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Concept Vehicles From Honda at Tokyo Auto Saloon 2007

In the continuing success story of the Japanese car company, Honda, they announced recently that they will be showing off four new concept vehicles at the Tokyo Auto Saloon 2007. This is just what anyone who knows how Honda approaches such motor shows would expect. For years, they have dazzled the public with completely cool concept cars. And this year will not be an exception to the kind of hype that is generated by Honda’s new concept vehicles which includes 3 cars and a scooter.

All of the said vehicles were developed by the Honda Access Corporation, a fully owned subsidiary of the automotive giant which manufactures high performance Honda parts and other aftermarket products.

On display will not only be these concept vehicles but also customized versions of some of the cars that Honda has in the market today. Also included are genuine Honda accessories which vary from entertainment systems to navigation devices which are offered as treats for Honda lovers.

The concept vehicles that will be displayed are the Forza 2-seater scooter, the Fit Daily Active, the Stream Hyper Sport and the Stream Exclusive. All of which carries the same philosophy infused into it by Honda’s engineers – make the vehicle more personal. They also carry technological treats for the users, giving them an enjoyable and comfy ride, whether it be on a scooter (Forza), a small car (Fit Daily Active), or a minivan (Stream Hyper Sport and Stream Exclusive).

The Fit Daily Active concept vehicle, for example, is loaded with features aimed at the youth of today, not lacking in gaming and communications features. It also comes with an entertainment system good enough for all age levels. The Stream Hyper Sport minivan is also loaded with technological features, offering mobile communication compatible with the AVN driving information system it has. When it comes to entertainment systems, the vehicle offers each passenger a personalized audio and visual entertainment package. The Stream Exclusive, on the other hand, boasts of a luxurious interior and jaw dropping design of the exterior while still offering the premium in audio and video experience with its 17 inch-wide screen and awesome audio system to back it up.

The Forza 2-seater concept scooter from Honda is really one of a kind; it is something everybody would like to have. You can carry around on it the portable AVN entertainment system which the Fit Daily Active also sports. It also has information-related functions which can be very much considered to be an essential to safe city driving. Driver and passenger communication is made possible by the advanced inter-communication system that comes with the vehicle. Music likewise can be shared by both the driver and passenger thanks to the front and rear speakers.

All these and more will be displayed by Honda at the Tokyo Auto Saloon this year. Another year for this forward thinking company to show to the public what they can do and what they can offer us.

Honda Invested an Additional $40 Million on Jet Factory

Honda Motor Co. the producer of high quality auto parts like Honda spark plug wire is to spend approximately $40 million for its first jet aircraft factory. The additional investment will raise the company’s total venture to $100 million as part of the company’s expansion into aviation from manufacturing motorcycles, autos, and engines.

Construction had begun on the Honda Aircraft Co. facilities in Greensboro, North Carolina, as announced by Honda. The initial stage of the project is expected to be finished next year while the first deliveries of Honda Jet will start in 2010. The Tokyo-based company also plans to hire a workforce comprising of 350 people

According to Honda’s spokeswoman Alicia Jones in an interview recently, “The factory portion should open by 2009 to allow us to meet our goal of delivering Honda Jets by 2010.” She also added that Honda is building the unit’s headquarters at the site.

The world’s biggest engine producer and Japan’s second-largest automaker will also compete in aircraft manufacturing with Textron Inc.’s Cessna which is the world’s biggest business-jet maker. Honda has also announced that it has been able to get more than 100 orders for its $3.65 million Honda Jet that can accommodate as many as eight people.

The company also said that the aircraft is to be powered by two Honda-designed engined mounted over the wings making the aircraft more fuel efficient. It will also offer more standard features as compared to its other small rival jets. Honda is preparing three of the planes for test flights in the later part of 2008 for the US Federal Aviation Administration certification.

Honda had announced last February that it would spend approximately $60 million for its aircraft facilities while additional investment for the manufacturing portion is to be announced later on. Honda’s US operations are based in Torrance, California.

Honda’s American depository receipts was also reported to increase by 39 cents to $35.6 at 4:02 pm in New York Stock Exchange compose trading but for this year they have dropped by 9.8 percent.

About Honda

Honda Motor Company, Limited or Honda for short is a Japanese engine manufacturer and engineering corporation. However the company is most notable in terms of its automobiles and motorcycles surpassing Nissan to become the second largest seller of autos in Japan.

Aside from motorcycle, automobiles and engines Honda also produce other products such as trucks, scooters, robots, jets and jet engines, ATV, water craft, electrical generators, marine engines, lawn and garden equipment, and aeronautical and other mobile technologies.

The high-end lines of cars of Honda are sold under the brand Acura in North America and China. And just very recently the company has ventured into the world of mountain bikes by producing the very first bike that make use of an internal gear changing system in the Honda RN-01 G-cross.

Honda produces 14 million internal combustion engines each year making it the largest engine-maker in the world. Then in the year 2004, the company has started producing diesel motors which were very quiet and at the same time do no require for particulate filters to pass pollution standards.

But in all the products that Honda has it is in the motorcycle division where its success is mostly rooted. Honda is headquartered in Tokyo. The company’s shares trade on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange as well as exchanges in Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Kyoto, Fukuoka, London, Paris, and Switzerland.

Tokyo Tower on a Honda

tokyo

Image taken on 2009-02-28 17:41:33 by shibuya246.

Honda Jazz to Debut at the Tokyo Motor Show in October

Honda’s first small car for India, the Jazz, will make its first public appearance at the Tokyo Motor show in October this year. Expected to be launched in a finely tuned form in India to take advantage of the taxation structure, the product is most likely to come strapped with a diesel engine.

The new Honda Jazz is built to take on Swift and Getz. Masahiro Takedagawa, chairman and CEO of Honda Siel Cars India, has already implied that the company’s small cars would be positioned to fit into the lower excise duty bracket. Small cars with a certain specification of engine capacity and length attract lower tax of 16 percent as against 24 percent for bigger cars, as per the excise duty structure. The Jazz might come with a 1.5-litre diesel engine in order to draw excise benefits. Honda is traditionally known for pricing its product on the higher side. But auto analysts say that the Japanese manufacturer will have to change its stand as it treads into the compact segment.

PriceWaterhouse partner Abdul Majeed said that the B and the B+ segment cars do not give high margin. But according to him, to be able to make money in these segments, any auto maker would have to price its products aggressively to catch big volumes.

The Jazz is likely to sport a price tag of Rs 4.6-5.6 lakh to draw big volumes in the segment, given the competition from Getz and Swift. While Jazz will hit the Indian roads in 2009, another small car from the Honda stable, which is designed for the Indian market, will be launched in the country from that time on. This model would be launched one level lower in the B-segment and would rival with the likes of Hyundai Santro, Tata Indica and Maruti Wagon R.

The company’s second Indian car plant, which is coming up at Takapura in Rajasthan, would manufacture the next generation Jazz. The initial capacity of plant would reach 60,000 vehicles which will be more than tripled to 2 lakh units over time. Moreover, Honda’s second small car for India is also expected to be manufactured in the Takapura plant after its capacity is reinvented.

About Honda

Honda is well known for its diverse line up of quality automobiles and car parts under Honda such as Honda S2000 parts and Acura name plates, and for its motorcycles, ATVs, power products, marine engines, and personal watercraft.

Honda CR-Z Hybrid Sports Car Coming in Fall 2010

The Toyota Prius is such an iconic car that many people believe Toyota was the first company to come out with production hybrids. It was not. Honda was the first, but miscalculated the market and missed out on a huge opportunity. The announcement that the company will be introducing a hybrid sports car, the CR-Z, to the US market in the fall of 2010 is an effort to right that wrong.

The CR-Z is nothing less than a full frontal assault on the hybrid market in the United States. The car is a two-seater that is rumored to incorporate an integrated motor assist system that incorporates a 1.3 liter engine. The CR-Z, which stands for Compact Renaissance Zero, gets its sportiness from both the design and the fact that it is expected to be very light weight.

The initial prototype of the vehicle was shown at the 41st Tokyo Motor Show. It incorporates a longer nose with sleek, banked styling that runs to a higher end, flat rear. If I had to compare it to any other car, it looks like a revved up Honda Insight although with very distinct lines. You can look up images online from the show to see it.

The real beauty of the CR-Z is found in an area that is rarely available in a new, revolutionary sporty car. Yes, I am talking about the price. All indications are Honda is trying to bring this car in to wipe up the market. The proposed retail price is a paltry $20,000. This is the equivalent of a Prius, but with much better lines and performance. Well, at least we think better performance. Honda has released no information on just how sporty the performance will be. Still, one has to imagine it will be better than your average hybrid.

The age of hybrids is in full bloom. The Honda CR-Z seems to fill a niche that has demand these days. With a price in the $20,000 range, it may be a huge hit.

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