Honda Malaysia launches the Stream RSZ

Honda Stream RSZ

Honda Malaysia today introduced the Stream RSZ, and the vehicle replaces the current bog-standard version that was launched in Nov 2007.

Mechanically, everything's all but the same in the 1.8 i-VTEC-powered seven-seater, but the updated variant - which has been selling in Singapore for a good bit now - features more in the way of bling, with a full bodykit, a redesigned RSZ front grille and new 17-inch alloys wheels leading the way.

Elsewhere, the front end lights get a reworking too, and the new lamps are auto HID (high intensity discharge) units with smoke-finish covers. Also new, the fog lamps, and let's not forget the inclusion of a sunroof on this one.

Inside, you now have a more refined interior in the way of material, paddle shifters, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a seat-side armrest for the driver and for added convenience, a passenger seat under-seat storage tray as new items on the list.

Atsushi Fujimoto, managing director and chief executive officer of Honda Malaysia said that ''the refinements accomplished in the Stream RSZ show that we are on the pulse of the current lifestyle trend, where style and practicality in an automobile are expected to come hand in hand.''

The Stream RSZ comes in four colours - besides the Premium White Pearl, Honda Malaysia is introducing three new colours with the vehicle, and they are Crystal Black Pearl, Polished Metal Metallic and New Red Pearl.

The outgoing standard Stream managed to sell just over 1,600 units up until Jan from the time it was launched, but Honda Malaysia is being a little more conservative with this one, given the market conditions - the company has targeted a modest sales figure of 350 units for the vehicle this year.

The Stream RSZ is priced at RM155,980, on-the-road, with insurance. Oh, and before you rush out to the showrooms, you might want to know that the Stream RSZ will be available at all authorised Honda showrooms nationwide only from Feb 26 onwards.

Honda Stream RSZ [Read more!]

Honda Insight Gas-Electric Hybrid Car

TOKYO, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Honda Motor Co. announced Thursday that it will launch new gas-electric hybrid car "Insight" Friday.

The Insight is priced between 1.89 million yen (21,000 U.S. dollars) and 2.21 million yen (24,500 U.S. dollars), cheaper than its bigger rival Toyota's Prius, which is sold at the minimum price of 2.33 million yen (25,800 U.S. dollars).

The new hybrid, however, covers 30 km per liter of gasoline, against 35.5 kilometers for Toyota's Prius.

The second largest automaker in Japan aims to sell 5,000 Insight cars per month. [Read more!]

2008 Honda Civic MUGEN Si - Review and Photos

2008 Honda Civic MUGEN Si

The Mugen is powered by the same 2.0 liter inline four-cylinder engine that propels the stock Si. The 16-valve double-overhead cam unit produces 197 hp and 139 lb-ft of torque -- not all that impressive until you look further into the figures. Horsepower doesn't peak until 7800 rpm; torque until 6100 rpm. That means that in order to get the most out of the Mugen, you have to really rev it up and use that big tach to make sure that you're running in the powerband. The engine isn't shy about letting you know when it's happy. There's a spike in power as you approach the peak. It almost feels like a turbocharger kicks in, the spike is so strong. If you shift the six-speed manual gearbox later than you would on most cars, you get great rushes of acceleration from the Mugen. A freer flowing exhaust system rewards you with incredible music from the engine, and a happy feeling follows.

Getting the power to the ground is accomplished with front-wheel drive. There's just a hint of torque steer (the tendency of front-wheel drive cars to pull to one side under heavy acceleration), but nothing scary. The Mugen suspension is stiffer and tighter than a stock Si's, which makes for a slightly less comfortable ride on a day-to-day basis. The tradeoff is definitely worth it -- the Mugen handles like a razor, responding beautifully to every steering input with great feedback and road feel.

Intellectually, I know that the Mugen is the same car as the Civic Si, but when you add up the whole package -- the look, the feel, the sound -- the Mugen feels a whole lot faster and cooler.

2008 Honda Civic MUGEN Si

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2009 Honda Accord Coupe

The Accord has been fully redesigned for the 2008 model year. This model is bigger than previous Accord models and boasts better engine performance without any loss of fuel efficiency. It's available as a midsize coupe or sedan and a variety of trim levels to suit almost any buyer's needs. Entry-level LX models have the basic necessities while top-line EX-L models feature items like leather upholstery and an optional navigation system. All models come with a fully array of safety equipment, including side curtain airbags and stability control.

As has been the case with the past few generations of the Accord, the newest eighth-generation model comes with either a four-cylinder or V6 engine. The base 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine makes 177 horsepower; an upgraded version of this engine makes 190 hp. For more power, a 268-hp, 3.5-liter V6 is available. The four-cylinder engine has a five-speed manual transmission as standard and a five-speed automatic as optional. The V6 typically comes with a five-speed automatic, though V6-equipped coupes are available with a six-speed manual.

In reviews, we've found the latest Honda Accord continues to excel as a family sedan or midsize coupe. The interior is very roomy and high in quality, though some might take issue with the car's multitude of buttons on the dash. As a response to some Accords of the past, the latest model is a bit sportier to drive. We wouldn't call the Accord a sport sedan exactly, but this newfound agility is a desirable addition to the usual Accord strengths of safety, reliability and comfort.

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All-New City Model Set To Boost Honda Malaysia Sales Despite Economic Slowdown

2009 All New Honda City

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 18 (Bernama) -- The All-New Honda City 1.5 sedan is expected to boost Honda Malaysia Sdn Bhd sales in 2009 with 18,000 units targeted to be sold in the first year of its launch despite the current global economic slowdown.

Managing director/chief executive officer, Atsushi Fujimoto, said the company was confident of achieving the target in view of the positive growth in the local motor vehicle market.

"We are looking to sell 1,500 units a month. The market here is much better than in Europe, the US and Japan which are facing a slowdown in their car industry," he told reporters after the launch of City here on Wednesday.

Fujimoto said Malaysia's economy was not badly affected by the current crisis.

"Malaysia has a safe and stable financial system. Honda Malaysia will not call for any retrenchment and cut its operation," he said.

The All-New City model is the third generation Honda City.

It is available in two variants. The City grade S sells at RM84,980 (on-the-road price with insurance) and the grade E at RM89,980.

The grade S offers essential features of the All-New City while the grade E variant offers additional features such as paddle shift, rear reclining seat, rear underseat tray and 16-inch alloy wheels.

The City is powered by the new i-VTEC engine and is the first in the 1.5-litre sedan segment to come with the five-speed automatic gear transmission.

Honda City was first introduced in 1996 in response to the growing needs and want for cars among Asians in tandem with the economic growth in the region.

It has become a strategic model for Honda following the Civic, Accord, CR-V and Jazz, with cumulative sales passing one million units as at late May this year.

Source : BERNAMA

2009 All New Honda City [Read more!]

The all-new Honda City unveiled

Honda Malaysia today unveiled the third-generation Honda City compact sedan in Kuala Lumpur.

The all-new City comes with numerous firsts in its class, combining style, performance and practicality, but more on that as you read on.

There are two variants available, these being tagged Grade E and Grade S. The Grade E comes with additional paddle shifters, rear reclining seats with an underseat tray and 16-inch sport alloy wheels.

Exterior style-wise, the City adopts what Honda calls an ‘Arrowshot Form’ design outlook from end-to-end. Strikingly, the front end resembles a transformable robot from an animated movie, whilst the tail lamps look very much like those found on the BMW 3-Series.

The i-DSI block is history, so the new City goes about its business with a single powerplant choice, this being a newly-developed four-cylinder 1.5l i-VTEC engine which pushes out 120bhp at 6,000rpm and 145Nm of torque at 4,800rpm. Compliant with Euro 4 level emission standards, the City is deemed the most powerful compact sedan in the market to date.
The advanced i-VTEC engine is now mated with a five-speed automatic transmission with Shift Hold Control and is the first in its class. Gone too is the CVT (Continuous Variable Transmission) gearbox, an omission brought about by the rougher style of driving encountered here, according to surveys carried out by Honda Japan’s R&D division.

Compensating for the absence of a manual transmission gearbox (a five-speed manual is available in both Thailand and Singapore) are the paddle shifters in the Grade E, which provides the driver with a sportier means of changing gears.

The steering wheel is now of the tilt and telescopic type, and the footrest is now wider as the accelerator and brake pedals have been shifted more to the right. The car comes with EPS (Electric Power Steering), and safety comes in the form of dual SRS airbags and front seatbelt pre-tensioners and load limiters.

Stopping power is reinforced with ABS (anti-lock braking system) with EBD (Electronic Brake Force Distribution), while BA (Brake Assist) amplifies the driver’s foot force with minimal pedal input.

Entertainment for the occupants inside the City is provided by an advanced audio system that is compatible with MP3 players, iPod, USB memory or a mobile hard disk drive. In the Grade E variant, you get a six-speaker system with steering wheel audio controls, while the Grade S makes do with a four-speaker arrangement.

The all-new City does not compromise in rear passenger convenience with a fold-down armrest that also houses integrated cup holders.

Another first in its class, the City’s rear trunk is able to contain a whopping 506l of cargo, which is equivalent to being able to store four nine-inch-wide golf bags.

As mentioned, the Grade E’s rear seats can be folded in a 60:40 split configuration for extended luggage carrying capacity, and is fitted with an underseat tray to stow away wet umbrellas or footwear.

There are a total of five colours to choose from – Alabaster Silver Metallic, Bold Beige Metallic, Polished Metal Metallic, and new colours Crystal Black Pearl and Deep Lapis Blue Metallic. Unfortunately, a striking signature colour called Habanero Red Pearl, as well as a very pretty Tafetta White, is not available.

The Honda City is manufactured in Malaysia, with 30% of the parts sourced locally, including the seats and instrument panel, while the rest are from Japan.

According to Atsushi Fujimoto, managing director of Honda Malaysia, the previous City was still doing quite well into the end of its run, having registered a total sales volume of 8,000 units from Jan to Nov this year. With the arrival of the new one, Honda Malaysia is targeting to sell about 1,500 units of the new City on a monthly basis, and pre-launch bookings have been brisk, with more than 1,500 orders to date - as of launch time, the waiting period is a month, though that is surely to change if more orders come about.

The City rolls in at RM84,980 for the Grade S and RM89,980 for the Grade E (both on the road, with insurance) and comes with a three-year warranty or 100,000km and six months free service or 10,000km, whichever comes first.

A Modulo accessories package is available to spruce up the City’s exterior, and this consists of front, side, rear and trunk spoilers, all for an additional RM4,750.

Source : Star-motoring.com [Read more!]

Honda To Quit Formula One, Citing Global Financial Crisis

TOKYO, Dec 5 (Bernama) -- Honda will withdraw from Formula One by the end of this year, citing deteriorating business conditions due to the global financial turmoil and the worldwide economic downturn.

"Near-term uncertainty surrounding the global economy continues to grow and we expect recovery to take some time," President Takeo Fukui of Honda Motor Co., Japan's second-largest automaker, was quoted by Kyodo News Agency as saying Friday.

"It was a very difficult decision," Fukui said.

Source : Bernama [Read more!]

New Honda technology to improve fuel efficiency

Debuting in next year's Insight Honda's clean machine is set to get a host of efficiency improving gadgets too.

A car is only as clean as its driver, that is the thinking behind Honda’s forthcoming Drive Assist dashboard.

Using a trio of functions, the new system aims to improve its users driving style, resulting in lower emissions and increased efficiency.

The three new technologies are headed by an ECON Mode which controls engine transmission for more fuel-efficient driving.

There’s a more advanced version of the guidance system currently available in the new Civic, which illuminates the speedometer in colours ranging from green to blue depending on how efficiently you are using the gas pedal.

And to provide an overall summary of the trip, there’s a scoring function which displays up to ten leaves depending on how efficiently you have driven. Honda's aim is to make "the hybrid experience more fun and rewarding". There is also a bar which displays your lifetime score.

The new ECO system is due to debut in Honda’s Insight hybrid, out next spring.
Source : http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/ [Read more!]

New NSX Gets Nekkid?

Honda NSX

British mag Auto Express has come to the fore with what appears to be the first peek beneath the upcoming successor to the legendary NA2 NSX. AE's cutaway appears to be very similar to an allegedly genuine rendering that they published months ago, so this may very well be the real deal.

There's not much to see other than a very Corvette-like intake plumbing arrangement for the NSX's 600hp naturally-aspirated V10 and an interior that appears to be just as cramped as that of an S2000. Like all good supercars, the front suspension is a bona-fide double-wishbone type and we don't see any driveshafts leading into those front hubs, so it's probably safe to say that those rumours of an AWD NSX are just that: rumours.

Source : Autoexpress.co.uk

Honda NSX

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2010 Honda Insight Becomes Clearer at Paris Show

2010 Honda Insight

The new Honda Insight has broken cover at the Paris auto show.The new hybrid vehicle revives the Insight nameplate formerly applied to the two-seat hybrid vehicle that inaugurated the gas-electric class in the United States in the late 1990s. It also bears a distinct resemblance to that other hybrid you might have heard of, and that's a battle set to take place in U.S. showrooms early next year.

Honda says the Insight's shape bears the hallmarks of its larger, fuel-cell-powered FCX Clarity, but it's hard not to see some echoes of the Toyota Prius in its greenhouse--though the front end is quite Civic-like in its appearance. The new Insight seats five, Honda says, and the rear seats fold for improved cargo access.

The important innovation in the new Insight is a much less complex, much more affordable hybrid drivetrain, the company says. It will allow the Insight to be sold for a price significantly lower than today's hybrids, Honda says. The automaker expects to sell 200,000 of the vehicles each year worldwide, with 100,000 heading to the United States from its Suzuka, Japan, factory. Combined with a production version of the CR-Z coupe hybrid concept, the new family of hybrids could swell to 500,000 sales annually.

The new 2010 Honda Insight goes on sale in the U.S. in the spring of 2009. More details to come--stay tuned.

2010 Honda Insight

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Honda FC Sport - Fuel-cell goes funky with Honda's latest green sports car

Honda FC Sport

This concept car was one of the nice surprises at this year’s Los Angeles Show; the Honda FC Sport is a hydrogen-powered three-seat sports car concept that took everyone by surprise on press day.

Using the fuel-cell technology first seen in the Honda FCX Clarity, the Honda FC moves the fuel cell stack, battery pack and electric motor to the mid-engine position for ultimate dynamic behaviour. Peer through the rear window and you can see the two fuel storage tanks that sit on top of all the mechanicals, just like you do on a Ferrari F430. The car boasts a central driving position, with a passenger seat positioned on either side to make it a three seater.

The Honda FC Sport was designed at Honda’s Advanced Design Studio in Pasadena, California, with the original idea being to create the basis for an ultimate Honda sports car that would use existing fuel cell technology. Looks like they succeeded in spectacular fashion in our eyes, lets just hope we see it produced one day.

Honda is fast-establishing itself as a key player in future technologies, with cars that appeal to us as much as those wanting to save the planet - just look at the OSM and CR-Z from recent motor shows.

Source : evo.co.uk

Honda FC Sport

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2008 Honda Civic MUGEN Si - Test Drive

2008 Honda Civic MUGEN Si

The 2008 Honda Civic Si is already a pretty cool little sedan, and lots of fun to drive. So when Honda teamed up with Mugen to produce 1000 special 2008 Honda Civic Si Mugen sedans, the internet was abuzzin'. I got a chance to spend a week with a Mugen tuner car, and I lived to tell the tale.

In Japanese, "Mugen" means "without limit," and it's the name of the tuner company co-founded by Sochiro Honda's son Hirotoshi in 1973. Mugen specializes in souping up Honda cars for the track and street, and they've been very successful in their home market. Mugen parts are available in the US, but this is the first time that a co-branded Mugen vehicle has been brought out by Honda.

The Mugen Si shares most of its mechanical underpinnings with the standard Si. The Mugen elements focus on suspension, exhaust, body modifications and some cosmetics. Inside, there's not much to distinguish the Mugen from a stock Si. There are a few badges, a Mugen shift knob and drilled aluminum pedals to elevate the atmosphere, and of course there's that bisected rear view, with the big wing out back.

The Si interior is a very good one, luckily, and it didn't need much tweaking to work as a tuner car anyway. First off, the seats are firm and supportive, with excellent side bolstering to keep you in place when cornering. The dash is very high-tech looking, with a digital speedometer tucked at the top of the instrument panel and a big rotary analog tachometer taking center stage. Keep that tachometer in mind -- it becomes very important when we start to talk about actually driving the Mugen.

The Mugen is powered by the same 2.0 liter inline four-cylinder engine that propels the stock Si. The 16-valve double-overhead cam unit produces 197 hp and 139 lb-ft of torque -- not all that impressive until you look further into the figures. Horsepower doesn't peak until 7800 rpm; torque until 6100 rpm. That means that in order to get the most out of the Mugen, you have to really rev it up and use that big tach to make sure that you're running in the powerband. The engine isn't shy about letting you know when it's happy. There's a spike in power as you approach the peak. It almost feels like a turbocharger kicks in, the spike is so strong. If you shift the six-speed manual gearbox later than you would on most cars, you get great rushes of acceleration from the Mugen. A freer flowing exhaust system rewards you with incredible music from the engine, and a happy feeling follows.

2008 Honda Civic MUGEN Si

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2008 Honda ELEMENT SUV Combines Rugged to Sporty

2008 Honda ELEMENT

The ultra-versatile 2008 Honda Element SUV offers a spacious interior that quickly adapts to people or cargo, while three unique exterior styles range from rugged on the Element LX, to refined on the Element EX, to sporty on the "street custom-styled" Element SC. For 2008, available Element SC exterior color options expand to include Royal Blue Pearl (exclusive to the SC).

"The Element provides extraordinary levels of utility with its completely flat cargo floor, removable flip-up rear seats and convenient side cargo doors with integrated `B-pillars,'" said Dick Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "The Element also excels at both tailgating and side-gating - if you have a preference."

Standard safety equipment includes side-curtain airbags with a rollover sensor; front side airbags with passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS); dual-stage, dual-threshold front airbags; Vehicle Stability AssistTM (VSA) and an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS). Additionally, the Element has earned the federal government's top five-star crash safety rating for both frontal and side impacts.
The 166-horsepower, 2.4-liter i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine connects to either a standard 5-speed manual transmission or an available 5-speed automatic transmission. Real Time 4WDTM, available on the Element LX and EX, enhances all-weather traction.
Composite body panels on the fenders (black on LX, body-colored on EX and SC) provide increased dent resistance compared to steel panels.

Inside, spacious seating exists for four people along with a cargo area that quickly adapts to large items with removable, flip-up rear seats that fold flat, fold up and to the side, or can be removed altogether (64+ seating arrangements). The Element LX and EX have a black urethane-coated utility floor thatquickly wipes down and seat fabric that resists moisture; the Element SC has a carpeted passenger area. Air conditioning with micron air filtration is standard on all models. A tilt-able and removable 20x30-inch rear skylight is standard on Element LX and EX models equipped with available Real Time 4WD.

2008 Honda ELEMENT

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New Honda City - Review

New Honda City

The new 3rd generation Honda City which went on sale in Thailand in mid-September this year. The first official release on the new model gives a hint as to the theme the new City will have – style and performance joining practicality. This is only to be expected since the previous City (still on sale here) was strong on practicality but until the facelift last year, its looks were not appealing to some and the performance also left something to be desired, allowing the Vios to score more points in these areas.

Now Honda has addressed those deficiencies and at the same time, gone further, with the new City. Besides the new 120 ps 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine (same as in the new Jazz), the new City also comes with a long list of sensible and useful features.

According to Honda Malaysia, buyers can expect a top-notch multi-format compatible audio system as standard. The ‘revolutionary Advanced Audio’ digital media system is compatible with iPod and mp3 players as well as other sources of digital audio sound for the convenience of the driver and passengers. In addition, all major operations, such as song selection and volume adjustment, are controlled using four push buttons and a rotary selector similar to the Jog Dial function on an iPod. The display panel features a large LCD for improved visibility even from the rear seats.

Interior spaciousness and comfort, thanks to the extended wheelbase, are claimed to be greatly improved in the new City. To enhance seating comfort, special attention has been paid to the shape of the side bolsters and the hardness of the seat cushion padding. The springs and cushion padding were also specially contoured so that the passenger’s lower back sinks into the seat cushion and is held in place. At the back, the convenient one-step 60/40 folding and reclining backrests allows the boot space to be extended for loading of long or tall items. The rear headrests have also been integrated into the backseats for better rearward visibility. Developed for the best balance between maximum capacity and practical usage, the boot capacity is at an impressive 506 litres, which should swallow up a lot of luggage.

The new City features unique spaces such as the open-type tray beneath the rear seat. This allows passengers to store their umbrellas and an extra pair of shoes for rainy days. No mention is made of the highly innovative ULTRA seat being present in the new model, though. The glovebox and coin pocket are now larger, which allows passengers to store more things.

Globally, the new City has already been launched in three countries - Thailand, India and Singapore – and Malaysia will get the model by mid-December 2008. When it was launched in Thailand, over 8,000 units were booked within the first month and this was a new record for Honda in Thailand as it broke the previous high of 6,000 bookings in the first month of the launch of the Civic in 2005.

Source : Motor-Trader

New Honda City
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