobility

Torrance, Calif. -- Honda is continuing its industry-leading efforts to address the environmental challenges of global climate change, emissions reduction, and energy sustainability through a comprehensive approach that involves further improvements to gasoline engine fuel efficiency; the development of real-world alternatives to gasoline, including natural gas and the hydrogen-powered fuel cell car; and technology for refueling alternative fuel vehicles.

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July 9, 2008

Honda Outlines U.S. R&D Projects

Torrance, Calif. -- Honda R&D Americas, Inc. (HRA) is responsible for creating unique, advanced technologies and products in the U.S. that provide new value to Honda and Acura customers.

Established in Southern California in 1975 to conduct local market research and design activities, HRA now operates 14 R&D facilities in North America with the capability of "complete product creation" - developing all-new vehicles starting from market and technology research and design styling through engineering design, fabrication and testing, local parts procurement and mass production preparation.

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July 8, 2008

Honda's Flexibility Shows Widening Gap Over Toyota

As the average U.S. price of regular gasoline has risen 39 percent in a year -- to $4.10 a gallon, according to the AAA motor club -- Honda's flexible North American factories have been running at full tilt.

Japan's second-biggest automaker is shifting production from trucks to automobiles to keep up with surging demand for fuel-efficient vehicles, while larger Toyota is closing its San Antonio plant for 14 days between now and the end of October to reduce output of Tundra pickups.

It might take Toyota a year or more to convert the truck plant to auto production, said Michael Robinet, an analyst with automotive consulting firm CSM Worldwide Inc. in Northville, Michigan. Toyota's pickups, unlike Honda's, don't share basic design structures with its cars.

July 1, 2008

Honda Reports Record Sales in June, Up 13.8%

TORRANCE, Calif. -- American Honda Motor Co., Inc., today announced total June sales of 142,539, up 13.8 percent on a daily-selling-rate basis(1), setting a new record for the month.

Reflecting a shifting automotive marketplace, total car sales set a new June record for the first time since 1990 at 97,639, up 34.2 percent versus last year. Year-to-date American Honda sales are up 4.8 percent to 798,358.

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June 30, 2008

Honda to Conduct Testing of its Walking Assist Device

TOKYO -- Honda Motor Co., Ltd. will begin collaborative testing of its experimental walking assist device as from July 1, 2008, with Shinseikai Medical Group, Kasumigaseki-Minami Hospital (Kawagoe, Saitama prefecture).

The device was created to support walking by the elderly and other people with weakened leg muscles, but who are still able to walk on their own.

Honda began research of a walking assist device in 1999 with the goal to provide more people with the joy of mobility.

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June 16, 2008

Honda Begins FCX Clarity Production

LONDON -- The FCX Clarity - Honda's advanced hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicle - came off the line at the world's first dedicated fuel cell vehicle manufacturing facility in Japan. After 19 years of development, the arrival of this 'real world' fuel cell car marks the beginning of a new era of cleaner motoring.

The FCX Clarity - which emits only water from its exhaust pipe - was presented at a line-off ceremony at the Honda Automobile New Model Centre in Tochigi Prefecture, where Honda also showcased a number of the new production processes.

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Honda Announces First FCX Clarity Customers, Dealer Network

TOCHIGI, Japan -- American Honda Motor Co., Inc., today announced five of the first customers for its advanced new FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicle and also provided details of the world's first fuel cell vehicle dealership network in the United States.

The announcements were made during a ceremony for the start of FCX Clarity production at the world's first dedicated fuel cell vehicle manufacturing facility in Japan.

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June 15, 2008

Honda Manufacturing Flexibility Meets Changing Customer Demand

Torrance, Calif. - Honda has invested in advanced, flexible manufacturing capacity in its North American and global production facilities to more quickly and efficiently respond to changes in market demand.

Honda's New Manufacturing System has been applied to all of Honda's major plants around the world, allowing for more efficient utilization of global production resources, increased stability of local manufacturing operations and employment, and enhanced value for Honda customers.

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June 5, 2008

Top Selling Minivans in the Unites States for May 2008

The minivan segment saw sales drop 16.6% in May, with Chrysler holding on to two of the top three spots, thanks in part to their gas rebate plan.

Of particular note was the 80% drop in Hyundai Entourage sales, that one can only hope was due to a supply problem -- point being, this is a bad time to be getting into the minivan business, as Volkswagen is about to find out.

The top 8 best selling minivans in the United States for May 2008:

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Report: Initial Auto Quality Improves Considerably

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. -- Initial quality in the automotive industry has improved significantly in 2008, with substantial gains demonstrated by nearly three-fourths of the 36 ranked nameplates, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Initial Quality Study (IQS) released today.

Overall quality improves to 118 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) in 2008, down from 125 PP100 in 2007.

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June 4, 2008

Top Selling Crossovers in the United States for May 2008

With total SUV sales down 19.5% in May, not even the crossover segment was able to escape unscathed -- the smaller ute/station wagon category was also down 5%, as consumers decided they didn't even want mini-SUVs over more fuel efficient cars.

Besides the usual suspects a couple vehicles did well in consumers' quest for smaller wagons, including the Dodge Journey, Nissan Rogue and Subaru Forester. Also of note is that GM placed both the GMC Acadia and Saturn Vue in the top 15, which is good news for that new platform, and for the parent company that suffered a big blow for the month.

After the jump, the top 15 best selling crossovers for May 2008:

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Top Ten Best Selling Cars in the United States for May 2008

American consumers voted with their wallets at car dealerships in May, and overwhelmingly chose fuel efficient cars over trucks and SUVs, by the highest margin in recent history. Nearly 60% of vehicles bought were cars, while bigger vehicles dropped to 43% of purchases.

There was big news in the battle for the best selling car, as the Honda Civic pulled in front of Toyota's Camry and Corolla, with the Nissan Altima taking its usual fifth spot behind the Honda Accord.

But even the domestics did well in this new reality environment, as Chevy posted three best sellers to the top ten, and Ford had two, with the Focus that has been doing well, but also with the Fusion sedan that had its best sales month ever.

Top Ten Best Selling Car in the United States for May 2008:

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June 3, 2008

Honda Civic is the Best Selling Vehicle in the United States

Folks, today is a historic day in automotive history: The Honda Civic was the best selling car in the United States in May, beating out the long time leader, the Toyota Camry, by 53,299 [Civic] to 51,291 [Camry].

What's even more amazing is that the Toyota Corolla even beat out the Camry, 52,826 to 51,291.

And to make Honda's achievement even more amazing, it beat out the Ford F-150, long the best selling vehicle, by 53,299 [Civic] to 42,973 [F-150].

Today is a great day in Honda land, indeed, and congrats are well deserved.

American Honda Reports Best Month Ever -- Civic Soars to Record

TORRANCE, Calif. -- American Honda Motor Co., Inc., May sales of 167,997, up 11.3 percent on a daily-selling-rate basis, shattered the company's all-time sales record for any month as Civic sales reached 53,299, up 28.3 percent versus last May and surpassing the previous monthly record for any car in the lineup.

New all-time records set in May included (previous record in parentheses):

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Hyundai Elantra Tops Toyota Corolla in Small Sedan Test

YONKERS, N.Y. -- After testing a group of compacts and subcompacts, Consumer Reports judged the Hyundai Elantra SE best with an "Excellent" overall road test score. But three other compact cars, Subaru Impreza, Toyota Corolla and Ford Focus, also achieved "Very Good" ratings in a report on gas-saving sedans published in the July issue.

The Corolla achieved a very impressive 32 mpg overall in Consumer Reports' real-world fuel economy tests. That's among the best gas mileage CR has seen in a conventional gasoline-powered car with an automatic transmission. Only the smaller Honda Fit (32 mpg) and Toyota Yaris (33 mpg) subcompacts do as well or better.

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May 30, 2008

Honda Begins Sales of the Freed, New Compact Minivan

TOKYO, Japan – Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced that it will begin sales of a new compact minivan, named the Freed, in Japan on May 30, 2008.

This new model fuses an easy-to-use and spacious cabin with stylish design. Special mobility assistive versions—Freed with side lift-up seat and Freed with passenger lift-up seat, also go on sale May 30, 2008—while a Freed wheelchair-accessible model will go on sale June 20, 2008.

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Honda Sets April Record for Auto Production

TOKYO, Japan, May 27, 2008– Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced a summary of automobile production, Japan domestic sales, and export results for the month of April 2008.

Production in Japan experienced a year-on-year decrease for the eighth consecutive month (since September 2007).

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Honda's Barrichello finishes sixth in Monaco Grand Prix

The Honda Racing F1 Team added three points to its World Championship tally when Rubens Barrichello finished sixth in the Monaco Grand Prix. His team-mate Jenson Button came home in 11th place.

In a very eventful race from start-to-finish, Jenson’s hopes of a points finish were unfortunately dashed towards the end of the opening lap when he collided with Nick Heidfeld on the exit of the Swimming Pool. He pitted immediately to replace his front wing, but rejoined the race in 20th and last position.

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IndyCar Series: Scott Dixon wins at Indy

Scott Dixon, known as the “Ice Man” for his cool demeanor, became the “Milk Man” at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as the Target Chip Ganassi Racing driver featured throughout the 92nd running of the famed 500-mile race, and then held off the final-lap efforts of Vitor Meira and Marco Andretti to score his first “500” victory.

The 2003 IndyCar Series champion was one of the primary contenders all month, qualifying on the pole, taking the initial lead at the green flag and leading 115 of today’s 200-lap race. But he faced a stern challenge in the last 40 laps from Meira and later, Andretti.

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May 29, 2008

Cadillac Tops 2008 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards

TUSTIN, Calif. -- A study released today by noted automotive consulting firm AutoPacific, Inc. summarizes the results of its 2008 model year vehicle satisfaction research. AutoPacific's Vehicle Satisfaction Award (VSA) is an industry benchmark for objectively measuring how satisfied an owner is with their new passenger car or light truck.

In a year that promises to be the toughest in a decade, owner-based awards like AutoPacific's Vehicle Satisfaction Award will help customers make their purchase decisions.

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May 24, 2008

Honda Extends Relationship with IndyCar Racing

TORRANCE, Calif. -- Honda Performance Development (HPD), American Honda's headquarters for professional auto racing operations, has extended its relationship with the Indy Racing League and plans to supply engines to the IndyCar Series for the next five years.

Honda joined the IndyCar Series at the start of the 2003 season, and became single supplier of racing engines to the series in 2006.

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May 22, 2008

Honda to set Environmental Benchmark With Global Hybrid

LONDON -- Honda is to launch an accessible hybrid car to allow more people around the world to adopt cleaner motoring technology and significantly reduce global car emissions. Going on sale early next year, Honda expects to sell 200,000 units globally of the new car annually.

The company will further accelerate hybrid sales by introducing a sporty hybrid based on its CR-Z, Civic Hybrid and the addition of a Jazz Hybrid model. With all four of these models, Honda expects combined annual sales of its hybrid models to reach 500,000 units.

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2009 Honda Pilot pricing stays put

TORRANCE, Calif. -- The all-new, completely-redesigned 2009 Honda Pilot is set to debut at dealerships nationwide on May 22 with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) starting at $27,595, plus destination and handling, for the well-equipped Pilot LX - the same as the 2008 model's price entry point, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today.

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May 21, 2008

Honda CEO Outlines Aggressive Hybrid Strategy

Honda CEO Takeo Fukui has outlined an aggressive hybrid strategy for the company, aiming to sell 500,000 units per year of four hybrid models by early next decade.

Honda's plan calls for a dedicated hybrid vehicle based on the design of the company's FCX Clarity hydrogen car, that will debut as a five door hatchback. Honda plans to put the new hybrid on sale next year in in Japan, North America and Europe and projects annual global sales of 200,000 units.

In addition, and this came as a bit of surprise, Honda plans to make a hybrid version of the popular Fit subcompact, as well as the CR-Z SUV. The company will also roll out a reconfigured Civic hybrid.

Honda Expanding FCX Clarity Leasing Program

Honda Expanding FCX Clarity Leasing Program

TORRANCE, Calif. -- Honda plans to deliver about 200 FCX Clarity hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles to customers in the first three years of production, with leases beginning in July, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today.

The lease program marks the world's first large-scale retail initiative for fuel cell vehicle technology, and Honda has begun the process of identifying customers from a group of over 50,000 individuals who have expressed interest in the FCX Clarity on the company's website.

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Honda Outlines Plans for New Hybrid

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.

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Honda Provides Aid to Victims of Sichuan Earthquake

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. would like to express its deepest sympathy and condolences to the victims of the recent earthquake epicentered in the Sichuan province of China. In response to this tragedy, the Honda group companies will provide approximately JPY 115 million toward the relief and recovery effort.

Details of Honda’s donations:

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Honda Offers Aid to Myanmar Cyclone Victims

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced a contribution totaling approximately JPY 23.3 million to assist the Red Cross in providing shelter, relief and recovery support to those affected by the recent Myanmar Cyclone.

Of the JPY 23.3 million, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. will contribute JPY 20 million through the Japanese Red Cross Society, while Asian Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Honda’s Asian and Oceanic headquarters function (located in Bangkok), will contribute THB 1 million (approximately JPY 3.3 million) through the Thai Red Cross Society.

May 20, 2008

Honda Jet Sales Take Off in Europe

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND -- Honda Aircraft Company, Inc., today began European sales of the HondaJet advanced light jet at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) by introducing its first customer in the region - F-1 racer and business entrepreneur, Jenson Button.

To provide sales and service support to its customers in Europe, the company announced that it will establish a new European network of three HondaJet-exclusive sales and service centers.

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May 19, 2008

How Chuck Norris invented the Honda Ridgeline

You may already be familiar with this Honda commercial starring Chuck Norris. What you are probably not aware of, is how Chuck Norris actually invented the Ridgeline for the automaker. Here is that story.

One fine morning on a mountain ridge, Chuck Norris killed 17 people before breakfast. He had a bet with Steven Seagal over who could kill the most people with a grapefruit knife and since Chuck knew Seagal's personal best was only 8 he doubled it and added one to rub it in.

Chuck had to bring the bodies in to prove he won, so he hooked their arms and legs together like a barrel of monkeys and whistled his way down the mountain.

Seeing a Honda dealership he walked in and asked the salesman if he could buy a pickup truck.

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Toyoda Gosei Recognized by Honda for Quality Leadership

TROY, Mich. -- Honda of America Mfg., Inc. and American Honda Motor Co. recently honored Toyoda Gosei North America manufacturing facilities in Waterville, Quebec, Canada and Brighton, Michigan for their leadership in key performance areas, as well as corporate citizenship.

In Canada, Waterville TG Inc. received a Service Parts award for the second year in a row from American Honda and a Corporate Citizen Recognition award from Honda of America.

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May 17, 2008

Video: Chuck Norris and the Honda Ridgeline

In this video, you will see Chuck Norris enter a restaurant -- after killing the valet who tried to take the keys to his Honda Ridgeline.

May 14, 2008

ASIMO Presents Award to Cellist Yo-Yo Ma

DETROIT -- Prior to a sold-out concert by Yo-Yo Ma and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra last night, the renowned cellist was presented with the Orchestra's "Changing Lives through Music" Highest Achievement Award.

The award is bestowed to individuals in the field of music who provide extraordinary and exemplary leadership, sharing their artistry and knowledge with future generations, and serving as an inspiration to the world on behalf of music.

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May 13, 2008

Erik Berkman Named Honda Racing Chief

Erik Berkman is in his first full season as president of Honda Performance Development, but he could easily be celebrating a decade in the racing business.

"Ten years ago Tom Elliott talked to me about the job [general manager] Robert Clarke eventually accepted, but I had four kids to help raise and it didn't seem like the best time to be traveling all over the world," recalled Berkman.

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May 12, 2008

2008 Fuel Economy Guide Available for Download

The EPA has issued a comprehensive PDF guide to fuel economy of all 2008 vehicles, which you can download by right-clicking here.

In today's gas market, buyers are more sensitive than ever about buying cars that get good mileage, and more important, they want the government ratings to be as accurate as possible -- nobody wants to buy a vehicle that gets 10% worse mileage in the real world than the sticker rating.

To address this situation, the EPA has started using an updated test to assign more accurate MPG ratings to new vehicles, and you can learn about that by watching the video in this post.

Honda at the Turkish Grand Prix

The Turkish Grand Prix ended in frustration for the Honda Racing F1 Team as Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello finished in 11th and 14th places respectively.

At the start, Rubens got too much clutch slip away from the line, which allowed Jenson - who started one place further back in 13th - to pass him into turn one. However, no sooner had the race started than the Safety Car was deployed after a collision at the back of the field between Fisichella and Nakajima.

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Dixon Claims Indy 500 Pole

It took a second qualifying attempt, but Scott Dixon successfully knocked his Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammate -- 2005 Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon – off the top of the time sheets to claim his first “500” pole in first-day qualifying Saturday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

After initially slotting into third behind Wheldon and Motegi race winner Danica Patrick at 225.178 mph, Dixon elected to withdraw that qualifying time just after 3:30 p.m. and make a second run (of three permitted).

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Rain Prevents Indy Second-Day Qualifying

Continuing rain showers Sunday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway forced the cancellation of second- day qualifying for the 92nd running of the Indianapolis 500.

It’s the second time in the last three years that rain has interrupted qualifying at Indianapolis, as the entire first weekend of qualifying attempts was washed out in 2006.

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May 6, 2008

Honda Reports an Increase in April Sales

TORRANCE, Calif. -- American Honda Motor Co., Inc., posted an April sales result of 135,180 vehicles, a decrease of 1.3 percent over April 2007 sales of 126,419 vehicles, on a daily-selling-rate basis*, the company announced today.

American Honda posted April car sales of 82,252 units, up 7.1 percent over last year, and April light-truck sales of 52,655 units, a decrease of 12.1 percent compared to year-ago results. Year-to-date American Honda total vehicle sales rose 0.5 percent over the same period last year, to 487,822 units.

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Acura Announces April Sales Results

TORRANCE, Calif. -- The TL performance luxury sedan was Acura's top-selling model with April sales of 4,291 units, eclipsing MDX sales for the first time in months.

Acura sales for April tallied 13,025 units, down 20.9 percent based on the daily selling rate* compared to April 2007. Year-to-date** Acura vehicle sales totaled 50,565 units, down 14.9 percent compared to 2007.

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May 4, 2008

Top twenty best selling small cars for April 2008

Americans rediscovered cars in April 2008, with small cars in particular accounting for nearly one in five of all vehicles sold in an otherwise down month.

Toyota had four vehicles in the top twenty, General Motors had three; Nissan, Hyundai and Kia had two apiece. And Dodge has a hit with the Caliber, which made the list at number 9.

With people paying nearly $4 per gallon of gas nationwide, it appears that the free market has achieved what environmentalists have been clamoring about for years -- to conserve fuel by buying smaller vehicles.

The top twenty best selling small cars for April 2008:

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Top ten best selling crossovers for April 2008

Overall, pickups and SUV sales were down 17.4% in April and are down 13.5% for the year to date. The one bright spot is the crossover and small wagon category, which was down 0.4% for the month but has edge up 1.9% for the year.

In general, crossover utility vehicles are built on car platforms, while traditional SUVs are built on truck frames. CUVs are smaller, lighter and get better gas mileage than big SUVs -- one way to think of them is that they are really modern station wagons, but shorter and with a higher profile.

This months list of the top ten selling crossovers features three vehicles from General Motors, and two each from Ford and Toyota. Also of note, the new Nissan Rogue made the list at number ten.

The top ten best selling crossovers for April 2008:

Continue reading "Top ten best selling crossovers for April 2008"

Top ten best selling cars for April 2008

With gas prices at record highs in the U.S., consumers are buying cars in greater percentage than light trucks and SUVs, a reversal of a long-term trend.

In April, 52.6% of vehicles sold were cars, a gain of 5.2% over the same month last year.

Of particular note is that both General Motors and Toyota both notched three cars apiece in the top ten.

The top ten best selling cars for April 2008:

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May 2, 2008

Preliminary Honda Sales Report Shows April Increase

TORRANCE, Calif. -- Due to technical difficulties, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., is forced to delay the posting of final April 2008 sales numbers until the issue is resolved.

All reported numbers are approximate and are expected to show increases when final results are tallied. Preliminary sales tabulations show that American Honda April sales will exceed 134,000 vehicles, compared to 126,419 vehicles for April 2007.

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April 30, 2008

TRW Plant in Mexico Receives Honda Quality Award

LIVONIA, Mich. -- TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. today announced that its Queretaro, Mexico, plant operated by its subsidiary Frenos y Mecanismos, S.A. de C.V., has received the Honda de Mexico 'Excellence Award'. This is the second consecutive year the plant has earned Honda's highest quality award.

The plant was selected due to its outstanding customer service record. In terms of quality metrics, the Queretaro plant achieved 0 PPM (parts per million) quality defects and 100% on-time delivery while meeting Honda's cost targets.

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April 29, 2008

Honda to Report Service Information to Carfax

CENTREVILLE, Va. -- Carfax today announced that American Honda Motor Co. has joined the Carfax Service Link program. Service and maintenance information will be reported to Carfax for vehicles serviced by Honda dealers participating in Carfax Service Link.

The free program creates a virtual directory of trusted dealerships that new owners can bring their car back to for maintenance.

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April 25, 2008

Honda Motor Co Reports Financial Results

TOKYO -- Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today announced its consolidated financial results for the fiscal fourth quarter and the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008.

Honda's consolidated net income for the fiscal fourth quarter ended March 31, 2008 totaled JPY 25.4 billion (USD 254 million), a decrease of 85.6% from the same period in 2007, due to, among other things, increased income taxes.

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April 23, 2008

Honda’s ASIMO Robot to Conduct Detroit Symphony Orchestra

DETROIT -- Honda’s ASIMO (http://asimo.honda.com) humanoid robot will focus attention on the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s (DSO) nationally acclaimed music programs for young people in Detroit by conducting the orchestra as it performs “Impossible Dream” to open a special concert performance with renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma at 8 p.m., Tuesday, May 13.

Honda hopes ASIMO’s appearance will draw attention to the DSO’s nationally acclaimed youth music programs, and particularly DSO’s effort to encourage and support involvement of children in Detroit.

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Statement by American Honda on Proposed Fuel Economy Standards

Honda is studying the details of the proposed new standards. We embrace the challenge and the opportunity these standards present for the health of our planet and the future of the automobile.

Honda has long supported the idea of tougher federal fuel economy standards and has advocated strongly for the adoption of new standards that will further advance the cause of increased automobile fuel efficiency and reduction of C02 emissions that contribute to global climate change.

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April 22, 2008

New Hot Wheels designed by Honda depicts the ultimate racecar

TORRANCE, Calif. -- Honda is announcing the arrival of the Honda Racer, a much-anticipated 1/64th scale Hot Wheels car designed by Honda R&D Americas, Inc., in Torrance.

The Honda model, along with designs from five additional automakers, were selected as part of the Hot Wheels Designer's Challenge as a way to celebrate the die-cast brand's 40th anniversary. The Honda Racer will arrive on store shelves in May 2008.

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Honda to Showcase Experimental Walking Assist Device

TOKYO -- Honda Motor Co., Ltd. will showcase an experimental model of a walking assist device which could support walking for the elderly and other people with weakened leg muscles, at the International Trade Fair on Barrier Free Equipments & Rehabilitation for the Elderly & the Disabled (BARRIER FREE 2008) which will be held at Intex Osaka, Friday, April 25 through Sunday, April 27, 2008.

Designed for people who are still capable of walking on their own, Honda began research of a walking assist device in 1999 with a goal to provide more people with the joy of mobility. Currently, the device has entered into the feasibility stage.

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Honda Civic Tour Announces Details of Environmental Efforts

LOS ANGELES -- If you had $15,000 to $50,000 to help heal the environment, how would you spend it? The Honda Civic Tour (www.hondacivictour.com) is asking for answers to that very question with the Honda Civic Tour Panic At The Disco Eco-Challenge Presented By SPIN.*

Through June 30, 2008, contestants can submit an essay (roughly 500 words) at www.spin.com/ecocontest outlining how they would allocate the money raised via the tour's Tickets = Action program, in which a portion of the proceeds from every ticket sold is being contributed to a special eco-fund.

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April 21, 2008

Hybrid Vehicle Registrations Leap 38%

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. -- Nationwide registrations for new hybrid vehicles rose to 350,289 registrations in 2007 - a 38 percent increase from 2006, according to R. L. Polk & Co. The Toyota Prius continued to lead the segment with 179,178 total new registrations - 51.2 percent of hybrid market share.

"Auto buyers are benefiting from new hybrid launches, and fleecing of old models that didn't work. There is a lot of excitement being generated within the industry as manufacturers adjust plans to adapt to consumer demand," said Lonnie Miller, director of Industry Analysis at Polk.

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Acura racing notches division win in Long Beach

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- David Brabham made a spectacular pass of Romain Dumas entering Turn Eight on the 70th lap of the Tequila Patrón American Le Mans Series feature Saturday to win the highly-competitive LMP2 class ion the famed streets of Long Beach.

The victory was the first for the upstart Patrón Highcroft Racing team in the ALMS and the sec- ond for Acura since the manufacturer's entry in the road racing series in 2007.

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April 18, 2008

FCX Clarity Fuel Cell Vehicle Official Car for 2008 Indy Japan

TOKYO, Japan – Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced that the FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle will serve as the official car of the 2008 Indy Japan event to be held at Twin Ring Motegi in Tochigi, Japan, April 17-19.

Since 2007, all IRL IndyCar series racers run on low environmental impact 100% ethanol fuel. Scheduled for release in the U.S. in the summer and in Japan in the autumn of this year, the FCX Clarity runs on hydrogen and emits no CO2 or other environmentally harmful emissions in operation, making it an ideal vehicle for the event.

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Honda Expands HondaJet Sales to Europe

GREENSBORO, N.C. --- Honda Aircraft Company, Inc., today announced plans to expand sales of HondaJet to Europe, beginning in May at the annual EBACE (European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition) conference in Geneva, Switzerland.

The sales expansion comes as Honda Aircraft Company today finalized its U.S. distribution network with the selection of Albany, New York, as the final location among its five sales and service facilities being established across the country.

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April 16, 2008

Honda Begins Production of 2009 Pilot SUV in Alabama

LINCOLN, Ala. -- The all-new, Alabama-built 2009 Honda Pilot rolled off the assembly line April 15th at 10:05 a.m. in Lincoln to the cheers of more than 1,500 associates at Honda Manufacturing of Alabama (HMA).

"Today we mark a significant milestone -- the launch of an all-new Pilot built by one team, with one goal and built only in sweet home Alabama," said Hiroshi Sasamoto, president and CEO of Honda's Alabama operations. "I salute the accomplishments of all HMA associates and your commitment to building products of the highest quality for our customers."

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April 15, 2008

Acura Announces Pricing For 2009 TSX

TORRANCE, Calif. -- Acura today announced pricing for the all-new 2009 TSX sports sedan that will go on sale at Acura dealerships nationwide on April 24th.

The completely redesigned TSX will be available in two versions: the generously appointed TSX and the fully-featured TSX with Technology Package. MSRP pricing for the TSX is $28,960 and the TSX with Technology Packages is $32,060.

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The 2009 Honda Pilot

The Honda Pilot is among an elite group of sport utility vehicles that helped elevate the "crossover" segment in the last decade by introducing a combination of smooth ride comfort, accommodating interior packaging and overall efficiency that traditional SUVs lacked.

The Pilot's unit body construction and fully independent suspension helped transform the SUV segment by enhancing ride quality, earning top crash safety ratings, creating more interior space and increasing fuel efficiency.

Continue reading "The 2009 Honda Pilot"

April 14, 2008

Honda's ASIMO Greets Belgian School Children

Frameries, Belgium -- The first public appearance of the new ASIMO, joined by thousands of school children and members of the public, occurred in Belgium this week at Robotix, a week of activities celebrating the world of robots and how they could revolutionize our lives.

The festivities, which run from the 5th to the 13th April, are taking place at the innovative science and technology museum, PASS (Parc d'Aventures Scientifiques) and include the Belgian Grand Finals of Eurobot and Eurobot Junior, the international amateur robotics contest for schools and young people.

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April 10, 2008

Honda Civic Tour Gets the Show on the Road Today

NEW YORK -- Finally satisfying fevered fan anticipation, the Honda Civic Tour featuring Panic At The Disco gets underway today.

The band is now on the road in support of their sophomore release, Pretty. Odd. (Decaydance/Fueled By Ramen), which debuted at #2 on the SoundScan/Billboard 200 album chart and #1 on SoundScan's Current Alternative Albums chart.

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April 9, 2008

Honda Civic Wins Great Designs in Steel Award

DETROIT -- The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) announced today that it has selected the research and development team of the 2006 Honda Civic for this year's Great Designs in Steel Automotive Excellence Award based on the vehicle's evolutionary and cost-effective use of advanced high-strength steels.

The award recognizes individuals or teams from automaker, supplier and academic ranks who embrace innovation and make significant contributions to the advancement of steel in the automotive marketplace.

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Honda Helpful Campaign Supports the Environment With New Arbor Day Program

LOS ANGELES -- The Southern California Honda Dealers Association, have announced another helpful program, this one committed to the environment.

Beginning today, the Honda Helpful Guys & Girls in Blue are going green by distributing eco- friendly, reusable tote bags at farmers markets, grocery stores and recycling stations in various cities across Southern California to help encourage residents to do their part in caring for the environment.

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April 7, 2008

Honda Racing F1 Team Struggles in Bahrain

After a promising performance in qualifying, the Honda Racing F1 Team’s race was rather more frustrating. Rubens Barrichello brought his RA108 home in 11th position whilst Jenson Button was forced to retire at one-third distance.

Rubens ran in 12th position for the opening stint of the race. He was held behind Fisichella for a substantial distance and had to wait until the first pitstops to make his move.

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Rahal Breaks Records with St. Petersburg Victory

Second-generation IndyCar racer Graham Rahal became the youngest race winner in the history of North American open-wheel racing, and just the fourth IndyCar driver to win in his series debut Sunday in an action-filled Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

To score the win, the 19-year-old son of 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal had to recover from a mid-race spin – resulting from a tap from Will Power on a Lap 37 restart– and hold off determined advances from Team Penske driver Helio Castroneves, who was seeking his third consecutive St. Petersburg victory, over the final dozen laps.

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April 6, 2008

Honda Lease Deals for April

Honda is offering the following lease deals for April:

2008 Accord Sedan LX Lease -- $219.00 per month for 36 months. $2,599.00 total due at signing.

2008 Civic Hybrid Lease -- $229.00 per month for 36 months. $2,999.00 total due at signing.

2008 Civic Sedan LX Lease -- $199.00 per month for 36 months. $1,999.00 total due at signing.

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April 4, 2008

April Honda Rebates Available at CurrentAutoRebates.com

Honda is offering up to a $1,000 rebate on the Element wagon, up to $3,500 on the Ridgeline pickup and up to $3,000 on the Odyssey minivan. Low-interest rate financing is also available. Program ends 4/30/08.

If you would like to research current auto rebates for all make and models for sale in the United States, check out CurrentAutoRebates.com, a fabulous service that allows you to check up on all rebate programs through a handy PDF report. The service is free and available now!

April 3, 2008

Honda Touts Value to America

Torrance, Calif. -- Honda has a long history of high value-added contributions to the U.S. economy through investments in its U.S. manufacturing and R&D capabilities, and in its U.S. supply base.

The company also makes positive contributions to society and quality of life through its pioneering efforts in improving fuel efficiency & reducing emissions, enhancing safety, and providing a consistently high level of product quality and value to its customers.

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April 1, 2008

Honda Claims Sales Increase on Fewer Units Sold

[Editor's note: In plain English, Honda sold 4,658 fewer vehicles in March 2008 compared to the same month last year. The company is claiming this is an increase, due to the fewer number of days they had to sell cars.]

TORRANCE, Calif. -- American Honda Motor Co., Inc., posted a March 2008 sales result of 138,734 Honda and Acura vehicles, an increase of 4.2 percent based on the daily selling rate,* the company announced today. March 2007 sales results included two additional selling days and totaled 143,392.

Led by strong sales of the Accord, Civic and Fit, American Honda total car sales posted record monthly results of 83,214, an increase of 11.1 percent. Year-to-date, American Honda total vehicle sales reached 352,642, an increase of 0.9 percent.

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Honda Sponsors The Great American Cleanup

TORRANCE, Calif. -- American Honda Motor Co., Inc., has partnered with Keep America Beautiful for a fourth year as the Official Automobile Manufacturer of the Great American Cleanup.

Keep America Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup, the nation’s largest community improvement program, takes place annually from March 1 through May 31 and attracts more than 3 million volunteers to clean up and improve over 17,000 communities across America.

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March 31, 2008

Honda Launches New Environmental Site, "Green"

TOKYO -- Honda has opened a new special site, "Green."

Visit the brand new media-rich "Green" site, which provides an overview of Honda's activities to reduce emissions and carbon dioxide throughout the entire production life-cycle, and Honda's passion in developing non-fossil fuel alternatives to provide a safer, greener future for our next generations.

March 28, 2008

Honda Begins Testing of Advanced Safety Vehicles on Public Roadways

TOKYO, Japan -- Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced that it will conduct testing on public roadways of its Driving Safety Support Systems*1 (DSSS) using inter-vehicle and road-to-vehicle communications.

The tests, which will be conducted using the “Honda ASV-4” Advanced Safety Vehicle*2 and other vehicles equipped with advanced safety technology, will be carried out between Monday, March 24, and Friday, March 28, on public roadways in Utsunomiya City, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan.

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Honda Sets All-Time Record for Auto Production in February

TOKYO, Japan – Honda Motor Co., Ltd., announced a summary of automobile production, Japan domestic sales, and export results for the month of February 2008.

Production in Japan experienced a year-on-year decrease for the sixth consecutive month, since September 2007.

Production in regions outside of Japan experienced a year-on-year increase for the 31st consecutive month (since August 2005), setting an all-time record for the month of February.

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March 26, 2008

Honda Outlines Safety for Everyone Leadership

Torrance, Calif. -- Honda has a long history of leadership in the development and application of advanced safety technologies and designs.

This commitment to safety is based on the company’s goal of being a company that “society wants to exist” and complements the company’s leadership in reducing vehicle emissions and improving vehicle fuel efficiency.

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Honda Reveals New Hybrid Plans, Commitment to Nickel Batteries

Honda President Takeo Fukui has revealed the automaker plans to rely on nickel-based batteries to power the much anticipated new Honda hybrid the company hopes will take on Toyota's dominant Prius in the growing green car category.

Fukui is bucking the industry trend of moving to lithium ion batteries for the new vehicle, saying they are not yet ready for mass distribution, according to an interview in Automotive News.

Due to launch in 2009, the new Honda will be a standalone hybrid model, as is the Prius, and is expected to cost less than the current Civic Hybrid. Fukui has said the styling will take cues from Honda's newly redesigned FCX hydrogen vehicle, which has won raves for sleek styling.

March 25, 2008

Honda Pursues Aggresssive Environmental Progress

Torrance, Calif. -- Honda is continuing its industry-leading efforts to address the environmental challenges of global climate change, emissions reduction and energy sustainability through a comprehensive approach that involves further improvements to gasoline engine fuel efficiency, the development of real-world alternatives to gasoline, including natural gas and the hydrogen-powered fuel cell car, and technology for refueling alternative fuel vehicles.

Additionally, Honda is pursuing advances in technology related to energy systems such as solar cells, electrical co-generation and the efficient creation of renewable bio-fuels as part of its effort to develop real world solutions to environmental challenges.

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Honda Commits Resources to Fuel Cell Technology

Torrance, Calif. -- Based on its vision of, “Blue Skies for our Children”, Honda has worked for more than thirty years at reducing the environmental impact of the automobile, including industry-leading efforts to advance the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle – a technology that Honda believes may hold the ultimate promise for a clean and sustainable transportation future.

As always, Honda has sought to apply its latest technology in real-world settings and to exceed customers’ expectations for the performance, quality and safety of its fuel cell vehicles. Honda’s original technology has broken through technical barriers for fuel cell vehicles such as cold-weather start-up and operation.

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March 20, 2008

2009 Honda Fit Debuts in New York

NEW YORK -- The all-new 2009 Honda Fit, set to go on sale in the U.S. this fall, is making its U.S. debut at the New York International Auto Show.

The Fit promises to further its leadership in the subcompact segment with top-of-class feature content, including an available Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System; improved interior functionality, including one-motion dive-down rear seats; enhanced sporty demeanor through improved suspension, steering and body rigidity; and high levels of standard safety equipment, including Honda's Advanced Compatibility Engineering body structure.

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Honda Doles Out Supplier Awards, Pledges Flexibility

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Honda leaders shared their vision for continuing success at the company's annual supplier conference today, saying the path forward is a commitment to applying new technologies and increasing flexibility to build the kinds of fuel-efficient vehicles that customers are seeking today.

Honda also recognized its top suppliers for their performance last year in the critical areas of quality, on-time parts delivery and productivity improvements.

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March 19, 2008

Honda's Dick Colliver Receives 'Founder's Award' for Distinguished Service

NEW YORK -- J.D. Power III, founder of J.D. Power and Associates, presented the prestigious Founder's Award to Dick Colliver of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. for his outstanding commitment to customer service in the automotive industry.

Power presented the Founder's Award to Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., during the Wall Street Automotive Awards Dinner held at the Plaza Hotel in New York City on Tuesday, March 18.

Continue reading "Honda's Dick Colliver Receives 'Founder's Award' for Distinguished Service"

March 18, 2008

Corvette Still #1 Most Requested Vehicles to Lease

CINCINNATI -- Automobile Consumer Services, Inc. (ACS), has released a list of the top 10 most requested vehicles from its popular auto leasing website www.LeaseCompare.com.

Information was collected during the second half of 2007 from more than two million lease quote requests.

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March 17, 2008

Honda Releases New Global Ad "Engines"

TOKYO, Japan -- Honda has released a new global ad, "Engines," a comical, yet serious expression of Honda's commitment to providing a cleaner and safer environment for the future generations.

Visit the all-new "Engines" site for more details. (The latest version of Flash Player is required to view the site and its movies.) The site also includes samples of magazine and print ads.

March 13, 2008

Honda Announces 2008 Formula One Race Components

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced that it will continue its participation in the Formula One World Championship again this year, as the Honda Racing F1 Team.

Honda will also provide the SUPER AGURI F1 TEAM with engines, parts, and support as a technical partner.

Honda Racing F1 Team Outline:

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Honda Building New Plant to Expand Mini-vehicle Business

TOKYO, Japan -- Yachiyo Industry Co., Ltd., a Honda’s consolidated subsidiary in Japan, announced plans to build a new auto plant which produces both engines and bodies on land adjacent to its Yokkaichi Factory in the effort to further strengthen its mini-vehicle business.

Equipped with advanced technologies, the new plant will be a state-of-the-art, highly flexible, and environmentally-responsible plant. It will start with engine assembly operations in the first half of 2009, followed by establishment of the automobile production in the latter half of 2010.

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March 8, 2008

Honda of Pocatello wins 2007 President’s Award

POCATELLO, Idaho -- Honda of Pocatello has been awarded the 2007 President’s Award by American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

The award is considered Honda’s highest dealership honor and is presented to the top 15 percent of Honda dealerships across the country annually that meet the stringent requirements to qualify. This is the second consecutive year that Honda of Pocatello has earned this prestigious honor.

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March 5, 2008

Tax Credits for Hybrid Cars

The deadline for filing taxes is right around the corner, and if you purchased a hybrid vehicle in 2007, the following list can tell you what type of tax credit you can expect to receive on your 2007 return.

Thanks to the Energy Policy Act of 2005, certain hybrid and alternative-fuel vehicles can earn credits of up to $4,000. To be eligible for the Energy Policy Act of 2005, vehicles have to fall into one of four categories: fuel cell, advance lean burn technology, hybrid or alternative fuel. Currently, the only mass-market cars that qualify are hybrids and one alternative-fuel car, the Honda Civic GX.

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2009 Honda Accord makes European debut

GENEVA, Switzerland – The Geneva International Motor Show sees the World Premiere of the eagerly awaited, all-new European Honda Accord model, and European debuts of the revolutionary zero-emission Honda FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell vehicle and the Honda CR-Z hybrid sports car concept.

The Accord zone dominates the Geneva stand, where ten examples of the latest Accord are on display in both saloon and Tourer body styles. The new Accord has an evolutionary appearance with a sportier and sleeker exterior for the saloon and, more noticeably, the Tourer.

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Honda FCX Clarity Makes European Debut

Geneva sees the European debut of the Honda FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle, which emits no pollution, only clean water vapour. The FCX Clarity will be available to lease in the US from this summer and in Japan in the Autumn

The FCX Clarity is a next-generation, zero-emission, hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle based on and entirely new V flow fuel cell platform, and powered by the highly compact, efficient and powerful V Flow fuel cell stack.

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Honda CR-Z Concept Makes European Debut at Geneva

The Geneva Motor Show sees the European debut of the ‘Futuristic and Dynamic' CR-Z design research study.

The CR-Z demonstrates that an environmentally responsible hybrid vehicle, can also deliver a dynamic driving experience. While thouroughly pursuing the reduction of weight, CR-Z features a dynamic yet sharp exterior design that makes people want to get in and drive.

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Honda Racing F1 Team's RA108

At the launch of the new Honda RA108 on the 29 January, 2008, Honda laid out its plans for 2008 and the longer-term, reaffirming its commitment to the sport and underlining the determination of a revitalised team to realise its ambitions.

The team's 2008 challenge sees a substantial evolution in three key areas, the most fundamental of which is a directional step change in the car design philosophy.

Continue reading "Honda Racing F1 Team's RA108"

March 4, 2008

Honda Becomes Official Vehicle of PGA National Resort & Spa

TORRANCE, Calif. -- American Honda Motor Co., Inc., and PGA National Resort & Spa have entered into a three-year agreement naming Honda as the official vehicle of PGA National Resort & Spa, the companies announced today.

Building upon a relationship started in 2007 with the hosting of the Honda Classic golf tournament, the resort will now feature Honda vehicles on display, as shuttle vehicles, for limited test-drives, and even as a perk of staying in the newly designated Honda Suite.

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March 3, 2008

American Honda Reports Record February Sales

TORRANCE, Calif. -- American Honda Motor Co., Inc., posted record February sales results of 115,397 Honda and Acura vehicles, an increase of 0.7 percent over February 2007, the company announced today.

American Honda light trucks also posted record monthly results with sales of 52,557, up 1.9 percent.

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Honda Expands HondaJet Sales to Mexico and Canada

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Honda Aircraft Company, Inc., today announced the expansion of sales of its advanced light jet HondaJet throughout North America with the selection of a retail sales and service representative for Mexico and a direct sales and U.S. service support plan for Canada.

Honda Aircraft Company also announced its first fractional booking from Mexico with an order for 10 aircraft.

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February 28, 2008

American Honda plant to stop making motorcycles to focus on cars

MARYSVILLE, Ohio - Ohio-based Honda of America Mfg., Inc. today announced that it will discontinue production1 of motorcycles in spring 2009 as part of a global strategy that will focus the company on its leader role in Honda's North American automobile operations.

The 450 Marysville Motorcycle Plant associates will remain key members of the Honda of America team that produces cars, light trucks, engines, and major components in Ohio. There will be no layoffs.

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February 27, 2008

Fan's Chance to Win a Disco-Customized Honda Civic Hybrid

LOS ANGELES -- The Honda Civic Tour is giving music lovers a shot at the ride of their lives by offering them a chance to win a Honda Civic Hybrid designed and autographed by the members of Honda Civic Tour '08 headlining act Panic At The Disco.

Beginning Feb. 28, fans can enter to win this one-of-a-kind green machine by logging on to www.hondacivictour.com.

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February 26, 2008

Honda Welcomes Open-Wheel Unification

Torrance, Calif. -- Officials at American Honda and Honda Performance Development are thrilled with the announcement that America's two premier open-wheel racing series have united.

"We are elated that the sanctioning bodies have elected to combine into a single, cohesive and powerful IndyCar Series," said Erik Berkman, president of Honda Performance Development, the wholly-owned motorsports subsidiary of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "For some time now, Honda has been clearly on record as supporting the concept of a single, unified American open-wheel racing series.

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February 22, 2008

Honda's UK Plant Reaches 2 Million Milestone

Honda is celebratiing the 2 millionth car from its Swindon car production facility.

The silver CR-V is scheduled for production on February 21, 2008, nearly 16 years after car manufacturing began in October 1992.

The company announced substantial new investment, showing further commitment to its UK manufacturing operations.

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Honda's Racing Plans for 2008

Formula One World Championship
In 2008, Honda reaffirms its commitment to the pursuit of its world championship ambitions with a fresh face for the Honda Racing F1 Team, as Ross Brawn takes over as the team principal. Honda will also enhance its car development capabilities through closer Japan-UK collaboration.

With the new Honda RA108 race car designed using a completely new concept to deliver stable, superior aerodynamic performance, and the Honda RA808E V8 engine, which is compatible with the new regulations, Honda aims once again to compete for nothing less than the top position.

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Honda Announces 2008 Motor Sports Highlights

TOKYO, Japan -- Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced the key features of its 2008 motor sports program including its motor sports strategy, and initiatives to cultivate new talent to claim the podium at world-class racing events and expand the popularity of motor sports, as outlined below.

Honda’s spirit of challenge is rooted in its motor sports activities. By constantly striving to fulfill its own dreams and aspirations through ongoing challenges, Honda aims to share dreams and excitement with its customers.

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February 21, 2008

2009 Honda Fit to Make World Debut at New York Auto Show

NEW YORK -- American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today that its all-new Honda Fit will debut at the 2008 New York International Auto Show.

"The current Fit has been a tremendous success for Honda with its spacious, versatile interior and a wealth of standard features in a compact, fuel-efficient and affordable package," said Dick Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda. "The all-new Honda Fit will reconfirm that small can in fact be big."

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February 20, 2008

Honda Civic GX Natural Gas Car Tops Green List

TORRANCE, Calif. -- Recognizing Honda's application of fuel efficient and alternative fuel technologies, four Honda vehicles earned recognition from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) as the "greenest vehicles of 2008" with the Civic GX natural gas car taking the title of the greenest vehicle for the fifth consecutive year, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today.

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February 13, 2008

Best Selling Crossovers in the U.S. -- January 2008

The crossover segment is one of the few bright spots in the new vehicle sales reports, with January 2008 sales up 15.1%. As we've pointed out, much of that increase comes at the expense of minivan sales, which were down 18.3% last month.

While crossovers appear to be just small SUVs, they differ from the traditional ute by being built on unibody frames, just like cars, as opposed to being like trucks, which are body on frame construction. In other words crossovers are either tall cars or reconfigured station wagons. But most people call them SUVs. Because they look like one.

Bottom line, consumers are buying more of them because they get better gas mileage, typically handle more like cars, thus being easier to drive than big SUVs. Though we think it's more of a generational shift -- the SUV had its day and is giving way to a new trend.

The best selling crossovers for January 2008 are as follows:

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February 5, 2008

Best Selling Minivans in the U.S. -- January 2008

The best selling minivans in the United States for January 2008 are led by Toyota, in first place, with the Chrysler Town & Country coming in at #2, Honda Odyssey at #3 and the Dodge Grand Caravan at #4.

Chevy came in fifth and Kia put up respectable numbers for the #5 position, with Nissan falling to #6 and Hyundai barely registering at #8.

The best selling minivans in the U.S. for January '08 are as follows:

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Top Ten Best Selling Cars in the U.S. -- January 2008

The top ten best selling cars in the United States for January 2008 are led once again by Japanese automakers, taking up the top five positions. General Motors has four vehicles on the list, rounded out by the Ford Focus, in the #10 slot.

The top ten best selling cars in the U.S. for January '08 are as follows:

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February 2, 2008

Current Auto Rebates Has All the Updated Rebates!

With auto sales down 4.3% in January 2008, many automakers are increasing the rebate and incentive offers they have on the hoods of their vehicles.

Yet keeping track of all the rebate programs can be difficult work, which is why we began publishing Current Auto Rebates, the Internet's first document that lists every rebate program for every vehicle for same in the United States.

This 13-page PDF makes it easy for you to look up rebates on any model you're interested in, and even allows you to contact your local dealer who will give you a free price quote on the ride of your choice.

Since rebate programs can change several times per month, you may want to sign up for free updates to the publication -- when we update the document you'll get an email from us letting you know a refreshed version is available for you to download.

And if someone you know is currently shopping for a new vehicle, you may want to download a copy and email it to them -- they'll thank you for doing so!

February 1, 2008

Honda Reports January Sales Down 2.3%

TORRANCE, Calif. -- American Honda Motor Co., Inc., posted January total vehicle sales of 98,511, a decline of 2.3 percent compared to January 2007 results.

Honda Division posted January sales of 87,343, a decline of 0.5 percent compared to January 2007. Models that broke monthly records include the CR-V, up 11.3 percent to 16,016; and the Fit, up 120.0 percent to 4,480. Civic sales increased 14.2 percent for the month to 20,993.

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Honda's ASIMO Robot to Be Demonstrated at Kennedy Center

WASHINGTON -- Honda will demonstrate its unique robot, ASIMO, at the Kennedy Center JAPAN! culture + hyperculture festival in Washington D.C. from Thursday, February 7 - Sunday, February 17, 2008.

The robot will perform live 15-minute demonstrations several times daily throughout the festival. Visitors will experience the most sophisticated robotics technology and see how robots like ASIMO will someday assist people. The free demonstrations will be held in the Nations Gallery at the Kennedy Center.

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January 30, 2008

With Home Prices Dropping, Car Prices Are Sure to Follow

It's accepted wisdom now that overall auto sales will drop in 2008. This is seen as a function of the housing bust, during which as much as 20% of new car purchases were funded by residential real estate profit, home equity cashouts and the general euphoria in real estate related industries.

Now that home prices are dropping -- and will continue to do so until they fall in line with median income -- we believe the average new vehicle transaction price will drop as well. If houses can fall 10%-30% in value, why not cars?

In November we ran a story from Comerica Bank stating the average transaction price of a new vehicle was $29,024. Our projection is this number will fall below $25,000, perhaps in 2009 if not this year, for several reasons:

1. Less money to spend. The option of taking cash out of a home to finance a new purchase is gone. The psychology of spending "free money" to buy a luxe ride will give way to folks actually having to make the payment out of their own pocket. And with many people paying even more for housing due to adjustable rates, they will choose cheaper rides.

2. Gas prices. While $3 a gallon gas isn't as draconian as five bucks, it will have an effect over time. People are already choosing more efficient crossovers and smaller SUVs over the big buses, and V8s are going out of favor. Look for more people to choose V6s in cars and for four-cylinders to pick up in popularity.

3. Negative equity. A greater percentage of folks are upside down in their cars, and have been rolling their balances into new loan agreements. To catch up, their new purchases will have to be cheaper and it's going to take years to eat away at the balance.

4. New frugality. In a tough economy, the value of money becomes more dear. People will start thinking twice about how much money they spend. They will choose cheaper cars, perhaps with more options, but the luxe-marques are in for a rough ride.

5. New wage structures. The Detroit car companies have made big headlines with their new labor deals, that allow them to replace higher paid union workers with new hires at a lower wage scale. The higher wages translated into higher sticker prices; the lower wages will allow for slimmer price hikes and even reductions.

6. Battle for fewer consumers. Don't let the tough talk fool you. As fewer cars are sold throughout 2008, the rebate war will kick into full swing -- and spiffs will help bring down the average transaction price.

This last reason is why we launched Current Auto Rebates, a site that publishes all the rebates for every model in a single PDF file, to make bargain hunting that much easier.

January 29, 2008

Close-up of the all-new Honda Accord for Europe

Honda has released first glimpses of the new European Accord which debuts at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show.

The new Accord boasts quality features to challenge established premium contenders in the executive D-segment. Sporty styling and enticing driving dynamics are offered while strong environmental credentials impress in an all Euro 5 emissions-compliant engine line up.

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Honda Racing F1 Team unveils new car, new look

The official presentation of the Honda Racing F1 Team’s 2008 challenger took place at the team’s operational headquarters in Brackley, UK.

The launch followed an initial shakedown period with the all-new RA108 in Valencia last week, in which the team’s race driver line-up of Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button put evaluation mileage on the car in preparation for the start of its pre-season testing program later this week.

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Honda Announces 2008 Young Driver Line-Up

At the launch of the Honda Racing F1 Team’s 2008 racecar, the team announced that Mike Conway and Luca Filippi will form its Young Driver line-up for the coming season.

As part of the team’s commitment to the development of young motorsport talent, the two GP2 drivers were invited to take part in a Young Driver Program evaluation in November and December last year. Each driver had the opportunity to drive the 2007 Honda race car as the team took a closer look at their potential to assist with future testing requirements.

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Honda Breaks Global Sales, Production Records in 2007

Honda Motor Co., Ltd., announced continued growth, with high demand and record sales for its automobiles and motorcycles across the world.

In 2007, Honda supplied its products to 23,335,000 customers worldwide, up 3% on the previous year.

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January 26, 2008

2008 Honda S2000 Rebates Available at Current Auto Rebates.com

The 2008 Honda S2000 has 2.9%-4.9% financing available; program ends 3/3/08. The 2008 Honda S2000 base price -- $34,250.

Click here to get your free 2008 Honda S2000 price quote!