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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