Volkswagen is looking to add an entry-level brand for the Chinese market as a means of stabilizing its lead in the Chinese marketplace. “We are currently evaluating with our partner First Auto Works whether we need to add a domestic brand to enter the low-cost portion of the Chinese market,” Soh Weiming, executive VP for Volkswagen’s...
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Many a Honda fanboy is under the impression that the brand has lost its way, putting too much of a focus on green technology and not enough on driving enjoyment and performance. But Honda is looking to restore faith in the company by merging the two ideas says President Takanobu Ito, confirming that it is...
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The 2012 Honda Civic bows at New York with new styling across the line, and new powertrains for Si and Hybrid models. The regular Civic sedan and coupe make do with the same powertrain and 5-speed transmission from the last model. But if it ain’t broke, as they say, don’t fix it: the 1.8-liter i-VTEC...
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The 2012 Honda Civic is a crucial product for Honda. As the competition gets better and better, Honda will have to fight to retain customers in the compact car segment, an area where they were the undisputed champions for decades. But with the new Chevrolet Cruze, Hyundai Elantra and Ford Focus nipping at its heels,...
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Honda‘s Civic Si sports coupe is back for 2012, and while it may not have gained much in the horsepower stakes, the car’s one great performance shortcoming – a lack of torque – has been remedied with a new 2.4L engine that makes 31 more lb-ft of torque than the outgoing 2.0L motor. The Civic...
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The 2012 Civic Hybrid will have the honor of being the second most fuel efficient vehicle on the market, delivering 44 mpg in the city and 44 mpg on the highway. While not quite as fuel efficient as the Toyota Prius, the numbers are still excellent, especially considering that Honda‘s hybrid technology is a few...
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While some general info and photos of Honda‘s new 2012 Civic have already been released ahead of the car’s debut at the New York Auto Show tomorrow, more details have been leaked. Of note we now not only know the engine’s power, but at what rpm. The new 2.4-liter makes just 4 hp more than...
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Honda will offer their Civic compact car with a new small diesel engine by 2013, but for now it looks like Europe and other markets will get it, with North America seemingly shut out. With a new Civic set to debut in world markets in 2012, Honda is mulling various options, with world markets set...
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Dealers may be in for an arduous summer as Japan’s auto parts shortage is on track to choke off new vehicle deliveries for months, with dealers potentially receiving no new vehicles until September. The best case scenario will be a resumption of production on May 9th, after Japan’s traditional holiday break. But manufacturers are still unable to...
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Honda will reveal the all-new 9th generation Civic lineup at the New York Auto Show on Wednesday. Totaling six models, the next-generation of the Civic will include a Coupe and Sedan, Si Coupe and Sedan, Hybrid, Natural Gas model and even a high-mpg HF model. Powered by a 1.8-liter i-VTEC engine, the new Civic comes...
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Hyundai and Kia remain unscathed by the parts crunch that is affecting Japanese auto makers, with both companies running their United States-based plants at full capacity and overtime shifts to help meet demand at certain plants. “We’ve been fortunate,” Robert Burns, a spokesman for the Hyundai plant in Alabama, told Left Lane News. “Our parts...
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It shouldn’t be too much of a stretch to notice that there’s a correlation between rising gas prices and the number of people gobbling up motorcycles and scooters. During 2007 to 2009, when gas prices seemingly spelled doom for America’s love of four-wheeled conveyances, street-legal motorcycle sales soared 94%. But even after gas prices settled...
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Despite being written off as a failure in both critical acclaim and unit sales, the Honda Insight has seen sales explode as higher gas prices, a promotional blitz and a general upward trend in sales resulted in a 62.2 percent improvement in year-over-year sales numbers for Honda’s hybrid hatchback. The Insight was regarded by almost...
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You meet the nicest people on a Honda… until they steal it. Honda owners should remember that the tagline only applies to motorcycles, as their cars were once again the most stolen and recovered vehicles of 2010 according to statistics released by LoJack security systems. The Honda Accord and Civic, as well as the Toyota...
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Honda plants in North America could be operating at well below capacity as a shortage of parts from Japan threatens to cripple the automaker’s output for as long as 90 days. Speaking with Automotive News, Honda’s executive Vice-President John Mendel estimated a 60 to 90 day slowdown, with 30 days being an optimistic forecast. Honda...
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Despite higher gas prices and panic over Japan’s earthquake, and its subsequent effect on auto production, March 2011 was a positive month for the industry, with sales up 17 percent compared to the previous year. Among the Big 3, Ford managed to outsell General Motors for the first time in a year, with a 16...
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Hyundai‘s vice-chairman, Shin Jong-Woon unequivocally quashed rumors regarding a separate premium brand for Hyundai’s upscale vehicles, telling Automotive News “There are no plans for Hyundai to make a separate brand.” Hyundai spokesman Frank Ahrens elaborated on Jong-Woon’s comments, citing costs and branding difficulties as the main obstacles towards establishing a premium channel ala Lexus, Infiniti...
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Yesterday, we told you about the rising influence women of different ethnicities have when it comes to vehicle purchases. And now, R.L. Polk & Co. has released new information about the correlation between women and the Asian automakers. The Asian OEMs in question are Toyota, Lexus, Honda, Acura, Hyundai, KIA, Nissan, Infiniti, Subaru and Mazda,...
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As result of ongoing supply chain problems, the company announced to US and Canadian Employees on March 30th, that it would be reducing production output at North American plants.
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While we won’t have final March sales numbers until Thursday evening, but for the first time since February of 2010, Ford looks set to beat GM in sales figures, with 210,000 units sold. GM won’t fare so badly, with a projected 208,000 cars and trucks moved in March. GM’s slump – and Ford’s success –...
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Honda has announced it will recall 2,800 of its new Odyssey minivans to replace the windows on both front doors. The recall affects only 2011 model year versions of the Odyssey due to glass that can become detached from the mechanism that moves it, causing it to become stuck either open or closed. No injuries...
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And the findings of its most recent one (Spring 2011); indicated that of all automakers that sell cars and trucks in the US; the most improved in the mainstream category was Kia Motors.
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The latest hiccup deriving from Japan’s earthquake may cause global automotive production to fall by as much as 30 percent, as parts suppliers remain crippled by the quake and subsequent tsunami that devastated Japan. “We could lose up to 5 million vehicles in a worst-case scenario,” said Michael Robinet of IHS, in an interview with Bloomberg. “This...
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Honda‘s manufacturing plants will remain closed, while the heart of their company, the research & development facility in Tochigi, Japan, will undergo months of repairs after being severely damaged by the earthquake that devastated Japan earlier in March. Honda originally planned to keep their plants closed until March 27th but has decided to extend the closures until...
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