Honda CRX Reborn as CR-Z Concept

Don’t Ask Y: Honda CRX Reborn as CR-Z Concept

Probably the car the poky Insight should’ve been, Honda’s very sporty CR-Z gasoline-electric hybrid concept evokes the dearly departed CRX two-seater, right down to the glass panel on the hatchback. The name stands for “Compact Renaissance Zero,” which, according to Honda, is “intended to capture the idea of a renaissance in the design of compact cars that begins anew from fundamentals.” Um, okay. The car looks production-ready to us. Let’s have it. Honda will introduce the CR-Z at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show, which starts October 26 at the Makuhari Messe convention center, and runs through November 11.

Via Jalopnik.

Photos courtesy of Honda.

Honda: Production for FCX in ‘08, CR-Z in ‘09

As the Tokyo Motor Show gets up to speed, Honda today confirmed what most people in the industry have suspected for some time: The FCX fuel-cell-powered sedan is headed for production. The company expects to reveal the showroom-ready version (the concept is pictured here) during next month’s Los Angeles Auto Show.

Also, to the nay-sayers who doubted Honda’s two-seat CR-Z concept (above right) would ever see the light of day, take note: The company took the opportunity to announce that it would indeed build a car based on the CR-Z, set for a debut during 2009. Just how closely can the production version resemble the slightly pie-in-the-sky show car? Well, remember Honda’s 1995 SSM roadster, which just a few years later begat an undeniably similar production version, the S2000. It seems clear enough from the basic shape and design details that, like the SSM, a good degree of showroom-focused thinking went into the creation of the CR-Z.

Via AutoBlog.

More photos of after the break, courtesy of Honda.

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1995 Honda SSM

2008 Honda S2000

Honda FCX Clarity: Lease the Future for $600/Mo.

Honda made good on its Tokyo Show promise today when it unveiled the fairly stunning FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The FCX Clarity’s powertrain consists of Honda’s V Flow stack, a compact lithium ion battery pack, a single hydrogen storage tank, and an AC synchronous electric motor driving the front wheels. Hydrogen and atmospheric oxygen combine in the fuel cell stack, where chemical energy from the reaction is converted into electric power (with water the only by-product). The energy is stored in the batteries and fed to the car’s electric motor, with extra juice produced through regenerative braking and deceleration further supplementing the fuel cell stack when the need arises. Range on a full tank is expected to be about 270 miles, and efficiency, says Honda, will be equivalent to 68 mpg.

American Honda plans to lease the FCX Clarity to a lucky few retail consumers in Southern California starting next summer. The cost of a three-year lease, which is to include maintenance and collision insurance, is a piddling $600 a month. All in all, the Clarity is a far cry from the breadbox-shaped original FCX. Beyond its obvious purported earth-saving virtues, it’s spacious, luxurious, and, if we may, even a little sexy. Now, if Honda can solve the problem if establishing a hydrogen refueling infrastructure, we may have a winner.

More photos after the break, courtesy of Honda.

Honda Gearing Up to Unseat the Mighty Prius

Honda brought the first gas-electric hybrid to America when it launched the funky Insight in 1999, but it was soon overshadowed by the Toyota Prius and Honda’s been trying to catch up ever since.

After eight years playing second-fiddle, Honda has decided enough is enough.

Company president Takeo Fukui says Honda is investing heavily in hybrids and insists the race "has just begun." The technology’s first phase was all about cultivating a green image, Fukui says, clearly taking a swipe at Toyota. The next phase will emphasize making the vehicles more affordable and fuel efficient, he says, and Honda has two cars in the pipeline that he promises will challenge Toyota’s eco-supremacy.

"The real full-scale hybrid competition will start from now," Fukui says.

Fukui’s got his work cut out for him. The Prius is synonmous with hybrid technology, and 79 percent of the gas-electric vehicles that rolled out of American showrooms last month were Toyotas. Just one in 10 were Hondas, and the company has discontinued the Insight and Accord hybrid. Yet during his year-end speech to employees, Fukui predicted hybrids will account for 10 percent of Honda’s sales by 2010. To reach that goal, Honda will have to sell some 400,000 hybrids a year.

It may not be enough. Toyota says it wants to sell 1 million hybrids a year within the first half of the next decade.

2009 Honda Pilot

2009 Honda Pilot Can Accommodate Everybody

Let’s take a look at the 2009 Honda Pilot, just to satisfy our thirst for a souped-up CUV that’s got enough room to haul George, Georgette, the kids, both aunts, and grandma, with plenty of room in the trunk for the camping gear.

The 2009 Pilot is a seriously big crossover that’s got a ton of grille up front, just to let everyone know how big and bad the whole family can be. Under the hood, the 2009 Honda Pilot is powered by a 3.5 liter V-6 engine that cranks out 250 horsepower. It’s coupled with a five-speed automatic transmission that finds its way through the gears nice and easy. Efficiency ratings have the 2009 Pilot at 17 mpg in town and 23 mpg on the big road, but that’s with the front-wheel-drive only.

All-wheel-drive sees 16 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway. That puts this rig in just about the middle of the pack for fuel economy. You’ll be able to pick up a 2009 Honda Pilot on the lots for between $27,695 and $40,095.

Honda Fit

2009 Honda Fit Handles Like A Dream

Check out the 2009 Honda Fit, a car that’s gotten lots of second glances from critics and consumers alike, due to its unusual styling and hyper-intelligent interior design. This is an excellent first-car for younger drivers, but its unusual chassis might take some time to get used to. Good safety scores across the board will keep parents happy, though.

Taking a peek at its guts, the 2009 Honda Fit is powered by a 1.5 liter, iVTEC four cylinder engine that puts out 117 horsepower. It’ll do 35 mpg on the highway, and about 29 mpg in town. The responsiveness and maneuverability of the Fit is noteworthy, getting rave reviews from critics for its ease of parking, excellent steering, and smooth riding at higher highway speeds. Look for the 2009 Honda Fit at dealerships for between $14,550 and $18,760.

2009 Honda Civic Sedan A sleek 4-drive Sedan!

2009 Honda Civic Sedan A sleek 4-drive Sedan!

Just as we were speeding on the motorway, we saw a 2009 Honda Civic Sedan whizzing past us. It left us wondering, “Why did we not have that piece of marvel with us?” Piece of marvel it is! With a capacity to seat 5 passengers, and a 5-speed manual transmission enough to allow you sit comfortably behind the wheel, this sedan has to be with everyone.

If you have couple ten thousand dollars in your bank and a quiet countryside road besides your home to drive a car, buy this one immediately. With a mileage of about 34 Miles per gallon, the tank does not eat your money at all. Cheaper drive, compact body that never seems to quit – Do you need anything else for your car?

Hopefully nothing more, but if you want add-ons to the package, you will find it with the interiors. Plush seats and enough leg space for everyone concerned in the car will make you feel as if you are sitting in a recliner theater! This sedan is able to do 0 – 60 miles in all of less than 5 seconds. Do you need any more testimonials?

Your local garage could be selling this car in a range of $15,000 and $25,000. Not a lot of money considering the beauty of this car.