Just months after debuting its new second generation Pilot SUV, Honda is cutting production in line with shifting market demand. Honda is fortunate to have a very flexible manufacturing system along with a wide array of vehicles that use a very similar architecture. With that in mind, Honda is able to shift most production of V6 powered Accords from Marysville OH to Lincoln AL alongside the Odyssey and Pilot. The Alabama plant includes an engine plant that produces V6 engines. With the shifts, the Lincoln engine plant will also produce the V6s for the Accords built there. Next spring the Ridgeline pickup will also go to Lincoln.

While V6 Accord production goes south, the Ohio factory will increase production of four cylinder Accords and imports of those versions from Japan will be reduced accordingly. The nearby Anna OH, engine plant will shift its build mix from away from V6 to more four cylinder production. Overall production volumes at the North American plants will remain stable with new product mix thanks to those reduced imports.

[Source: Honda]

Regardless of your opinions of the styling of the Honda Ridgeline (it's not exactly pretty), the automaker doesn't think that's the problem with the vehicle. Apparently, its sales are down over 17-percent -- not up to Honda's lofty expectations. The pickup was slightly restyled for the 2009 model year, but the changes are pretty small and were made primarily to the front and rear of the truck. That probably won't help a great deal. The real problem, according to Executive Vice President Koichi Kondo, is that it's not fuel efficient enough. When the Ridgeline was first introduced, gas was still pretty cheap and the Honda's V6 engine got better efficiency numbers than its competition, standing at 15 miles per gallon in the city and 20 on the highway. Better than its rivals isn't quite good enough. So, when the Ridgeline gets its first major makeover, expect Honda to keep it about the same size and unibody construction but reduce its fuel consumption somewhat. Oh, and maybe get a prettier face. If it's successful, the automaker could offer more truck models carrying the Ridgeline badge.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Over dinner in Amarillo, Texas on Saturday night, we sat at a table with Audi of America EVP Johan de Nysschen and discussed a range of topics. Among them was his impressions of other manufacturers backing off on diesel plans for the U.S. market. During the course of this drive, Toyota confirmed the cancellation of its plans to add a diesel engine to its full-size trucks. Chrysler has also apparently lost confidence in US demand for diesel in light of high fuel prices.

de Nysschen seemed unconcerned about these developments. He made the point that TDI technology "is a core competency for Audi" whereas the other manufacturers are more focused on other powertrains types. While de Nysschen expressed respect for what Toyota has accomplished, he identified a different Japanese company as the one to watch. To de Nysschen, Honda is by far the most impressive of the Japanese carmakers. He emphasized that like Audi, Honda is and always has been an engineering-driven company. If an alliance were ever to happen between a Japanese and German company Honda and Audi would be the most natural fit. However, Honda has never expressed interest in such alliances and prefers to go their own way. The cultural differences between German and Japanese manufacturers also make such tie-ups unlikely. In the meantime, Audi shows no signs of slowing down its diesel push.

Our travel and lodging for this media event was provided by the manufacturer.

Hold on to your hats and get ready for two conspiracy theories regarding two of Honda's green car projects. That's right, and they both come from the same source, a man named Edwin Black. While the first theory questioning Honda's true green allegiances revolved the compressed natural gas-powered Civic GX, the second involves the hydrogen-fueled FCX Clarity. While highlighting all of the Clarity's best points, including the fact that it uses zero petroleum while running, Mr. Black questions why Honda doesn't offer its hydrogen-car in more markets. Black throws Honda's own reasoning - that there aren't enough refueling stations - out the window. He reasons that the automaker held back its Home Energy Center, which reforms natural gas into hydrogen right in your garage.

Why would Honda sabotage its own hydrogen car? As Black sees it, the project was scaled back so that Honda could continue offering fuel-guzzling SUVs and trucks... and the S2000 roadster. Sorry, but we're not buying this argument. Just like Black's last assertion regarding the Civic GX, a huge number of details are left out in an effort to place all the blame solely on Honda. For instance, how much does it cost to create the FCX Clarity? We're not sure, but even at the current lease rate of $600 per month, the automaker is losing lots of money. Plus, the home refueling station would add a significant chunk again. We could think of more reasons why Black's a bit off, but suffice it to say that we don't agree. Thoughts?


[Source: Edwin Black / The Auto Channel]

Honda has launched a new mini-site - oh, excuse me, a mini-insight - that displays information about its hybrid vehicle lineup in all sorts of flashy goodness. Of course, the star of the show is the new Honda Insight, which was unveiled in Paris last week. On top of that, the dedicated site has information on the old Insight, the Accord hybrid, the Civic hybrid, the CR-Z and the Jazz hybrid, along with press releases from 2007 and 2008 about the latest models. To visit the site, go here and click on the "launch" button.

This is Honda's second major online development that features the Insight. The first is the Insight blog, "a Honda blog that follows the journey of our latest hybrid." Whether you prefer the chatty nature of the Honda blog or the more straightforward minisite, Honda wants you to know that their Prius-fighter has arrived online. We've noticed, but we're really waiting for the car to show up in dealer lots.

[Source: Honda]

Honda this week launched its first blog in conjunction with the debut of the new Insight concept in Paris. If Honda's usual practice and the spy photos we've seen are any indication, the concept Insight that is on the show stand right now will be almost identical to the production model coming next spring. While the Insight's profile undoubtedly shares a lot with the Toyota Prius, it also differs in many design details. The Insight has more surface development than the Prius including the belt-line and rocker panel creases that help catch the light and make the look more interesting. The Insight also has a less distinct peak in the roof than the Toyota giving a sleaker look to the green house. The primary elements that are likely to change in going to production are the lights with the concepts fancy clusters giving way to something a little more conventional. You can check video of the Paris reveal and running footage of the Insight after the jump.



[Source: Honda]

In India, two-wheeled scooters and motorcycles are a very popular way to get around. Cars are out of the price range for many buyers, and until the Tata Nano comes out, will remain that way. Other factors are putting a crimp on the spending of many Indian households, including a huge inflation increase and the surging price of fuel. All of these things are likely to have a negative impact on the automotive sector. Some, though, believe that the two-wheeled market is set to pick up some of the slack. In fact, Hero Honda, the largest manufacturer of motorcycles in India, believes that there is a chance it could gain market share in these turbulent times. Some families that would otherwise purchase a second car may choose a smaller motorcycle or scooter instead in an effort to spend less money on the initial vehicle purchase and when keeping it filled with fuel. Similarly, scooter sales have risen dramatically in the United States as buyers find it more difficult to find sufficient credit to purchase an expensive new car and gas prices remain over $3.00 a gallon.

[Source: Business Standard]

In the United States, sales of hybrid cars greatly outpaces the sales of diesel cars; super-size trucks don't count. The leader of the hybrid race globally and in the States is undoubtedly Toyota, but other manufacturers, including Honda, are doing their best to catch up. Despite the fact that the original Honda Insight helped usher in the hybrid age, the automaker has taken a major back seat to its main rival from Japan in recent years. To help combat this issue, Honda is set to revive the Insight nameplate with a Prius-fighting five door hatchback of its own, and it will undercut its competitor by thousands of dollars.

So, what about Europe? Across the pond, hybrid cars and trucks are not nearly as popular as they are in the U.S. There, diesel fuel is priced more attractively than gasoline, and sales of oil-burners are therefore very strong. A recent survey conducted by Honda in the U.K. indicates that 40-percent of those who would not buy a hybrid are put off by their high price. Since the Insight will be the cheapest hybrid available in Europe, Honda hopes to buck the slow-selling trend. We'll see how it works out sometime next year.


[Source: Just-Auto - sub. req'd]

The biggest bit of greenery at the Paris Motor Show may be the Honda Insight concept. This is the car that's set to give the Prius a run for its money in the ongoing hybrid arms race in America, and it looks like it may have the goods to do proper battle. As has been stated, over and over again, the Insight bears a striking resemblance to its main rival from Toyota, but perhaps that's to be expected as both cars are meant to cheat the wind in an effort to reach maximum efficiency.

This isn't the production version, but we don't expect too many changes to its external appearance before it hits the Detroit Auto Show in January in its final form. Details like those LED-heavy light clusters up front may not make it, but the overall look is what will be in Honda dealerships sometime next year. The interior looks pretty spacey, but so did the second-gen Prius' when it was introduced. Take a look at the live shots in our gallery below.


[Source: Autoblog]

Honda is one of those companies with its hands in nearly everything. Not that this is a bad thing, mind you, as Honda always seems to be able to add something unique to the design of any given product, incrementally improving it along the way. Big Red's next pet-project may well be hybrid motorcycles. Anybody following these pages is well aware that Honda helped kick off the whole hybrid car thing with its Insight two-seater, and the brand is set to reintroduce that nameplate as an aerodynamic and inexpensive people-mover.

Reports now indicate that Honda believes it can inject some of that hybrid technology to its motorcycles. This wouldn't be the first time that Honda infused its bikes with automotive DNA, as the the manufacturer once used an automatic transmission for some of its two-wheelers with technology straight from its then-new Civic. Will Honda do it again? Fuel mileage could truly be astronomical with a machine like this, so we look forward to finding out if these early rumors are accurate. Thanks for the tip, yash!

[Source: The Earth Times]

Saturday afternoon at the Santa Monica Alt Car Expo was supposed to feature an all-out technology debate between everyone's favorite gasoline alternatives. Moderated by Rick Sikes, the fleet superintendent of the City of Santa Monica, the setup was billed as "Top experts representing PHEV, all electric, Hydrids, Natural Gas, Propane, Ethanol, Biodiesel, and Hydrogen will discuss and debate the latest information on these technologies." Sikes is the perfect person to lead this type of discussion because his City's fleet uses all sorts of non-gasoline energy to move around. Here's the starting lineup, the alt-fuels and their proponents:

• Dr. Andy Frank; professor of mechanical and aeronautical engineering, UC Davis, speaking for Plug-in hybrids
• Dave Barthmuss; group manager western region, Environment & Energy Communications Team, GM, speaking on "vehicle electrification" and GM's well-known "gas friendly to gas free" mantra
  
• Steve Ellis; marketing manager for Alternative Fuel Programs, Honda, talking about hybrids and hydrogen, mostly
  
• Joe Gershen; VP sales & marketing for Tellurian Biodiesel, speaking on, well, you can guess
  
• Dean Taylor; senior program manager, Southern California Edison talking on and on
  
• Lesley Brown Garland; president and CEO, Western Propane Gas Association on, surprise, propane

So, we've got the hook, the characters and the topic. How did it all shake down? Follow after the jump to find out.

We're suckers for a good conspiracy theory, and we've stumbled upon one involving getting our nations off imported oil. Perfect! After reading through it, though, we're a little less enthusiastic. The whole thing centers around the Honda Civic GX, which is powered by natural gas as opposed to liquid petroleum. Sure, it's still coming from the ground, but it burns cleaner in an internal combustion engine and there is lots of it around these parts. So, is the Civic GX the perfect car to wean ourselves on? Maybe not. While the gas is available almost anywhere right in your home, the car takes a very long time to fill with the home-based Phill device and it's pretty pricey. So, you'd better have a CNG filling station nearby.

Here's a possible scenario. Honda builds about 1,000 Civic GXs a year and supply is short. Those are sold in California and New York only - states with strict environmental standards. Spokane Community College, which is in Washington State (not California or New York), wants to buy a fleet of GXs, as they have lots of CNG there, but the order is denied. Conspiracy! Or not. Maybe it costs Honda a bit more to make these than normal Civics. Maybe there really aren't enough of them to go around. We hope the cars become more widely available, but for now they aren't. Phill was just sold to Clean Energy Fuels, which could make them more prominent, but kills the idea that Honda is only interested in limiting its use. Feel free to read the whole thing here.


[Source: The Auto Channel / Edwin Black]

Oaktec has been campaigning a heavily-modified Honda Insight in a series of rallies over the past few years, taking five Class-A victories in the UK Formula 1000 rally and bringing home the Class-A championship in 2006.

In 2007, Oaktec built a Honda Civic hybrid to compete in both rally and circuit competition, porting over the knowledge it gleaned from the Insight to the Civic, including the implementation of a modified CVT, which the firm found provides the best method of power delivery when coupled to a hybrid drivetrain.

Yesterday, Oaktec and Lotus Engineering announced a partnership that will help to maximize the performance of its hybrid setup through the use of new battery and control system. Along with Lotus and Oaktec, Energy Efficient Motorsport, Motorsport Development and Honda UK have been tapped to provide support as the companies develop more vehicles for third-party clients.

The crew will make their debut campaign in the Dunlop Max Sport Cup at the Rockingham circuit this Sunday, with plans to campaign in more track competitions throughout this year and next.

[Source: Lotus]

Bloggers love environmentally friendly cars. Or so it seems, according to research performed by J.D. Power and Associates. The most commonly referenced brands in blog posts over the last six months are Toyota, Honda and General Motors. This shouldn't come as shocking news, considering that the Toyota Prius, Honda Insight and Chevy Volt are all hot topics right now and are all expected to be thoroughly redesigned or first introduced within the next few years. Naturally, then, these are the brands that are getting the most publicity and are likely the ones that you are most interested in hearing about.

Not all of the blog posts were positive, though, and JDP therefore kept separate numbers for each manufacturer counting how many good things were written about their sustainability and efforts to reduce global warming. The surprising winner of that group was Nissan, though that brand only got two percent of all mentions overall. We blog, they watch, we blog. Fun!


[Source: The Car Connection]

The same week that General Motors unveiled the production version of its Volt extended range EV, Honda R&D president Masaaki Kato downplayed the importance of plug-in hybrids, at least in the short term. While GM and Toyota are both developing hybrid vehicles with plug-in capability and a wide array of manufacturers are planning full battery electric vehicles, Honda doesn't believe that battery technology is where it needs to be for plug-in vehicles to be commercially viable. The company believes the latest lithium ion batteries are still too costly, heavy and low in energy density to meet consumer demands. For the time being, Honda will focus on its upcoming new hybrid models as well as developing fuel cell technology. Honda's FCX Clarity already has a range of 280 miles on 4 kg of hydrogen and the company believes it can make more improvements more easily there than with batteries. Honda doesn't rule out a plug-in at some point, but whenever we've talked to them over the last two years they've given no indication of when.

[Source: Bloomberg]