Ultimele articole din presa straina referitoare la Honda

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2009.03.10: All-new Honda Insight Starts Under $20,000; Becomes Most Affordable New Hybrid Available in the U.S.

[tokyodream Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close tokyodream]

New version Accord from Honda Siel !

http://www.thehindu.com/2009/03/13/s...1355021400.htm


POWER PACKED: President and CEO of Honda Siel Cars India Masahiro Takedagawa launching the Honda Accord V6 at Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday.



NEW DELHI: Honda Siel Cars India on Thursday launched the advanced version of its premium sedan Accord. Powered by 3.5-liter i-VTEC engine, the eighth-generation Accord V6 will come in two variants priced at Rs. 24.80 lakh and Rs. 25.35 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).
Equipped with advanced safety and luxury features, Accord V6 features an advanced variable cylinder management (VCM) delivering the maximum power of 275 PS during six cylinder operation and also impressive fuel economy.
The engine meets Euro-IV emission levels and is E-10 (10 per cent ethanol and 90 per cent unleaded petrol) compatible.
“We have introduced the Accord V6 which promises an ultimate performance packed driving for our customers who seek more thrill and power. The inclusion of VCM technology in this super performance car is a testimony to our commitment of providing fuel efficient cars in each segment where we are present.
“The ARAI fuel economy figure of 10 km. per litre is very promising for this high performance car,” said Honda Siel Cars India President and CEO Masahiro Takedagawa.
The seventh-generation Accord, with 2.4-litre engine and price starting at around Rs.17-lakh, will also be available in the market.
On the company’s future plans, Mr. Takedagawa said they would launch their premium hatchback Jazz in the Indian market in June-July this year. “The trail production of the car has begun,” he said.
Honda has deferred the completion of Phase II of its Rajasthan plant for two years. “The assembly line was scheduled for completion by the end of 2009, now it would be completed by end of 2011,” Mr. Takedagawa added.








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Honda Accord Hybrid - Road Test And Useful Info !

http://www.shaister.com/6954-honda-a...seful-info.php

The hybrid that always could have happened finally did. This is a performance car that gets excellent mileage, too.
In the Honda line, this is the best Accord, just as the Civic hybrid is the best Civic. But the Accord pushes the envelope to include 0-to-60 in 6.7 seconds in a comfy five-passenger sedan while, according to the EPA, achieving 30 mpg city, 37 highway. Yes! Consider: The four-cylinder automatic Accord does only 24 city and 34 highway. With today’s technology, only a hybrid could hit all of these marks.
This primo Accord naturally has the highest price, about $30,000 base, Honda says, including automatic, leather, heated seats, AM-FM-satellite radio and six-CD changer, anti-lock brakes, and curtain airbags; the only option is a nav system.
It also has the best performance of any Accord four-door, outrunning the V-6 automatic by 0.3 second to 60 mph and 1 mph in the quarter, to 93 mph in the end zone.
The only sacrifices: You give up 2.8 cubic feet of cargo space (leaving 11.2) to make room for the traction battery and its ventilation system; the rear backrest no longer folds forward for access to the trunk; and the spare tire is replaced by a small air compressor and a can of sealant (Honda pioneered this approach to repairing flats on the original NSX). And, of course, you get whacked by something over three grand on the sticker, too.
From the driver’s seat, you see what you always see in Accords, except for some subtle details in the HVAC controls and Honda’s unique hybrid gauges positioned low in the cluster. The “charge” and “assist” indicators are miniature bar graphs extending horizontally, and a separate battery-level graphic is off by itself to the right. There’s also an indicator labeled “ECO” that often glows green. ECO? Call it the “good news” light celebrating your propulsion on only the three front cylinders.
Except for this small array of unusual graphics in the cluster, there’s little about this car to say it’s a hybrid, or that it’s the best Accord. There’s a small “hybrid” badge on the decklid, less conspicuous than the V-6 emblem below it, a token decklid spoiler, special five-spoke alloy wheels, a different grille color, and tires upsized one notch to 215/60R-16. The eye is hardly grabbed.
Honda is low-profiling this one. We think average folks wouldn’t notice anything about the way it drives, either. Okay, engine off at idle might raise flags, except, “Is it really off? What’s that little noise? There’s a vibration, too.” Until you read the manual, the small green “AUTO STOP” blinking on the cluster is cryptic to the point of huh?
During our summer test motoring, the A/C was always running. The belt-drive compressor (75cc displacement) stops with the engine, but the electric compressor (15cc) maintains cabin coolness and keeps the Accord alive with enough vibration that you could think—in a Lexus anyway—the engine were still idling.
The 2997cc V-6 has a system to deactivate all the valves on the rear bank. It’s programmed to shrink back to three-cylinder operation below 3500 rpm when cruising or coasting, and the others don’t come alive even for mild acceleration. Instead, the electric motor readily and seamlessly kicks in to help. Only at higher revs, or if the battery is down, or if significant acceleration is ordered, will all six cylinders join in. One staffer thought he could feel some rough running on three, but most of us could not. This feature is highly successful, effectively cutting consumption in half when the green glows.
The mechanical layout is typical of Honda hybrids, with a thin wafer of a motor/generator (Honda calls it Integrated Motor Assist) sandwiched between the sideways engine and transmission. The five-speed automatic was shortened by 2.4 inches to allow room between the frame rails for the extra 2.7 inches of the IMA.
For more car review please visit Car and Honda.
Save money on car loans with the help of car finance calculator.

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[tokyodream Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close tokyodream]

Honda set for hybrid race !

http://www.ohio.com/business/41133482.html

Aiming to cut into Toyota's dominance of gasoline-electric auto sales, Honda has set the U.S. base price of its new Insight hybrid car $2,200 below the least expensive version of the top-selling Prius.
The 2010 Insight goes on sale March 24 with a range from $19,800 for the base model LX to $23,100 for the top-end version, Honda said Wednesday.
Prices for the 2009 Prius go from $22,000 for a base model to $27,765 for the Touring version, according to Toyota's Web site.
''Initially, the lower price won't matter too much,'' said Alan Baum, director of automotive forecasting for Planning Edge in Birmingham, Mich. ''They're positioning for the midterm, for when the market improves. They think there's a sweet spot at a lower price point'' than Prius.
Honda, Japan's second-largest automaker, and larger rival Toyota are stepping up competition in fuel-efficient hybrids, even as U.S. sales of all cars and light trucks keep falling from 2008's 16-year low.
Toyota later this year plans to introduce a revamped Prius with higher mileage and more power than the current model and the Insight.
U.S. hybrid sales fell 30 percent in the year's first two months to 31,466, as total auto purchases tumbled 39 percent.
Demand for gasoline-electric models also has weakened as the average gasoline price has slid 40 percent from a year earlier to $1.94 a gallon, according to AAA's Daily Fuel Gauge Web site.
The Prius accounted for 50 percent of all gasoline-electric models sold in the U.S. in 2008.
Keeping the Insight's starting price less than $20,000 became more difficult as the yen gained 9.5 percent against the dollar in the past six months and commodity prices rose, said Sage Marie, a spokesman for Honda's U.S. unit in Torrance, Calif. The Insight is built in Japan.
Honda wanted to hold down Insight's price to attract young, first-time buyers, Marie said. The car is designated a compact by the U.S., while Prius is called a mid-size hatchback.
Insight and Prius ''will be cross-shopped, but we are seeking a different buyer,'' Marie said.
Honda has said it hopes to sell 100,000 Insights in North America in the model's first 12 months, while Toyota's target is 180,000 units of the new Prius in its first full year.

Honda started selling the Insight in Japan on Feb. 6 and has received about 18,000 orders for the model, more than triple its monthly sales target of 5,000. It was the country's 10th best-selling model in Japan in February, excluding minicars.

The Insight averages 41 miles on a gallon of gasoline in combined city and highway driving, Honda said. The current Prius is rated at 46 mpg by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which estimates that the revamped model will get 50 mpg.
Shares of Honda stock have gained 13 percent so far in 2009.

[tokyodream Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close tokyodream]

Honda Targets To Sell 6,000 New Civic Units !

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/ne....php?id=397423

PETALING JAYA, March 19 (Bernama) -- Honda Malaysia Sdn Bhd is targeting to sell 6,000 units of its new Honda Civic this year, its chief executive officer and managing director Atsushi Fujimoto said Thursday.

"Sales of the new Honda Civic will contribute to our initial total sales target of 35,000 units of vehicles this year," he told reporters after the launch of new Civic which has undergone a facelift here

The total sales target is a 14 percent increase compared to last year's volume, and will be around nine percent of the total industry volume this year.

"Despite the gloomly economic outlook, Honda Malaysia is still in a good position to achieve our total sales target this year," said Fujimoto.

The company has sold more than 6,500 units of cars for the first two months of this year, up by 50 percent compared to the same period in 2008.

Honda Malaysia also expects to sell 300 units of its Civic Hybrid this year, having already received 50 bookings before the launch.

Fujimoto also said that Honda Malaysia would see a change of management later this year with his transfer to Honda Thailand as managing director. Toru Takahashi will succeed him.

Featuring a redesigned grille and bumper, the new facelifted 8th generation Honda Civic comes with a sportier appearance and better air ventilation.

The 1.8L variant is priced at RM114, 980 (on the road) while the Civic 2.0L and Civic Hybrid will be sold at RM129, 980 each.

-- BERNAMA

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[michaelro2001 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close michaelro2001]

de pe situl Top Gear:
Honda's X6?

Anyone else noticing a hell of a lot of X6s on the road? BMW’s massive Sports Activity Coupe Lifestyle Utility Vehicle Thing (or however the hell they designate it) may have been the answer to a question no one asked, but it’s shifting a few units.

And it seems other manufacturers want in on the big coupe-niche pie. Acura – Honda’s luxury brand (think Nissan’s Infiniti or Toyota’s Lexus) has just shown off this shadowy teaser image of its upcoming crossover concept, and it looks damn similar to the X6, with a swoopy, coupe-style roofline, narrow glasshouse and, from what we can see, fat ol’ wheel arches.

The concept is expected to be unveiled at the New York Auto Show later this year, with the production version hitting the streets next year.

Not British streets, mind – Honda has never brought its luxury marque to our shores. It could, hypothetically, find its way over here wearing a Honda badge, but that's unlikely. Do we really need another giant 4x4 coupe? Do we need any at all?

In the meantime, own up. Who’s buying all the damn X6s? We know you’re out there somewhere…
http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/a...ver-2009-03-17

[tokyodream Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close tokyodream]

Draga Mihai, este topic separat ACURA CROOSOVER
abia astept sa vad pozele complete............

[tokyodream Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close tokyodream]

Honda sees increased sales in Malaysia in 2009 !


http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2009/...ysia-Honda.php

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Japanese carmaker Honda said Thursday it was confident of increasing sales in Malaysia this year, one of the rare regional markets to buck the downtrend amid the global economic gloom.
Honda Malaysia President Azman Idris said the company hopes to sell 35,000 cars this year in Southeast Asia's largest passenger car market, up about 8 percent from 32,477 units in 2008.

Despite a sharp drop in overall sales in the domestic market in January, Honda managed to increase Malaysian sales to capture a 10 percent market share — more than its 7 percent market share for 2008, he said.

Unlike Honda factories globally which had cut production, output at its Malaysian factory has been ramped up as demand for its four main models — the City, Civic, Accord and the CRV — remained robust, he said.

The mid-sized sedan City remains its best-selling model, accounting for half of its sales.

"Our sales are still strong as banks are still giving credit but we anticipate tough times. Customer satisfaction is the way forward for us to retain customer loyalty," he said after the launch of a new version of the Civic.
The Malaysian Automotive Association forecast domestic sales to drop 12.4 percent to 480,000 units this year from 548,115 units last year.
But Azman said Honda is more conservative and estimated total industry sales at only 400,00 units as the Malaysian economy faces its first possible recession in a decade.
Honda is the second best selling foreign brand in Malaysia, trailing rival Toyota.
Honda's biggest production hub in Southeast Asia is in Thailand, which makes a wider range of cars for exports largely to the region and Australia. But production there has been cut by half to 120,000 units last year and will remain at the same level this year, officials said.

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Luxury large capacity engine cars see price cut in Beijing market !

http://english.people.com.cn/90001/9...0/6618491.html

Dealers of luxury auto brands including Mercedes Benz, BMW and Audi have launched promotional sales for their cars with large capacity engines in Beijing.

The financial crisis and the implementation of a new consumer tax in the second half of last year has impeded the sales of imported vehicles with engine capacities of over 3.0-liters. As a result, dealers have had to lower prices to increase sales in order to keep their capital chains from being broken, noted an official at the China Automobile Trading Company (CATC).

Recently, in the Beijing automobile market, Audi Q7s with engine capacities of over 4.0-liters have been discounted 200,000 yuan, vehicle purchase taxes on all BMW X3-Series have been reduced or exempted, and the highest specification BMW X3 3.0i has been priced at 600,000 yuan after discount. The luxury model of the 4.8-liter BMW X5 has been discounted 230,000 yuan, the 2009 model of the Honda Acura MDX has a discount of 100,000 yuan and is now priced at 700,000 yuan, the Mercedes Benz E230 model is offering a maximum discount of 80,000 yuan, and the high-end Mercedes Benz S600L is even offering a price cut of 300,000 yuan.

Since Spring Festival, the market for vehicles with engine capacities of over 3.0-liters has seen a 10 percent fall in the average price, said an expert in auto price monitoring. The fall is mainly due to a rise in the consumer tax rate adopted in the second half of last year. This tax increase led to an increase in the cost of imported vehicles and finally caused the increase in their sales prices after September last year. Prior to Spring Festival, however, most dealers of imported large capacity engine vehicles still sold vehicles that were imported before the raising of the consumer tax rate. In addition, since some dealers had completed their annual sales goals, there were no noticeable declines in prices. After Spring Festival, dealers were faced with pressure for sales from producers, leading to a wave of price reductions for large capacity engine luxury vehicles.

The downturn of market shares since last September has also played a partial role in the wave of price reductions.

Since the adoption of the new consumer tax in September last year, the sales volume for imported vehicles with an engine capacity over 3.0-liters has started to drop, with nearly 10,000 vehicles sold in this market segment in September and 8,500 units in October. The sales volume dropped to 6,000 units in November and stood at 6,300 units in December, according to relevant staff at CATC.

By People's Daily Online

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IIHS Conducts First Tests for Roof-Strength Standard !

http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2...-standard.html

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has launched its new roof-strength rating system, conducting its first batch of tests on small SUVs. Only four of 12 vehicles managed to earn the top rating of Good.
The SUVs rated Good were the Subaru Forester, Honda Element, Jeep Patriot and Volkswagen Tiguan. The Suzuki Grand Vitara, Chevrolet Equinox, Toyota RAV4, Nissan Rogue and Mitsubishi Outlander were rated Acceptable. The Honda CR-V and Ford Escape ranked Marginal, while the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson were the only small SUVs to rate Poor.

The new roof-strength standard is meant to combat rollover deaths, which at more than 10,000 a year account for roughly a quarter of all traffic deaths. To become an IIHS Top Safety Pick, vehicles will now have to withstand four times their own weight before the roof collapses 5 inches. This strength-to-weight ratio is much higher than the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s standard, which mandates that roofs bear 2.5 times the vehicle’s weight.


The four-times figure wasn’t plucked out of thin air: IIHS says this level of strength could lead to a 50% reduction in fatalities during rollovers. IIHS says including this qualification in its list of Top Safety Pick standards should significantly lower the number of cars — 73 today — that earn that status.

Currently, the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Honda Element, Mazda Tribute, Mercury Mariner, Mitsubishi Outlander, Nissan Rogue, Subaru Forester, Toyota RAV4 and VW Tiguan are rated as Top Safety Picks. This test would cull this list of 10 to only the Honda Element, Subaru Forester and VW Tiguan.

Though there’s been much debate between the government and automakers about the cost and necessity of roof-strength standards, this move by IIHS won’t leave companies much choice but to add to roof strength while trying to keep overall vehicle weight down, lest they be outpaced year after year in IIHS testing.
The Institute will next test roof strength of minicars and midsize cars.



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Slow Moving: Production continues apace, but economy takes a toll as it's doing elsewhere!

http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2...s-nationworld/

The Ford and Honda hybrids due out this month are among many models planned for the coming years as automakers try to meet new fuel-efficiency standards and please politicians overseeing the industry's multibillion-dollar bailout.
Unfortunately for the automakers, the Los Angeles Times reports that hybrids are a tough sell these days.
Americans have cut back on buying vehicles of all types as the economy continues to slide, but the slowdown has been particularly hard on hybrids, which use electricity and gasoline as power sources.
They were the industry's darling just last summer, but sales have declined as consumers refuse to pay a premium for a fuel-efficient vehicle now that the average cost of a gallon of gasoline has slipped below $2.
"When gas prices came down, the priority of buying a hybrid fell off quite quickly," said Wes Brown, a partner at Iceology, a market-research company in Los Angeles. "Yet even as consumer interest declined, the manufacturers have continued to pump them out."
In July, Toyota dealers in the United States didn't have enough Prius models in stock to last two days, and many were charging thousands of dollars above the sticker price for the few they had.
"Last year, we had a waiting list of 100 deep. The production couldn't catch up," said Omnia Fowler, the general manager of Modern Toyota on Peters Creek Parkway.
There are now about 30 Priuses sitting on the lot, he said.
"Right when they start producing a lot of them was right when the demand for everything went way down," Fowler said.
An AAA Carolinas spokesman, Brendan Byrnes, said that agents for the club's car-buying service are still selling hybrids, and that the decline in hybrid sales is not far off from the overall drop in vehicle sales.
Fowler said he has seen the same trend. Overall vehicle sales are down about 42 percent from this time last year, and hybrid sales are down about 50 percent. People buy hybrids for more than just gas savings; hybrids have lower emissions and are considered to be more environmentally friendly.
The biggest problem for automobile dealers is that customers are still having trouble getting loans to buy cars, Fowler said. The extra $3,000 to $4,000 cost for a hybrid is even tougher to finance. The cars sell for about $30,000.
"The combination of the gas prices going down has made it where the hybrid isn't as much as price savings," he said.
Last month, only 15,144 hybrids were sold nationwide, down almost two-thirds from last April, when the segment's sales peaked and gas averaged $3.57 a gallon. That's far greater than the drop in industry sales for the period and scarcely a better showing than January, when hybrid sales were at their lowest since early 2005.
Dealers are working much harder -- even with the help of a $500 factory rebate -- to move the hybrids off lots.
This month, Honda is offering $2,000 in cash, financing and leasing incentives to buyers of the formerly sold-out Civic hybrid, and a dealer in northern Michigan is dangling $6,000 cash back to those willing to purchase a Chevy Tahoe hybrid.
Yet automakers feel that they have little choice but to make more hybrids. Although car buyers are losing interest, politicians are pushing the vehicles as key to reducing U.S. dependence on foreign oil and limiting the global-warming gases released into the atmosphere.
In January, President Obama called on the industry to "thrive by building the cars of tomorrow" and told leaders to prepare for federal and state regulations that could push average fuel economy above 40 miles per gallon by 2020.
"The automakers are in the situation of needing to pacify politicians that are in the position to bail them out with expensive fuel-efficient cars," said Rebecca Lindland, an auto analyst with IHS Global Insight. "But shouldn't it be more about satisfying the needs of the American consumer?"
Dubbed the Prius-fighter because of its similar looks and performance, the Honda Insight hybrid is set to arrive on dealer lots in the next few weeks. Next year, Honda will make a sporty hybrid coupe. Hyundai and Audi will deliver their first hybrids in 2010, and Toyota has a redesigned Prius and a new Lexus hybrid coming this spring. Toyota said that it would make a subcompact hybrid priced below $20,000 in 2011.
Ford plans to follow its new 41-mile-a-gallon Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids with a battery-powered van in 2010 and a family of hybrids by 2012. Last month, in their request to the Obama administration for $21.6 billion in additional bailout cash, both General Motors and Chrysler announced a hybrid onslaught.
Chrysler promised eight new hybrids or electric vehicles by 2015, and GM, which already sells eight hybrids, said 26 of the 33 cars it sells in 2015 won't run on gas alone, including the Chevrolet Volt, a plug-in hybrid due out next year.
The hybrid flood marks a lasting commitment to a powertrain technology that currently represents about 2 percent of vehicle sales in the United States and, by most accounts, is deeply unprofitable.
Toyota said last year that it was finally making money on the Prius after nearly 10 years producing it, but executives at other automakers concede that they lose money on every hybrid sold.
"If we were making money on the Civic hybrid, we weren't making a lot," a Honda spokesman, Chris Martin, said.

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http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=144926

[tokyodream Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close tokyodream]

Honda helps Earth Rangers cover new ground !

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/a.../27/c5229.html

TORONTO, March 27 /CNW/ - Honda Canada Inc. has provided two new 2009
Honda Odyssey minivans to Earth Rangers
(http://www.earthrangers.org/en-us/Home.aspx), a non-profit organization that
empowers kids to improve the health of the planet, so that it can bring its
live shows to new school and community audiences.
Earth Rangers' shows help children make a connection between the impact
humans have on the environment and the importance of making responsible
choices. This year, Earth Rangers plans to double the number of children it
reaches through its live shows to nearly 350,000. By empowering kids to take
small actions to protect the planet, Earth Rangers is fostering the next
generation of environmental stewards.
One of the Honda Odyssey minivans will be used to bring a show team to
the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) when the permanent Earth Rangers Studio opens
there this spring, as part of the Schad Gallery of Biodiversity. Starting in
April, the other van will take Earth Rangers' new, touring, school show, which
is funded for the next two years by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, to
underserved communities across Ontario.
"Honda is proud of its enduring relationship with Earth Rangers," said
Jerry Chenkin, executive vice president of Honda Canada Inc. "We are committed
to preserving a global environment that will ensure 'blue skies for our
children,' and Earth Rangers imparts a powerful message on environmental
protection to children and youth."
Peter Kendall, executive director of Earth Rangers, added, "We're excited
to have Honda's ongoing support of our school and community shows. It is
heartening to have a long-time supporter, like Honda, be there for us as we
expand our program to new audiences."
In addition to the minivans, members of the Honda Junior Red Rider Club
donated $7,200 in a special presentation to help Earth Rangers deliver its new
shows at the ROM and across the province.
Honda Canada has supported Earth Rangers since 2004, providing the
non-profit organization with a total of six Odyssey minivans that have enabled
it to increase the number of presentations it delivers. Last year, Earth
Rangers doubled its reach, over the previous year, to be in front of 165,000
children.

About Honda

Honda is among the world's leaders in building fuel-efficient,
low-emission engines, and is the world's largest engine manufacturer for
automobiles, motorcycles, marine and power equipment. With 135 manufacturing
facilities in 28 countries worldwide, Honda now attracts more than 24 million
customers annually. Honda recently celebrated its 40th year of operations in
Canada. In mid-April, it will commemorate another milestone when the
5-millionth vehicle built in Canada by Honda rolls off the assembly lines at
the Honda of Canada Mfg, vehicle assembly facility in Alliston, Ontario.

About Earth Rangers

Earth Rangers is a non-profit organization that empowers kids to improve
the health of the planet. Building on kids' natural connection to wildlife,
its live shows and children's Web site, EarthRangers.com, motivates hundreds
of thousands of kids each year to make realistic, lifestyle changes. Earth
Rangers lives its values; its building has a Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED) Gold designation from the Canada Green Building
Council, and uses 79 per cent less energy than a typical building its size.
Visit EarthRangers.org for more information.

<<
/NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: A photo accompanying this release is available on
the CNW Photo Network and archived at http://photos.newswire.ca.
Additional archived images are also available on the CNW Photo Archive
website at http://photos.newswire.ca. Images are free to accredited
members of the media/
>>




For further information: Media inquiries to: Christine Maloney,communications manager, (905) 417-3447 ext. 2291, cmaloney@earthrangers.com

Honda Junior Red Riders present Peter Kendall, executive director of Earth Rangers, with a cheque for $7,200 during a special presentation which included Honda Canada providing two additional Honda Odyssey minivans to Earth Rangers for their school outreach programs. The two new Odyssey minivans brings Earth Rangers' Honda Odyssey fleet to six. (CNW Group/Earth Rangers)

[vtin Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close vtin]

http://world.honda.com/news/2009/c09...ce-Technology/

Honda, ATR and Shimadzu Jointly Develop Brain-Machine Interface Technology Enabling Control of a Robot by Human Thought Alone

TOKYO, Japan, March 31, 2009 - Honda Research Institute Japan Co., Ltd. (HRI-JP), a subsidiary of Honda R&D Co., Ltd., Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR) and Shimadzu Corporation have collaboratively developed the world’s first*1 Brain Machine Interface (BMI) technology that uses electroencephalography (EEG) and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) along with newly developed information extraction technology to enable control of a robot by human thought alone. It does not require any physical movement such as pressing buttons. This technology will be further developed for the application to human-friendly products in the future by integrating it with intelligent technologies and/or robotic technologies.





Brain activity measuring device



During the human thought process, slight electrical current and blood flow change occur in the brain. The most important factor in the development of the BMI technology is the accuracy of measuring and analyzing these changes. The newly developed BMI technology uses EEG, which measures changes in electrical potential on the scalp, and NIRS, which measures changes in cerebral blood flow, with a newly developed information extraction technology which enables statistical processing of the complex information from these two types of sensors. As a result, it became possible to distinguish brain activities with high precision without any physical motion, but just human thought alone.

The BMI technology announced by HRI-JP and ATR in 2006 used a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanner to measure brain activities. The large size and powerful magnetic field generated by the fMRI scanner limited the locations and conditions where it can be used. As the newly developed measuring device uses EEG and NIRS sensors, it can be transported to and used in various locations.

< Test procedures for experiments with the new BMI >
First, EEG and NIRS sensors are placed on the head of the user. Then, one of four pre-determined body part options*2 is provided to the user. The user imagines moving that body part without making any physical movement. Changes in both brain waves and cerebral blood flow triggered by the brain activity are measured simultaneously. The data obtained are analyzed on a real-time basis to distinguish what the user imagined. Upon receiving the result, Honda’s ASIMO humanoid robot makes corresponding movements such as raising its arm or leg. The world’s highest level*3 accuracy rate of more than 90% was achieved in the tests.



*1, 3 According to Honda and ATR in-house research.
*2 For this particular research experiment, the four options were left hand, right hand, tongue and feet. The user creates a mental image of moving the selected body part.


Since 2005, Honda and ATR have been conducting research and development of BMI technology exploring the potential of a new interface which connects people and machines. Honda is looking into the possibility of applying this technology to a people-friendly human interface through integration with other technologies such as artificial intelligence technologies and/or robotics technologies. In May 2006, Honda and ATR successfully developed a BMI technology which utilizes a fMRI scanner and achieved the first success in the world to control a robot hand by decoding brain activities without electrode array implants or special training of the user.

♦ About BMI
While conventional machine-interface uses devices such as switches which need to be operated by a user’s hands or feet, BMI uses brain activity data measured by various devices and enables non-contact control of the machines (such as robots). Invasive BMI, which is widely studied by U.S. and European researchers, requires the surgical implant of electrode arrays, whereas non-invasive BMI uses sensors touching the user’s scalp.

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http://www.capital.ro/index.php?sect...d=118166&rss=1

Honda opreşte producţia în America de Nord si reduce salariile!

Autor: Simona Roşu
Publicat: 1 Aprilie 2009

Producatorul auto nipon Honda Motor Co a anuntat ca va reduce productia in America de Nord cu 62.000 de unitati prin inchiderea fabricilor timp de 13 zile, incepand cu luna mai. De asemenea, Honda va reduce si salariile angajatilor.
Cel de-al doilea mare producator japonez, care este la randul sau afectat de scaderea accentuata a vanzarilor pe piata de profil, a anuntat, de asemenea, ca va oferi compensatii celor mai multi dintre cei 32.400 de angajati din SUA si Canada.
Acesta este cel mai mare proces de reducere a costurilor de salarizare realizat de Honda, potrivit purtatorului de cuvat al companiei.
Honda are uzine de asamblare in Indiana, Ohio si Alabama (SUA) cat si in Canada si Mexic.
Honda Motor este singurul producator auto japonez care mizeaza pe profit pentru anul fiscal ce s-a incheiat la 31 martie. Cu toate acestea, compania a anuntat o scadere cu 89% a profitului in cel de-al treilea trimestru al anului fiscal curent, la 20,2 miliarde de yeni (226 milioane de dolari), pe fondul cresterii costurilor si a scaderii vanzarilor pe cele mai importante piete.

Sursa: USA Today

[tokyodream Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close tokyodream]

Honda Canada reports March sales !

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/a.../01/c6401.html

TORONTO, April 1 /CNW/ - Honda Canada Inc. reported combined March sales
of 12,570 units by its Honda and Acura divisions, a 23% decrease
year-over-year. The Honda Automobile Division reported March sales of 11,359
units, down 20% from last year. The Acura Division reported March sales of
1,211 units, down 42% over last year.
"Our March results, although down from last year's record results, are
only off by 13 per cent over the last five-year sales average," said Jerry
Chenkin, executive vice president, Honda Canada Inc. "We are encouraged to see
that showroom traffic at our dealerships in March was up over the previous
months, and that consumer confidence is showing a gradual upswing. We are also
pleased to see that the Honda Civic, Canada's top-selling car the past 11
years, saw its sales in March more than doubled over February's results."

Honda Canada, now in its 40th year of operation in Canada, manufactures
the Honda Civic sedan and coupe, and the Acura CSX and MDX at its two plants
in Alliston, Ontario, and produces fuel-efficient 4-cylinder engines at its
new engine plant adjacent to its manufacturing facilities. Approximately 91
per cent of all Honda and Acura vehicles sold in Canada last month were
produced in North America, with nearly half of those vehicles made here in
Canada.




For further information: Richard Jacobs, (416) 287-4708

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Honda pulls out of Frankfurt to save costs, starts testing FCX in Germany !

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/04...testing-fcx-i/

It's looking like all auto shows are going to be feeling the pinch of a shrinking auto market going forward, including the mighty Frankfurt Show. Honda has joined Nissan in pulling out of this fall's Frankfurt show in order to save money. Earlier this year, Nissan announced that it would only participate in one auto show on each continent with those being Geneva, Tokyo and Los Angeles. Honda hasn't yet made such a sweeping announcement but appears to be taking things one show at a time. It wouldn't be surprising to see a similar move with only one North American Show presence as well. At this year's Detroit show, Honda and Acura occupied floor space but didn't bother with a press conference. Instead, the new Insight was simply revealed on the show floor.

Speaking of the Insight, it goes on sale in Europe on April 18. Elsewhere, Honda will begin testing its FCX Clarity fuel cell car in Germany later this year and will divert other resources to fuel cell and hydrogen development. Honda sees fuel cells as a better long term bet than batteries and plug-in vehicles and intends to pursue that goal.

01.04.2009

Honda's participation in IAA 2009

About Honda's participation in IAA 2009

In response to economic climate, Honda cancels participation in IAA 2009, while strengthening environment and customer focused activities.

* New Fuel Cell research in Europe
* More Hybrid vehicles
* New Honda Academy to strengthen Quality and Customer Service

March 31st 2009 - Honda has announced today that it will not participate in IAA, Internationale Automobil Ausstellung, known as Frankfurt motor show, this year. Due to the unprecedented market downturn, Honda has come to a conclusion that the company will have to skip its participation to the Frankfurt motor show this year.

As seen in the withdrawal from Formula One, Honda is trying to reduce every possible cost in various areas including manufacturing, sales and marketing activities to strengthen its business constitution to overcome the tough climate of today.

Whilst the 4 month shutdown to adjust the inventory balance, Honda's UK car manufacturing facility in Swindon is taking the full advantage of production suspension to refurbish its plants and prepare for smooth introduction of Jazz into Swindon factory planned in autumn this year.

Honda is the world's biggest engine manufacturer with 24 million engine powered products sold in 2008 in the areas of automobiles, motorcycles and power equipment, and is committed to swiftly respond to unprecedented situation in the global scale. While vigorously taking on every possible cost reduction measure, Honda is also focusing on research and production of environmentally responsible products.

The Insight Hybrid will be on sale in Germany from April 18th, the hybrid car has already had more than 18.000 customer orders in Japan just in one month, More than 3 times larger than its monthly target of 5.000 units in Japan. Besides that Honda will bring to market a sporty Hybrid based on the CR-Z Concept in 2010 which will be followed by a Jazz Hybrid.

Moreover, Honda will begin a new research project of Fuel Cell technologies in Germany as from autumn this year. This involves permanent deployment of FCX Clarity in Europe, Honda's sophisticated master piece of hydrogen driven vehicle, which already is on lease sales in the USA and Japan. Honda R&D Europe (Deutschland) GmbH in Offenbach will use the FCX Clarity for long term research of Fuel Cell technology and Hydrogen Energy conformity in European conditions.

Honda will divert the resources for environmentally responsible technology to win the race for Zero Emissions. Furthermore Honda will also realign its forces regarding Service Quality and customer orientation. On March 23rd Germany saw the ground breaking ceremony of the new Honda Academy for Europe at Erlensee near Hanau. This 15 Mil EUR invest is dedicated to train Honda and dealer's staff in a way that they are able to exceed customer's expectations also in the future.

[tokyodream Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close tokyodream]

Honda Civic is most stolen car on lower mainland, but B.C. auto thieves prefer Ford F-series!*

* se refera la SUA!


http://www.canada.com/news/Honda+Civ...508/story.html

Owners of Honda Civics from 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997 and 2000 might want to invest in a decent car alarm - or perhaps a secured garage - as their pride and joy is the prime target of car thieves across the lower mainland.

According to figures released by the Ministry of Public Safety and ICBC Wednesday, the Honda Civic ranks first on the desirability list of thieves, followed by the Chrysler Voyager from 1992-1995, the Honda Accord from 1990-1994, and recent models of the Ford F-Series.

Owners of pre-2000 Jeep Cherokees, Nissan Pathfinders, Acura Integras, Chrysler Neons, Toyota Camrys and Dodge Dakotas will be saddened to see their vehicles make the top ten, but the Ford F-Series (2003-2006) and the 2004 Dodge Dakota rank as the only post-2000 vehicles listed.

The F-Series, which includes the Ford F-150, F-250 and F-350, lands at the top of the table in Southern Interior and North/Central B.C. crime statistics, in both cases just ahead of the late 90's Dodge Ram. Vancouver Island figures for 2008 show the F-Series again topping the list, with the Honda Civic coming in second place.

The list draws heavily from cars released in the early 90's, indicating modern car security systems have had some success in deterring property crime over the past decade.

Auto thefts in B.C. dropped 16 percent between 2007 and 2008, according to figures released as part of Auto Crime Enforcement month. That represents approximately 2,500 less stolen vehicles across the province, according to the Ministry of Public Safety.

Of the top 25 most stolen vehicles in B.C., the oldest makes on the list are all Toyotas: the 1986 Corolla, Camry and 4Runner, though only the Corolla seems to have remained an issue past 1991.


The Top 10 most stolen vehicles in the lower mainland in 2008:

1. Honda Civic 93, 95, 91, 97, 00
2. Chrysler (Dodge/Plymouth) Caravan/Voyager* 95, 94, 92,
3. Honda Accord 90, 92, 91, 93, 94
4. Ford F-Series** 05, 04, 06, 03, 99
5. Jeep Cherokee*** 93, 95, 94, 97, 92
6. Nissan Pathfi nder 95, 93, 92, 91, 94
7. Acura Integra 90, 92, 91, 95, 93
8. Chrysler (Dodge/Plymouth) Neon 98, 95, 96, 97
9. Toyota Camry 90, 89, 88, 87, 86
10. Dodge Dakota 94, 92, 93, 96, 04

* = Includes Grand Caravan/Grand Voyager
** = Includes F150, F250, F350
*** = Includes Grand Cherokee


The Top 25 most stolen vehicles across B.C. in 2008:

1. Ford F-Series* 04, 05, 03, 06, 99
2. Honda Civic 93, 95, 97, 91, 00
3. Chrysler (Dodge/Plymouth) Caravan/Voyager** 95, 94, 92,
4. Honda Accord 90, 92, 91, 93, 94
5. Jeep Cherokee*** 93, 95, 94, 92, 96
6. Nissan Pathfi nder 93, 95, 92, 91, 90
7. Dodge Ram 98, 94, 97, 01, 96
8. Dodge Dakota 96, 05, 94, 06, 04
9. Chrysler (Dodge/Plymouth) Neon 95, 98, 96, 97
10. Acura Integra 90, 92, 91, 95, 93
11. Toyota Camry 90, 88, 89, 86, 87
12. Toyota 4Runner 89, 88, 87, 86, 91
13. GMC Sierra 90, 92, 91, 93, 89
14. Toyota Corolla 05, 90, 03, 86, 04
15. Chevrolet Cavalier 03, 97, 90, 02, 96
16. Ford Explorer 94, 97, 93, 96, 95
17. Mazda B2600 Pick-up 91, 90, 92, 93, 89
18. Oldsmobile Cutlass 89, 90, 92, 93, 91
19. GMC G3500 Series 94, 91, 92, 97, 93
20. Nissan 240 SX 91, 93, 92, 90, 95
21. Dodge Durango 01, 98, 99, 00, 05
22. Ford Taurus 99, 96, 95, 98, 97
23. Volkswagen Golf 94, 96, 95, 97, 90
24. Ford Mustang 94, 88, 90, 95, 00
25. Chrysler Intrepid 97, 00, 94, 93, 98

* = Includes Grand Caravan/Grand Voyager
** = Includes F150, F250, F350
*** = Includes Grand Cherokee


cparry@vancouversun.com
© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun



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Acura News:


Acura becomes first automaker to achieve top ratings from NHTSA, IIHS on entire lineup!




Volvo is probably the marque most associated with vehicle safety, but Acura has become the first automaker to achieve top ratings for its entire lineup from both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Acura’s latest TL was the model that put Acura over the top, achieving a 5-star rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS. “No other automotive brand has accomplished what Acura has, nor can make the safety claims that Acura can,” said John Mendel, executive vice president of automobile sales. “When consumers think safety, they really should think Acura.”

Acura accredits its top safety picks to its “Safety Through Innovation” program and its Automotive Safety Research Facility in Raymond, Ohio.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/acura-be...re-lineup.html

[tokyodream Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close tokyodream]

Honda cuts the line to fuel-pump maker!

http://www.dailybreeze.com/ci_12094881


FuelMaker Corp., an alternative fuel company that Honda Motor Co. has been trying to sell, will be liquidated, according to a report Tuesday by the International Association of Natural Gas Vehicles.
Honda, whose North American headquarters is in Torrance, initially purchased a share of FuelMaker in 2000 to complement promotion of the Honda Civic GX, which runs on compressed natural gas, or CNG. Honda eventually became the company's sole shareholder.
FuelMaker manufactured CNG fuel pumps, including a home- based version known as the Phill.
Honda had tried to sell FuelMaker for $17 million to Clean Energy Fuels, a Seal Beach-based natural gas distributor owned by entrepreneur and conservative activist T. Boone Pickens.
That deal fell through in October.
On Thursday, Honda allowed FuelMaker to enter into receivership, with its assets to be liquidated, according to the natural gas association.
A Honda official who deals with alternative fuel vehicles could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
In a statement, the association said: "Though not a core business of Honda America, (Fuelmaker's liquidation) raises questions about Honda's future commitment to natural gas vehicles in North America, given its enviable record with the Honda Civic GX being named the `greenest vehicle' sold in the US (2009) by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy - the sixth accolade in a row for the car maker." Despite
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accolades and media attention, CNG vehicles never caught on with consumers, said Jim Hossack, consulting vice president at AutoPacific in Tustin.

"It's gone from low to near zero," Hossack said of the vehicles' appeal.
A big reason for the drop in interest is relatively low gasoline prices, which are about half of last summer's highs in the $4 range, Hossack said.
Other reasons the technology never lacked consumer interest is the vehicles' limited range, higher price and dearth of fueling stations accessible to the public.
"You'd have to have a distribution system," Hossack said. "How many (public) CNG outlets are there in Southern California? I don't know the answer, but I bet you can count them on the fingers of one hand."
One place CNG vehicles have been successful is in Japan for taxis, Hossack said.
That is because gasoline is as much as $9 a gallon in Japan, and the taxis are refueled each night at a central location, he said.
"But for a normal consumer in the U.S., no, it doesn't work," Hossack said.
muhammed.el-hasan@dailybreeze.com

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