http://www.bangkokpost.com/auto/auto...nymous-concept
Anonymous concept
What could this concept be pointing to?
When we first saw the Honda Concept S at the Beijing auto show last month, our immediate reference was the next-generation Jazz because the today's model is about to reach the end of its lifecycle.
The Concept S has a compact MPV body _ something the Jazz boasts as its USP in the Thai B-segment _ and should do marvels for Honda's future sub-compact.
Today's second-generation Jazz is such a mild evolution over the first one, which is why you would hope that the third-gen would have a bold face and swoopy profile along the lines of Concept S.
But according to the Japanese grapevine, the huge popularity of the Jazz worldwide (known as Fit in Japan) means that the successor will play the cards safe by adopting a very evolutionary appearance.
Then what is it previewing?
According to one Japanese media outlet, the Concept S could be disclosing some cues of the next-generation Stream, a mini-MPV based on the Civic.
Like the Jazz, the Stream is aging and is set to be replaced next year in third-generation form to rival the Toyota Wish, Mazda 5 and Nissan Lafesta.
This genre of minivan is now relatively unknown to Thais because sales of the Chevrolet Zafira, Wish and Honda have ceased ever since the previous generation models.
But if you look closely at Concept S in these pictures, the rear end doesn't really seem to be capable of housing a third-row seat. Because of this, the American press says Concept S is a pointer to a new dedicated hybrid-powered Honda.
To rival the Toyota Prius V?
Exactly. One of our media friends on the opposite side of the Pacific predicted that the Concept S points to a spacious and versatile alternative to the Prius V.
Just to refresh some minds: the regular Prius is a five-seat hatchback, Prius V (sold as Prius Alpha in Japan and Prius+ in Europe) is a Prius with an extended boot to optionally take a third-row seat and Prius C is a compact five-seater to rival the Honda Insight.
The popularity of the Prius means that Honda doesn't want to lose action in this segment of hybrid-powered vehicles. In fact, Honda has made it clear that Concept S has a hybrid engine, although it didn't reveal the details.
And such a model is important for Honda because the Japanese market isn't getting the Civic (as tested at right side of this page) anymore. A proper rival for the Prius is being mooted instead.
That's quite an interesting territory for Honda in Thailand, too...
It is, for several reasons.
First, a dedicated hybrid would provide Honda with an answer to the Thai-built Prius.
Second, Honda doesn't have a compact hatchback or mini-MPV body in its Thai model line-up anymore.
Third, today's Hondas in showrooms are mostly on the bland side in terms of design and technology (latest Civic included).
All in all, a dedicated hybrid in the mould of Concept S should help invigorate zest into the brand in Thailand.
So you're sure what the Concept S is now...
This is merely speculation, so we'll have to wait till next year. In fact, Honda has been clear with Concept S: it points to a new global vehicle which will be first launched in China in 2013.
The Concept C, Honda's other show car that made its debut alongside Concept S in China last month, is claimed by its maker to preview an all-new saloon.
But as its initial indicates, the Concept C points to a China-only four-door car to be pitched in size between a Civic and Accord (something like Toyota's now-defunct Corona).
The aggressively styled Concept C has been designed by the Chinese and Japanese offices of Honda. Acura, Honda's upmarket brand, insists it has no say in Concept C and won't have a variation based on it either.
=======================
http://www.castanet.net/edition/news...9-7-.htm#75429
Passion a prerequisite for 'Hill-climbers'
For drivers at the 55th Annual Knox Mountain Hill Climb, a cloudy Sunday promised a change in conditions after testing under sunny skies on Saturday.
Photo: Grant Scott
Zac Zawisza prepares for his first run up Knox Mountain in Mirkowsky's 1998 Honda Civic Sunday morning.
That means the race teams involved will have to be prepared for cooler temperatures and maybe a wet track, with rain in the forecast.
However, it will take more than just some rain to dampen the enthusiasm of the over 70 competitors as they vie for the title of "King of the Hill."
The enthusiasts who try to conquer the mountain every year face a number of obstacles to get their machines ready to race, and each story is unique.
For the number 44 car, owned by Calle Mirkowsky and driven by Zac Zawisza, it's amazing that it even survived, never mind raced this weekend.
Mirkowsky's custom race car, a souped up 1998 Honda Civic, was stolen from a lot on Evans Court in Kelowna in December, 2010.
"I bought it a long time ago, just needing a mode of transportation."
But it soon become much more than that.
"Having always been interested in the performance side of cars, it's one of the ones that's popularly modified and easy to get into. It was the inspiration for us to start our business," says Mirkowsky.
Photo: Contributed - Calle Mirkowsky
Zac Zawisza and Calle Mirkowsky pose with their entry in the 2012 Knox Mountain Hill CLimb.
Together with her partner, Dave Ingraham, she created Four Function Auto Sport, a Kelowna based company which redesigns and modifies vehicles.
"We slowly started as complete novices, not knowing anything about modifying cars, and it slowly improved. It's gone from being a hobby to being a business, and there's not very many people who get to do what they love"
Eventually Mirkowsky's Civic became a full time race vehicle.
"It's pretty much all it does. It's got a single seat, complete roll cage, and we've got a motor from a 2008 Honda Civic in it."
Unfortunately, the street legal racer is also a target, and when it was stolen, common sense suggested it would soon be broken down and sold for parts. Mirkowsky felt like she had lost a friend.
"You don't want to be overly sentimental, but it's true. You spend so much time working on something, moulding it, it becomes yours."
Knowing the vehicle was a prime candidate for being "chopped," she notified as many local car enthusiast websites as she could.
"There's a big market for those parts. There was a big fear that we'd never get it back," says Mirkowsky.
But, she got lucky when a friend spotted the vehicle parked on a street in Kelowna and car and owner were reunited.
So instead of being chopped, the Civic is hopped, and only has to worry about trying to become the fastest to the top of the mountain this weekend.
=====================================
Anonymous concept
What could this concept be pointing to?
When we first saw the Honda Concept S at the Beijing auto show last month, our immediate reference was the next-generation Jazz because the today's model is about to reach the end of its lifecycle.
The Concept S has a compact MPV body _ something the Jazz boasts as its USP in the Thai B-segment _ and should do marvels for Honda's future sub-compact.
Today's second-generation Jazz is such a mild evolution over the first one, which is why you would hope that the third-gen would have a bold face and swoopy profile along the lines of Concept S.
But according to the Japanese grapevine, the huge popularity of the Jazz worldwide (known as Fit in Japan) means that the successor will play the cards safe by adopting a very evolutionary appearance.
Then what is it previewing?
According to one Japanese media outlet, the Concept S could be disclosing some cues of the next-generation Stream, a mini-MPV based on the Civic.
Like the Jazz, the Stream is aging and is set to be replaced next year in third-generation form to rival the Toyota Wish, Mazda 5 and Nissan Lafesta.
This genre of minivan is now relatively unknown to Thais because sales of the Chevrolet Zafira, Wish and Honda have ceased ever since the previous generation models.
But if you look closely at Concept S in these pictures, the rear end doesn't really seem to be capable of housing a third-row seat. Because of this, the American press says Concept S is a pointer to a new dedicated hybrid-powered Honda.
To rival the Toyota Prius V?
Exactly. One of our media friends on the opposite side of the Pacific predicted that the Concept S points to a spacious and versatile alternative to the Prius V.
Just to refresh some minds: the regular Prius is a five-seat hatchback, Prius V (sold as Prius Alpha in Japan and Prius+ in Europe) is a Prius with an extended boot to optionally take a third-row seat and Prius C is a compact five-seater to rival the Honda Insight.
The popularity of the Prius means that Honda doesn't want to lose action in this segment of hybrid-powered vehicles. In fact, Honda has made it clear that Concept S has a hybrid engine, although it didn't reveal the details.
And such a model is important for Honda because the Japanese market isn't getting the Civic (as tested at right side of this page) anymore. A proper rival for the Prius is being mooted instead.
That's quite an interesting territory for Honda in Thailand, too...
It is, for several reasons.
First, a dedicated hybrid would provide Honda with an answer to the Thai-built Prius.
Second, Honda doesn't have a compact hatchback or mini-MPV body in its Thai model line-up anymore.
Third, today's Hondas in showrooms are mostly on the bland side in terms of design and technology (latest Civic included).
All in all, a dedicated hybrid in the mould of Concept S should help invigorate zest into the brand in Thailand.
So you're sure what the Concept S is now...
This is merely speculation, so we'll have to wait till next year. In fact, Honda has been clear with Concept S: it points to a new global vehicle which will be first launched in China in 2013.
The Concept C, Honda's other show car that made its debut alongside Concept S in China last month, is claimed by its maker to preview an all-new saloon.
But as its initial indicates, the Concept C points to a China-only four-door car to be pitched in size between a Civic and Accord (something like Toyota's now-defunct Corona).
The aggressively styled Concept C has been designed by the Chinese and Japanese offices of Honda. Acura, Honda's upmarket brand, insists it has no say in Concept C and won't have a variation based on it either.
=======================
http://www.castanet.net/edition/news...9-7-.htm#75429
Passion a prerequisite for 'Hill-climbers'
For drivers at the 55th Annual Knox Mountain Hill Climb, a cloudy Sunday promised a change in conditions after testing under sunny skies on Saturday.
Photo: Grant Scott
Zac Zawisza prepares for his first run up Knox Mountain in Mirkowsky's 1998 Honda Civic Sunday morning.
That means the race teams involved will have to be prepared for cooler temperatures and maybe a wet track, with rain in the forecast.
However, it will take more than just some rain to dampen the enthusiasm of the over 70 competitors as they vie for the title of "King of the Hill."
The enthusiasts who try to conquer the mountain every year face a number of obstacles to get their machines ready to race, and each story is unique.
For the number 44 car, owned by Calle Mirkowsky and driven by Zac Zawisza, it's amazing that it even survived, never mind raced this weekend.
Mirkowsky's custom race car, a souped up 1998 Honda Civic, was stolen from a lot on Evans Court in Kelowna in December, 2010.
"I bought it a long time ago, just needing a mode of transportation."
But it soon become much more than that.
"Having always been interested in the performance side of cars, it's one of the ones that's popularly modified and easy to get into. It was the inspiration for us to start our business," says Mirkowsky.
Photo: Contributed - Calle Mirkowsky
Zac Zawisza and Calle Mirkowsky pose with their entry in the 2012 Knox Mountain Hill CLimb.
Together with her partner, Dave Ingraham, she created Four Function Auto Sport, a Kelowna based company which redesigns and modifies vehicles.
"We slowly started as complete novices, not knowing anything about modifying cars, and it slowly improved. It's gone from being a hobby to being a business, and there's not very many people who get to do what they love"
Eventually Mirkowsky's Civic became a full time race vehicle.
"It's pretty much all it does. It's got a single seat, complete roll cage, and we've got a motor from a 2008 Honda Civic in it."
Unfortunately, the street legal racer is also a target, and when it was stolen, common sense suggested it would soon be broken down and sold for parts. Mirkowsky felt like she had lost a friend.
"You don't want to be overly sentimental, but it's true. You spend so much time working on something, moulding it, it becomes yours."
Knowing the vehicle was a prime candidate for being "chopped," she notified as many local car enthusiast websites as she could.
"There's a big market for those parts. There was a big fear that we'd never get it back," says Mirkowsky.
But, she got lucky when a friend spotted the vehicle parked on a street in Kelowna and car and owner were reunited.
So instead of being chopped, the Civic is hopped, and only has to worry about trying to become the fastest to the top of the mountain this weekend.
=====================================
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