Honda to Build More CR-Vs in the U.S., Plans to Increase the use of Parts from Low-Cost Countries

The strong yen is affecting all Japanese automakers that are exporting their locally produced cars to America. Honda is one of them, as of the 72,000 CR-Vs built last year in Japan, 35,000 made their way to North America. Japan’s third largest automaker wants to invest in its North American plants to increase the number of CR-V it builds here and reduce exports from Japan, thus minimizing losses due to exchange rates.

“Our profit structure has improved mainly thanks to robust overseas operations, and the toughest area remains exports from Japan”, Chief Financial Officer Yoichi Hojo told reporters at Honda's headquarters on Wednesday. “With a little investment, we would be able to increase production of the CR-V in the United States, so that's the most probable course of action (to reduce yen exposure)”, he said.

The company official said that Honda is currently examining various options to increase the crossover’s production. One of the factories that builds the CR-V, the East Liberty plant, in Ohio, is already operating at full capacity, but the neighboring Marysville plant is at 80%, while a factory in Indiana is working at half of its total capacity.

Should the need arise, Honda could also increase the output of its Mexican and Canadian plants.

In the future, the automaker also plans to use more components sourced from low-cost countries, such as China and India.

According to Yoichi Hojo, low-cost components will account for at least 10% of the upcoming 2012 Civic, a major improvement considering that the current generation uses very few if any low cost parts. The same ratio is at 17% in the case of the Fit subcompact, but Honda is aiming for about 30%.

By Csaba Daradics

Source: Reuters

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Honda Rumors: 2012 Civic Si to get a 2.4-liter Engine

Earlier this month, Honda unveiled the Civic Si Concept coupe and Civic Concept sedan at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, signaling that the ninth generation 2012 Civic will follow soon, to be precise, this spring. However, the official press bits weren’t exactly what you’d call detailed, leaving lots of aspects, including the engine lineup, to our imagination.

Today, the Honda-obsessed team at the Temple of VTEC forums claim to have solved part of this mystery thanks some inside sources that told them a 2.4-liter gasoline engine, very similar to the Acura TSX’s powerplant, will make its way into the new Civic Si.

The new four-cylinder engine will replace the current K20Z3 197HP 2.0-liter unit and is expected to deliver a little over 200 horsepower and, thanks to its larger displacement, significantly more torque. The other conventional powerplant for the Civic's North American lineup is said to be the current 1.8-liter gasoline unit, possibly revised to return better fuel efficiency.

In other news, there are also rumors about Honda planning an HF trim level just for the sedan with gray or white exterior color. Fans of the manual transmissions can expect to find them on the DX- and LX-trimmed sedans as well as part of the EX trim level for coupe models.

Last but not least, the list of colors for 2012 has also been revealed and it’s available below.

Crystal Black Pearl

Dyno Blue Pearl

Urban Titanium Metallic

Cool Mist Metallic

Polished Metal Metallic

Crimson Pearl

Alabaster Silver Metallic

Taffeta White

The 2012 Honda Civic will go on sale in the U.S. this spring.

By Csaba Daradics

Source: Temple of VTEC

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New Honda App Allows iPhone Users to Catch Characters from TV Spot as they Appear on the Commercial

In a ground-breaking campaign, Honda has merged the worlds of iPhone Apps and traditional commercials, be they on your TV, computer screen or mobile phone. Created to celebrate the launch of the revised Honda Jazz [Fit in the U.S.], the new interactive app allows iPhone users to virtually catch animated characters as they appear on screen in the firm's new TV advert 'This Unpredictable Life' and drop them into their phones, more or less in the same way you'd use a PS3 Move or Nintendo wii motion-controller.

The Japanese carmaker said it’s the first time the so-called screen-hopping technology has been used with a commercial.

The App is called "Honda Jazz – This Unpredictable Life" and can be downloaded for free from Apple's iTunes Store. Once installed, iPhone users can begin watching the spot from their TV, or on any other device, including a PC or even a second iPhone with the app installed, and collect up to four characters and three mystery objects. Honda said that users can then interact with each of the stars of the film, for example, the toy space monkey can be made to dance by singing into the phone.

The new advertising campaign was created by Wieden + Kennedy and Nexus, the team behind the Japanese automaker's 'Hate Something, Change Something' commercial for its cleaner diesel engines in 2004.

The TV spot will debut in the UK on 1 February at around 21.45 on ITV1 and Channel 4 but for those in a rush, it is already available on YouTube. Scroll down to watch the film, and if you happen to own an iPhone and try it out, share your experience in the comments section below.

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Honda Accord Revised for the European Market, will Debut at Geneva Show

Honda today announced a mild makeover for its European market Accord sedan and Tourer models, which are basically the same cars as the North American Acura TSX. For the new model year, the Accord receives some styling tweaks along with a revised 4-pot diesel and improved ride and handling.

On the outside, only a trained eye will notice the redesigned front grille with additional chrome elements, the headlights with clear finish indicators and the new front bumper. Other changes include the red finish for the reversing light, the addition of a decorative chrome strip above the license plate and the introduction of three new colors - Alabaster Silver, Graphite Luster.

Inside, new seat materials and door linings improve the ambiance, while Honda also added a metal-look finish trim on the steering wheel, gear level, hand brake, door inlays and the dashboard. The Type S models get exclusive textile-leather seats finished in dark grey, black head lining and red footwell lighting (blue for the rest of the range).

On the technical side, engineers worked their magic on the 150HP 2.2-liter i-DTEC 4-cylinder diesel engine, reducing internal frictional losses for improved fuel economy and emissions. No consumption figures have been released, but the automaker states that the sedan with 6-speed manual gearbox registered a 9 g/km drop in CO2 emissions, while the automatic an 11 g/km decrease. Aerodynamic underbody aids, low friction wheel bearings and reduced rolling resistance tires further improve the Accord’s economy.

To improve handling, the Japanese firm's engineers worked with their German and British counterparts to refine the damper setup.

Additionally, the cabin has been made quieter, thanks to better noise insulation combined with a thicker rear window glass, while the range-topping Accords can be specified with Active Cornering Lights and High-Beam Support System. The latter detects oncoming traffic (or the tail lamps of a vehicle in front) and automatically reverts from high-beam to normal setting, allowing for more relaxed night-time driving.

The revised Accord will receive its public debut at the forthcoming Geneva Motor Show and go on sale across Europe in April.

By Csaba Daradics

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Silk Blaze Creates 271HP Honda CR-Z with HKS Turbocharger

One of the most striking Honda CR-Z proposals at this year's edition of the Tokyo Auto Salon came from Japanese tuning firm Silk Blaze. The heavily modded concept model boasts a full body kit with a new front bumper and grille assembly, side skirts, a rear wing and a new rear bumper with additional air vents on top, plus a diffuser and three-exhaust pipe openings in the center. The tuned CR-Z rides on deep-dish 19-inch alloys wrapped in chunky 225/30 rubber.

Even more impressive is the beast that lurks under the hood as the tuner said the CR-Z concept model features a HKS supercharged version of the 1.5-liter four-banger delivering 271-horses (202.4 kW). No other details were given about the powertrain upgrades in the firm's spec sheet. You can gaze upon the rest of the pictures after the break.

Photos: Phil Alex / Carscoop

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VIDEO: Honda CR-Z TS-1X Concept Car Walk-Around

Revealed at the 2011 Tokyo Auto Salon, the Honda CR-Z TS-1X hybrid concept car is an impressive lil' beast with its stealthy matte-black paintjob and extensive aerodynamics package. The automaker’s initial press release was short on details, but, luckily, a walk-around clip (or shall we say talk-around?) has surfaced on Youtube, detailing some of the innovations developed by Honda.

While nothing has changed under the bonnet, the TS-1X is said to offer improved fuel efficiency and better handling car thanks to the aerodynamic enhancements which generate more downforce and reduce drag. Other improvements include a strengthened body, sport suspension and new 4-pot caliper brakes.

By Csaba Daradics

Via: Youtube

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Limited Edition Ariel Atom Tuned by Mugen Packs 270 Horsepower

At the 2011 Autosport International Show in Birmingham, UK, Ariel unveiled the latest iteration of its “no screen, no roof, no doors” Atom, the Mugen-flavored limited edition it first hinted at back in December. Only ten units will be built, each featuring a special livery with a red chassis, white bodywork and red graphics showing the number of the car, to mark 10 years of production and 1,000 Atoms manufactured.

The highlight of the bare-essentials sports car is a Mugen-tuned 2.0-liter Honda K20Z naturally aspirated engine, delivering an impressive 270HP at 8,600 rpm and 255 Nm (188 lb-ft) of torque at 6,000 rpm.

Each powerplant is stripped, measured and fully blueprinted at Mugen Europe’s Northhampton headquarters and then reassembled using different pistons, camshafts and valve springs. Other upgrades include a new manifold with bigger throttle body, race grade spark plugs and lightened flywheel. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a close ratio Honda 6-speed manual gearbox and limited slip differential.

Once the assembly is complete, Mugen tests the engine on a dynamometer. The entire process lasts seven days and, before being signed off, the high revving four-pot is bore scoped and inspected one last time.

The Atom is known for its superb handling and the Mugen should be no different. Boasting a 4-way adjustable damper/spring package, sourced from the 500HP Atom V8, the anniversary model also comes with high performance ventilated brakes and white Ariel magnesium alloys, shod in Yokohama AO48 track-spec tires.

As you’d expect, the Atom Mugen is a very fast piece of machinery, completing the dash to 60 mph (96 km/h) in just 2.9 seconds and reaching a top speed of 150 mph (241 km/h).

The open cockpit has been fitted with a new multi function LCD screen housed in a carbon fiber instrument panel. Besides showing gearshift lights and standard warning lights, it can also warn the driver if any other functions go outside their programmed values, which can be handy for pinpointing malfunctions and avoiding critical failures during track days. The driver and passenger racing buckets come with 3-inch FIA harnesses with crutch straps as standard.

“The advantages of being small are obvious in this latest Atom. It’s a hand built car, tailored to suit individual customers who we know and like as friends and who are passionate about their cars and driving. The ability for Mugen to hand build a performance engine, coupled with the legendary Honda reliability, takes this one stage further”, said Simon Saunders of Ariel.

Every Ariel Atom Mugen is built by two technicians, one from Mugen and one from Atom, with both signing off the engine and car only when they’re 100% sure everything is A-OK, reflected in a numbered build plate. No information on the pricing has been released.

By Csaba Daradics

Source: Atom via Atom Club

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