Honda Blog

Hatchback Honda Jazz will acquire a hybrid version in 2011

2010-09-02T05:39:00.000-07:00

In September of the new Honda will be on display at the Paris motor show, but now you can read the official information provided by the manufacturer.

Thus, the hybrid scheme IMA and electronic control system are exactly the same as on hybrids Insight and CR-Z. Specifically - 1,3-liter gasoline engine iVTEC-connected to the stepless CVT transmission and electric motor, "wedged" somewhere in between. To improve efficiency in small and medium speeds Jazz able to turn off the petrol engine, moving in pure electric.

Visually the new differs from the existing model. First of all, in the eyes catch the changed headlights with blue trim (which almost became the card of hybrid cars), transparent rear optics, new shape, bumpers and grille. Salon also slightly reworked, "darkened" plastic dashboard, which contrasts with the blue LED devices and stereo.

In some European countries Jazz Hybrid will appear in early 2011. Pricing and full specifications Honda to unveil shortly before the car on sale.

Honda Civic Hatchback has been updated and was "automatic"

2010-08-31T06:48:00.000-07:00

Honda is presented at the Moscow Motor Show, the updated hatchback Civic. The most noticeable difference from its predecessor in the design of the exterior - it is additional ventilation slots in the "glass" front grille and different taillights, and, most important innovation in technical terms - hydromechanical five-step "automatic" instead of the old "robot."

According to the Honda, Civic Hatchback got the same automatic transmission as the sedan, but its gear ratios especially for the five-door car were changed - for better acceleration. A box will agregatirovatsya with the same 140-horsepower four-cylinder petrol engine volume 1.8 liters, equipped with variable valve timing system, i-VTEC.
In the base set facelifted Honda Civic hatchback will enter the climate control, electric heating and rear-view mirrors, power windows for all doors, heated front seats, light and rain sensors, stability, six airbags, alarm, MP3-audio system with six speakers.

Honda Motors has chosen hydrogen as the future of technology

2009-08-13T09:53:00.000-07:00

Honda Motor Company has decided to further develop the technology to power electric motors cars to hydrogen cells, despite the growing popularity litiyionnyh battery pack in the world, writes Bloomberg. In particular, the agency leading the recent decision by the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama to the development of lithium batteries for electric vehicles, $ 2 billion Furthermore, as repeatedly reported in the «Gazete.Ru», practically all of the world's automotive groups announced plans to acquire its own production litiyionnyh battery pack .

«Books on hydrogen cells will need in the future», - quotes agency the words of the head of department developments Honda Motor Takashi Moriya. Honda is the only car in the world to start selling on lease FCX Clarity sedans in the hydrogen cells

Honda withdraws 440 thousand cars because of the failure

2009-08-03T13:44:00.000-07:00

Japanese company Honda withdraws 440 thousand cars popular Civic and Accord models because of defective airbags, threatening the lives of the passengers, reported Reuters.

According to the company's Sage Marie (Sage Marie), the fault was detected in the pump, forcing air into the airbag. In the Accord and Civic models, they may explode due to high blood pressure and cause injury to those in the cabin of the driver and passengers, said a company representative.

According to the auto concern, because of the defect pump airbags, one person was killed and several wounded.

Recall affected vehicles Accord and Civic models in 2001 and 2002 and some models of Acura TL sedans in 2002 and 2003.

Earlier, in November last year, the company has withdrawn the party cars for the same reason.

Company Exclusive Zeus presented their version of Honda Insight

2009-07-31T04:11:00.000-07:00

Japanese tuning studio not so often taken for tuning hybrids, but perhaps the situation is changing and the reason for this is becoming a growth of the market such a car.

When it comes to thoroughbred hybrids like Toyota Prius or Honda Insight, it offers independent companies are virtually non-existent, but is only available for corporate packages from manufacturers.
Correct the situation of a Japanese company Exclusive Zeus. Its designers created tuning package for the Honda Insight, made in a purely Japanese style: the minimum ground clearance and aggressive aerodynamic false weight. Honda Insight gets new bumpers, a broad overlap in the thresholds, modern grille, etc. In the front bumper are additional LED lights. The grille and the mask around the lower part painted black, regardless of the color body. Ground clearance is reduced, there are chrome-plated alloy wheels with low tires. On changes in the cabin is not reported. Suspension of car it is refined to reduce the ground clearance, and other tasks, in particular, to increase rigidity, the developers did not intend. Hybrid power plant remains unchanged, so the dynamic performance of car earlier.
The cost of tuning the package is not provided. As long as it is available only in Japan and plans to launch the product in other markets is not known.

Honda concedes Toyota brand in the "hybrid wars"

2009-07-31T04:07:00.000-07:00

In June 2079 the Americans bought the vehicles Honda Insight, and in March a total of - 7524 cars. This is less than 25% of the planned 90 thousand for the first 12 months of sales.

For comparison, the more expensive Prius in June bought a nearly 13 thousand Americans (Prius in Japan, too, leading to sales). And from March, subject to second-generation model, sold 40.4 hybrids Toyota.

Now Honda is going to present the first hybrid sports car CR-Z.

Honda Insight hybrid will be upgrading

2009-07-28T10:57:00.001-07:00

The company Honda has decided to significantly refine the popular hybrid Insight, whose sales have recently dropped as potential buyers are increasingly drawn attention to some technical failures machines.

Thus, the main grievances of the customers has caused the behavior of the car at high speeds on rough road. For good coverage in urban areas has a car overturned, but on the track or bad coverage Insight behaves somewhat "nervous". And criticized the lack of noise insulation and not-so record on the economy, with a total capacity of small hybrid power plants, especially in comparison with the main competitor - Toyota Prius.

Honda intends to respond quickly to changes in numbers of sales and to prevent potential rejection of the purchase by those who intend to buy a hybrid. In the first instance will be re-suspension model: its excessive softness adjusted, the same applies to the steering, which will become clearer. The British publication Autocar says that Honda will make changes to the design of cars, already coming down the conveyor, without waiting for a planned restyling, that is, as soon as possible.

Recall, Insight was launched in the market is extremely successful: the model was the first in the history of hybrids, took the first line in the ranking of the monthly sales in Japan. This happened in April, the result was 10 481 units. But in May, Japan's market for a new generation Toyota Prius and Insight beginning to deliver position. The drop in sales in May were quite dramatic - 8 183 cars. Moreover, Insight half gave way to the popularity of a recognized best-selling Honda Fit, which a month later went to Japan in the circulation of 13 016 copies.

Eclecticism of the Honda is a series

2009-07-22T08:20:00.000-07:00

Futuristic Acura ZDX, hit the audience at the New York Auto Show of its eclectic, received a tour of life. The first production units of Honda cars mast-head to reach customers later this year.

Acura, the American division of Honda, which specializes in the production of luxury cars, plans to bring to market a new model. The first consideration of an unusual ZDX resembles a hybrid coupe and vsedorozhnika. Closer to the truth wording «crossover gene sportkupe». However, the company prefers to call their offspring four-door coupe, a four-compartment.

The newest Acura model to rival the BMW X6. Reported that the new compact perceived "Bavarian", thus, it aims for another BMW - the next 5-series GT. In a production program ZDX takes place RDX crossover between small and larger MDX. The car should be like those who nurtures sympathy for rapid Acura TL, while seeking a more versatile machine.

According to a press release, ZDX will thoroughly "charged" and dynamic - a real sports. Acura will get an aluminum V-shaped six-engine volume of 3.7 liter capacity 300 hp The company promises that the fire engine with a new six-sostykuyut "automatic", which will give ZDX decent dynamics and good fuel economy figures. Standard equipment will be full of drive system Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD). Under the "super-handling" means "resistance" car difficult road conditions, the predicted behavior for wet and slippery surface. The car will be offered in three equipment. First, the base is called simply ZDX. Despite the fact that the initial level, the car will be generously equipped. Leather trim interior, panoramic glass roof, electric doors of the fifth, a powerful audio system with USB and iPod - all of this is in the standard version.

The second option ZDX the so-called Technology Package. In tehnopaket "includes navigation system with voice recognition system, high-speaker system and rear-view camera. There is also a third option - ZDX with the Advanced Package. In the most luxurious "advanced" configuration are in the system, a warning to other vehicles in the "dead" zones, the system will prevent the accident (Collision Mitigating Braking System) and adaptive cruise control (Adaptive Cruise Control).

Stylistic concept prototype, shown in New York in April this year, survived. Appearance on the way to the line is not changed very much - the audit had been front and optics. But even in such a great ground clearance, almost coupe flowing roof line, "disguised" rear door handles come together in a "cocktail".

Tokyo will meet the first hybrid sports Honda

2009-06-25T23:29:00.000-07:00

Concern Honda, producing a model Insight, competing with the Toyota Prius, apparently, wants to become the first Japanese car, which will launch the serial production hybrid sports.

According to recent reports, the basis for building a new car model Insight. Sports, which receive the name of Honda CR-ZX, officially debuted this year in the international motor show in Tokyo.

It is anticipated that the Japanese sports will be equipped with an electric motor and gasoline engine volume of 1.3 or 1.5 liters. Average fuel consumption per 100 km to be around 3.6 liters.

Honda CR-V new generation appears in two godaHonda CR-V new generation will be in two years

2009-06-25T23:22:00.000-07:00

Honda Company started to design crossover CR-V's new generation, which will be completed by November this year. By September 2011, Japanese brand is planning to officially announce this model, but after another month to submit it at the October MOTORSHOW in Tokyo. This site tells Temple of VTEC, with reference to the printed journal Japanese Mag-X, published the first of the new CR-V.

According to preliminary information, in order to reduce the cost crossover Honda CR-V to be built on the platform of the current generation car, the size of the two cars will be slightly different from each other - to become a new five millimeters long, and ten millimeters higher than the predecessor. Petrol engines volume of 2.0 liters and 2.4 be installed for the current car will be saved. However, for the European market will also be offered and a new diesel engine, whose specifications are not known yet.

In addition, the company intends to Honda at the expense of finding a new generation of Japanese market to increase monthly sales of crossover CR-V by about 40 per cent. In Europe, automakers counted on to sell five per cent more cars - about 5350 CR-V in a month.

Japanese Honda Motor in June 2009. noted 50 years of its active presence in the market in North America.

2009-06-24T06:51:00.000-07:00

Ceremonies dedicated to the event, held June 11 - exactly on this day, half a century ago, 11 June 1959 in the small shop in Los Angeles was founded and started the company American Honda Motor Co., Inc. The anniversary was celebrated in the city of Torrens, California, where now the headquarters of American Honda.

"Tens of thousands of buyers in America who chose Honda products in the past and chose her in the present - these are those whom we wish to express our deepest gratitude - for the faith in the quality provided by our company, for commitment to the brand," - said President and Executive Director of American Honda Ivamura Tetsuo (Tetsuo Iwamura). "Now, in the face of new challenges, we affirm our desire to fully meet the expectations of our customers and society as a whole", - he added.

In 1959, Honda of America, beginning with sales cost Honda 50 motorcycle, and since then has been the initiator and active participant in advancing new technologies to market. For example, in 1974, Honda became the first company that has managed to create a car that matches the U.S. Clean Air Act (US Clean Air Act), and in doing so without the use of a catalyst - it was a car Honda Civic CVCC.

In 1977. Honda Civic car was the first car, led the official U.S. list of most economical cars. Honda was also the first Japanese manufacturer to start production of motorcycles (in 1979). And cars (in 1982). Directly in the United States. It was opened the plant in Merrisville, Ohio.

In 1986. Honda the first Japanese company established a special segment Luxury car brand to the U.S. market - a brand Acura. The first hybrid gas-car, which began mass producing in the United States, was also a brand Honda - Honda Insight in 1999. Finally, in 2002. the first car with a hydrogen engine, which received a government certificate in the United States, also became the car of Honda - Honda FCX.

Now the American Honda employs about 27 thousand people who worked on the design, development, manufacture, sale and maintenance of equipment under brands Honda and Acura, including automobiles, motorcycles, ATV, hydrocycles, power equipment and light aircraft.

A Honda is now operating 10 plants manufacturing cycle in the U.S. and two more under construction. In addition, work on 14 research centers and 12 regional sales and service centers throughout the country. American Honda suppliers network consists of 545 companies in 34 U.S. states.

American Honda in time became the first overseas branch of a Japanese company. She later appeared 11 years after Japan was founded by then a very small motorcycle company Honda. Starting conquer the American market, Honda quickly became the most popular and well-selling brand in America.

New Honda V4 will represent a new generation of motorcycles

2009-06-24T06:44:00.000-07:00

New Honda V4 motorcycle will be an entirely new generation of motorcycles. In this vein, called the chief managing director of Honda Shigeru Takagi (Shigeru Takagi).

New Honda V4 will represent a new generation of motorcycles
He also confirmed that the motorcycle, which was so eagerly waiting for the fans, can be seen in a completely ready for any of the exhibitions already this fall (most likely it will be a Italian EICMA in Milan) and to the dealers, it will be spring 2010.

According to experts, from the new Honda will be a bike built on the basis of four engine volume of 1200 cubes, more like Super Blackbird than a Fireblade.

"We really believe that the new bike will help us to establish just be a new era mototsiklostroeniya. And this is only the beginning, but a very important beginning. Bike will be a perfect road car, which Honda has long been needed clients. This will be a landmark vehicle. Maybe , based on the V4, and we'll do some more modeling, "- said Mr. Takagi.

"We know that many believe that this new bike will be replacing the VFR800 and the Blackbird, but we do not think that it could be called a general replacement of anything. This will be a totally new and totally unique bike, is something very specific. Head of Honda refused to name the approximate price of a new device, confirming only the timing of its occurrence. "Bike will be different from the concept shown in Milan and Cologne last year, but the relationship between them is clear," - added Takagi.

Recall Honda V4 concept was first shown on the popular European motovystavkah in Cologne and Milan in the autumn of 2008. No technical details of the concept are not disclosed, but were impressed by the appearance of original, non-standard and "fry" shapes. The development of the motorcycle was timed to coincide with the 30 th anniversary of the inception of the configuration engine V4.

Honda introduced the first image Civic Type R Mugen 2009

2009-06-24T06:38:00.001-07:00

Honda Motor Company officially introduced the first version of the image of car Honda Civic Type R 2009 in the processing of tuning studio Mugen, says the British magazine Car.
Tuners added a new model with a lid, bonnet vents, and a new grille. At the rear of the Civic tuner installed antikrylo. The car has only two front seats from Recaro. Under the hood of the Civic a 2.0-liter VTEC engine to 240 hp power.

In September, Honda will produce a new generation of City

2008-08-13T03:20:00.001-07:00

In September company issue a new generation of Honda City model for some Asian markets. First, a novelty in Thailand, and in late 2008 - early 2009. -- India, Pakistan and Malaysia.

City - one of the most affordable cars in the Honda range in Asia (outside Japan). The model is positioned roughly on a par with the Honda Jazz / Fit. The first generation City was essentially a modification of Jazz in the body sedan. The new machine is more individuality and seamlessness of design, engine and transmission from the Jazz, writes Japancar.

In Thailand City will be sold with an engine series i-DSi output of 120 hp with the system i-VTEC. Basic equipment will receive 5 S - staged a mechanical transmission, top version SV - 5 - stepped "automatic" mode with manual transmission podrulevymi petals, and intermediate V - any of these transmissions, but "machine" - without podrulevyh petals.

The cost of the car while not officially announced. It is expected that it will be in Thailand from $ 15.5 thousand to $ 19.5 thousand.

Honda City

In Japan, Honda Fit for five months is a bestseller

2008-04-09T07:05:00.000-07:00

The model Honda Fit compact car (known to us as well as the Honda Jazz) for five months, is a leader in automotive sales Japan, Bloomberg reported. Company Honda start selling Honda Fit updated since October 2007. In March, the company sold 26 thousand Fit cars, which is almost twice the sales in March last year. Second in popularity in Japan in March this year, has become a Toyota Corolla which bought 20.5 thousand in the number of Parking

Toyota Corolla

Concept Honda CR-Z debuted in Europe

2008-04-09T06:50:00.000-07:00

At the Geneva International Motor Show (Geneva motor show) a European debut of "futuristic" and dynamic conception - CR-Z.

CR-Z demonstrated that the environmentally friendly hybrid car is capable of high dynamic performance and driving pleasure staggering. And while developers will constantly strive to reduce the weight of the vehicle, CR-Z different dynamic, slightly sharp forms, which are among the desire of people to travel on this car.

The main highlight is the massive lattice design with narrow slits on the sides of the bumper air intakes to feed air to the front brake. Aggressive grating coupled with compact, but quite bright headlamps and LED marker lamps installed on the lower edge of air intakes. Side athletic type CR-Z emphasizes stylish profile and large 19 - inch wheels with low tyres. Finally, the rear of the concept stands out from almost horizontally fixed rear window, suggesting that the similarity with a slightly truncated style Kamm-tail, and ending with a vertical glass panel. Rear uses small LED lights and centrally located exhaust pipe, emphasizing good character design concept.

Interior CR-Z featuring a minimal set of instruments and buttons focus is mainly on the driver. The theme continues in the design of seats and the front panel has contrasted with the decoration of glass and acrylic materials, and the central part of the console's front panel. Futuristic feeling even more enhanced by the application of a glass roof through which light enters the cabin.

The new hybrid sport on the basis of concept of CR-Z, will also be sold worldwide. Given the expanded line of hybrids, Honda expects that already by 2010 hybrid models will be about 10% of world sales of all Honda cars.

KLIEN STAKES SPYKER CLAIM

2007-07-12T11:28:00.000-07:00

Christian Klien put himself in pole position for the second race seat with Spyker after completing a full day's testing today with the team at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

Christijan Albers was axed on Tuesday by the Dutch outfit, who cited "financial difficulties" as their reason claiming they had not been paid by one of the 28-year-old's sponsors.

Spyker then approached Honda, asking permission to use test driver Klien for the final day of the three-day programme at the Belgian circuit that returns to the Formula One calendar in September.

The Austrian did not disappoint, completing 63 laps, with his best an unofficial one minute 49.119secs, just two seconds off the pace set by Kimi Raikkonen for Ferrari.

A decision as to who will drive for Spyker at the Grand Prix of Europe in 10 days' time is due to be announced soon.

Klien, though, knows he has increased his chances of competing at the Nurburgring.

"Obviously it was a new team, new car and a new seat and it took some time to get used to it, but there is a good bunch of people here and I felt at home straight away," said Klien.

"We did a lot of mileage, but obviously today's focus was to get used to the car and how the engine and gearbox works.

"I think it all went well, there is potential in the car and I enjoyed the day."

Raikkonen kept Ferrari out in front after Massa had yesterday topped the unofficial timesheets, with the Finn clocking 1:47.042 for the revamped 7.004km track.

Robert Kubica was second quickest for BMW Sauber, followed by two- time world champion Fernando Alonso in his McLaren, and then Red Bull Racing's Mark Webber.

Giancarlo Fisichella (Renault), Alexander Wurz (Williams) and Jarno Trulli (Toyota) were fifth, sixth and seventh respectively.

Champ Car champion for the last three years Sebastien Bourdais was eighth for Toro Rosso, who are due to decide soon if the Frenchman has a race seat for 2008.

Takuma Sato completed 99 laps for Super Aguri and was ninth, while Rubens Barrichello was 10th for Honda, with Klien bringing up the rear.

sportinglife.com

Car bookings in June: Honda lovers to pay more for their cars

2007-07-12T11:27:00.000-07:00

KARACHI: All those Honda lovers who booked their cars in June are sure to be taken for a ride, as Honda Atlas Cars Pakistan wants its consumers to pay one percent special excise duty (SED) for cars booked in June.

The company that manufactures all makes of Honda for Pakistan is demanding that the consumers pay one percent special excise duty for all bookings made after June 9, 2007, the day the budget was announced. The company has also raised its prices by Rs 1,500 as an increase in freight and insurance expenses, Daily Times learnt from sources in the company. The budget 2007-08 evoked positive reactions from the automobile industry as imports of used vehicles were curtailed to three-year old machines only. Dealers cried farce as imported vehicles were popular among the middle-class buyers and were a good source of income for them. But it was the consumer that was affected the most by the announced budgetary measures. Locally manufactured cars were slapped one percent SED, which was to be applicable from July 1, 2007 and together with 2.5 percent withholding tax was to take effect from September 1, 2007.

Over the past week other auto manufacturers in the country, namely, Indus Motor Company and Pak Suzuki Motor Corporation announced that they would not burden their consumers with one percent SED for cars booked in June. But it isn’t good marketing in any way, as Honda Atlas Cars demands one percent SED from its consumers for car bookings in June. On top of this they are to wait for five to six months for the arrival of their cars.

Sources in the industry state that the company has had excess capacity for the past two years. The company produced 18,240 cars for the year ending March 31 2007 against pervious year’s production of 31,476 cars. Despite this, the company does not jack-up its production but chooses to test the consumers’ patience.

Interestingly, ‘The Vision Statement’ of the company, as published in the annual report for the year ending March 31, claims ‘focusing on satisfaction of customers, shareholders and associates’. It is difficult to see whether such practices by the company would actually satisfy its customers. Though it may satisfy its shareholders and associates. Even the most preliminary course in marketing tells us that loyal customers are a company’s greatest asset.

dailytimes.com.pk

German GP: Repsol Honda preview

2007-07-12T11:26:00.000-07:00

The championship reaches the halfway mark at the Sachsenring

The world's top riders are in the middle of a hectic summer programme of racing that brings five races in just four weeks. After the excitement of Assen the teams move on to the circuit of the Sachsenring -- the German GP. Expect to see the recharged riders Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden going flat out to cut the gap that the leader Casey Stoner has over them.

The circuit of the Sachsenring is one of the newest in the World Championship, it was constructed in 1996 to replace the obsolete track that existed in exactly the same place and with the same name. One of its main characteristics is that the race is held in an anti-clockwise direction. It has a length of 3 671 metres and has two clearly difeerent sections, the first is very teccnical and slow and the second is faster.

The finishing line is at the start of the long straight on an upward slope and this is one of the shortest in the calendar. The Omega Curve is the most spectacular turn on the circuit since it takes the riders almost 300є and must be taken very slowly, it gives the sensation that it is never ending.

The German track is suited to the Repsol Honda riders since last season Hayden managed to finish third behind Rossi and Marco Melandri. Pedrosa was just behind these three in an exciting race where these four riders constantly overtook one another. The Spaniard started in pole position and set the fastest lap in the race itself.

Hayden will go to Germany on a high after finishing third at Assen, thanks to the modifications and improvements made to his Honda RC212 V, having recoverd his good vibrations. Meanwhile Pedrosa continues to improve, as he has been doing in the last few races, and this makes him optimistic going to Germany.

motorsport.com

Sauber F1 expert follows ex-colleague to Honda

2007-07-12T11:25:00.000-07:00

London, England - The Honda Formula 1 team has signed BMW Sauber chief designer Joerg Zander as deputy technical director.

Zander, 43, worked with BAR Honda from 2002 to 2005 as a chief engineer before moving to Williams as chief designer where he worked with Loic Bigois, the Frenchman who joined Honda on Monday as head of aerodynamics
Latest in a series of appointments to boost team
.

He left Williams for Swiss-based BMW Sauber in March 2006.

"This is the latest in a series of key appointments that we have made to bolster our team," senior technical director Shuhei Nakamoto said. "F1 is a rapidly changing sport and we need to evolve to keep pace.

"With the steady performance improvements we have made over the past few races and a strengthened technical team, I am sure that the difficulties we have seen in the first half of 2007 are now behind us."

Honda has scored only one point in nine races so far in the 2007 season.

motoring.co.za

James Toseland in number one Honda team for Suzuka 8-hour

2007-07-12T11:23:00.000-07:00

James Toseland has been confirmed to ride in Honda’s number one factory team in this year’s Suzuka 8-hour race at the end of July.

Toseland will partner Japans Ryuichi Kiyonari on the number one Honda and the current British and World Superbike championship leaders are already being hotly tipped to win the prestigious event.

Toseland is currently in Japan completing a two day test in preparation for the Endurance event, but this time he’s there on his own with fellow Honda men Jonathan Rea, Carlos Checa and Kiyonari all unable to attend the test due to racing commitments at Oulton Park BSB and Sachsenring MotoGP this weekend.

During the opening day of the test Toseland got valuable wet track time with heavy rain falling at the Japanese track. The 26 year old Brit concentrated on tyre testing and lapped comfortably within the target time set by Honda.

This will be Toseland’s last test before the event takes place on 29th July 2008.

For a full report on Toseland’s test and his thoughts on his new team-mate see MCN out 18th July.

motorcyclenews.com

Honda's Acura In Race To Boost Rep As Performance Luxury

2007-07-12T11:22:00.001-07:00

HONDA'S ACURA BRAND HAS FOR the first time entered racing this year with a factory-backed team as part of an effort to boost its reputation as a performance luxury brand versus companies like BMW, Porsche and Audi.

Acura has three cars in the prototype division of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS). The cars were developed by Santa Clarita, Calif.-based Honda Performance Development and are raced by Andretti Green Racing, Lowe's Fernandez Racing and Highcroft Racing.

Acura races in a prototype class called P2, whose million-dollar-plus vehicles look nothing like production cars, resembling instead the low-slung cars raced in Formula-style events. Porsche also fields vehicles in the P2 class, and Mazda also races. The larger LMP1 class vehicles--in which Audi is the only factory brand this year--are the most powerful cars in American Le Mans.

What makes the 12-event-per-year American Le Mans series unique in auto racing is that races have a free-for-all quality because four classes of vehicles--including modified Porsche, Ferrari, Panoz and Corvette production cars--race simultaneously on the same track, and rules are less strict even when it comes to fans' access to vehicles and teams: minutes before races, fans crowd the pre-race grid, swarming cars, snapping photos and even chatting up drivers.

"It's the most relevant series in racing today because the rules are open and flexible," says Robert Clarke, president of Honda Performance Development.

Wes Brown, automotive market consultant with Los Angeles-based marketing firm Iceology, says that Acura's success off the track and on the marketing circuit will depend on its not being shy about promoting the cars in advertising and PR, something that Acura's sibling, Honda--which made a name in CART and Formula--has done over the years.

"This is a much more affluent and educated audience, along the lines of Formula 1," he says. "I think what played into Honda's success in '80s and '90s--with younger guys especially--was the fact that Honda was so heavily involved in CART and F1, and they had strong marketing campaigns that tied into the fact that 'what we learn in racing is making its way into your vehicles in concrete ways'," he says.

Clarke alluded to that at a presentation at Lime Rock (Conn.) Park last week during the sixth race of the season. He said the Honda's premium division decided to enter racing to boost Acura's performance reputation and credibility both to consumers in the U.S. and Canada and worldwide as Acura expands into China and Japan.

"We joined American Le Mans because it gave us the clearest positioning versus world-class brands," he says. "American Honda wanted to establish Acura as a luxury and performance brand, so racing became a clear priority for Honda."

The fan base is relatively affluent and large, at least outside of the U.S. Per the Braselton, Ga.-based ALMS, 465 million households in 100 countries tuned in to broadcasts of ALMS races in 2006. A Nielsen Media study commissioned by the Series pegged the median age of ALMS fans at 41.7, with about half earning more than $90,000 per year, with 22.3% of fans having a net worth more than half a million dollars. Fifty-five percent of ALMS fans gave car-purchase advice within the previous six months, per Nielsen.

Clarke says Honda technology--such as VTEC (variable valve timing and lift electronic control), via F1, and metallurgic advances via Honda's CART program--are used in mass-production cars.

"That kind of message and positioning appeal to that 18-to-35-year-old guy into motor sports," says Brown. "That I can get a VTEC engine from the Formula 1 world in my car, for example - that clear linkage between motor sports and road vehicles that says you can get racing-bred performance in an everyday car--that has a tremendous effect on a brand's reputation."

And, while Honda touted its racing roots, Acura benefited as well, by extension. But Brown says that, as the Honda brand has evolved away from racing and as the company has moved to separate Acura and Honda - with separate design studios in separate buildings, for instance--Acura must create its own performance/lux image if it's going to compete with the likes of Audi and BMW, both of which strongly identify with racing.

"They have a brand promise and an emotional connection around it, and they spend a lot on motor sports. So Acura's success will depend on how are they going to market this activity to the consumer, so it's not just for the enthusiast. If they do it properly, it will help strengthen the Acura brand and its link with the male owner base." Karl Greenberg can be reached at karl@mediapost.com

publications.mediapost.com

Honda's first-half China vehicle sales rise 30% on year

2007-07-12T11:20:00.000-07:00

SHANGHAI (MarketWatch) -- Honda Motor Co. (HMC : Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
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2:01pm 07/12/2007

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HMC37.04, +0.42, +1.1%) said Wednesday it sold 186,993 vehicles in China in the first half, up 30% from 143,508 units in the first half of last year.
In June alone its vehicle sales totaled 36,139 units, up 25% from the same month in 2006.
Honda Motor has two joint ventures in China, one with Dongfeng Motor Group Co. (0489.HK) and another with Guangzhou Automobile Group Co.

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