Honda: Insight News
I'm the Firestarter
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 12,308
Likes: 1,042
Originally Posted by Sly Raskal
The inherit design and purpose of the hybrid from the start is to save gas. They may have a lot of the same bells and whistles that the base models have. But their primpary purpose and benefit is to get better fuel economy.
Sure whoever wants one for the sake of owning one are entitled to do so, and if you are eco-friendly another great reason to.
But if your solely buying it for it's intended primary benefit, saving gas, then why is so wrong to judge it for that?
Sure whoever wants one for the sake of owning one are entitled to do so, and if you are eco-friendly another great reason to.
But if your solely buying it for it's intended primary benefit, saving gas, then why is so wrong to judge it for that?
Senior Moderator
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 45,641
Likes: 2,335
From: Better Neighborhood, Arizona
Originally Posted by Belzebutt
But they all do save gas. They just may not save money. And what I'm saying is if some people want to pay more to waste less gas, that's fine. Just like some people pay more for faster acceleration they never actually use, or for real wood vs. fake wood etc.
I'm the Firestarter
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 12,308
Likes: 1,042
Originally Posted by Ken1997TL
Right but what creates the batteries? How much energy is involved? What about disposal?
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 14,432
Likes: 637
From: Orlando, Fl
Originally Posted by Belzebutt
I guess the only environmental option is to bike and keep that old Civic for a rainy day
the engine is least of the TL's problems if you want to compare it to the IS 
Smitty's Moral Police
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 943
Likes: 1
From: California
I like the pictures of the IS350 WAY more than the car in person. But anyway, Honda announced this unique hybrid some time ago and I think it will help so people don't sit there and bitch about a new technologically loaded car costing more than a physically similar looking vehicle. Though I do wish the Highlander Hybrid was cheaper and had more towing capacity 
.
.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,841
Likes: 1,429
From: NC
Spied
LeftLane News
Spy photographers have captured the first images of Honda's all-new "Global Small Hybrid" mule. Designed to compete with the Toyota Prius, the new Honda will be a hybrid-only model that promises to be more fuel efficient and cost less than Toyota's Prius. The mule is covered with body panels from the Honda Airwave and Fit.
Details on the powertrain remain unclear but the new Honda hybrid is expected to have a base price of about $17,000 when it bows in 2009 as a 2010 model. Honda is planning on annual global sales of 200,000 units, with the U.S. market accounting for about half of those sales.
The new hybrid will be built in Suzuka, Japan.
Spy photographers have captured the first images of Honda's all-new "Global Small Hybrid" mule. Designed to compete with the Toyota Prius, the new Honda will be a hybrid-only model that promises to be more fuel efficient and cost less than Toyota's Prius. The mule is covered with body panels from the Honda Airwave and Fit.
Details on the powertrain remain unclear but the new Honda hybrid is expected to have a base price of about $17,000 when it bows in 2009 as a 2010 model. Honda is planning on annual global sales of 200,000 units, with the U.S. market accounting for about half of those sales.
The new hybrid will be built in Suzuka, Japan.
Senior Moderator
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 35,218
Likes: 15
From: Swansea, MA
That rocks... Looks like they raided the fit parts bin for the front end of the test mule...
The rivetted on pieces of on the front look kinda cool. Especially the front fender flares. Too bad those won't make it into production
The rivetted on pieces of on the front look kinda cool. Especially the front fender flares. Too bad those won't make it into production
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 14,432
Likes: 637
From: Orlando, Fl
17K hybrid? Either Honda is subsidizing this thing or hybrid part prices have really come down. By MY10 the Fit will be approaching 17K. A Fit with a small diesel could easily get 50MPG+; how much better mileage can this thing get?
The sizzle in the Steak
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 71,436
Likes: 1,877
From: Southern California
Originally Posted by biker
17K hybrid? Either Honda is subsidizing this thing or hybrid part prices have really come down. By MY10 the Fit will be approaching 17K. A Fit with a small diesel could easily get 50MPG+; how much better mileage can this thing get?
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,841
Likes: 1,429
From: NC
Insight
Honda Hybrid may be Called Insight; Set to out Prius the Prius
June 16, 2008
By Peter Nunn
TOKYO - Surging gas prices, global warming and the need to go green make this absolutely the most perfect time for Honda to roll out an all-new, cutting edge gas-electric hybrid. Honda's eagerly awaited, long overdue rival for the Toyota Prius is set to set to land in American driveways in the first half of 2009.
Smaller than a Civic and with a unique five-door hatchback style, Honda's "New Dedicated Hybrid Vehicle" may well revive the Insight name when it goes on sale. Strong rumours in Tokyo also suggest that this 'new Insight' will adapt and repackage the Civic Hybrid's IMA (Integrated Motor Assist) front-drive powertrain and first appear in public in concept form at this October's Paris Auto Salon, ahead of its full official launch at the Detroit auto show in January.
If there's a no-show at Paris, then Honda's new concept hybrid will certainly be shown at the Los Angeles Show in November.
New Math for Honda Hybrids
Honda first spoke publicly about this new fuel-sipping global hybrid in Tokyo back in summer 200. At that time, Honda President Takeo Fukui floated the idea of a yearly sales plan of 200,000 units, with North America projected to take half.
Things have moved on quite a bit since then. This May, Fukui outlined a more ambitious plan involving not one, but four new compact hybrids, coupled with a new hybrid target of 500,000 units a year by around 2015.
Honda will produce not only a new Civic Hybrid, but also a version of its small, slinky CR-Z sports coupe concept seen at the 2007 Tokyo Show.
Add this dedicated 'new Insight' hatchback to the mix as well, plus a hybrid version of the next Fit, which may appear around 2013, and you have Honda's new hybrid quartet and that fresh half a million-unit target.
Some actually believe Honda is already being too conservative with these estimates based on the fact that the coming global hybrid may well turn out to be the coolest, most talked about, most gotta-have small green Honda in more than three decades.
A car that conceivably could do the unthinkable and out Prius the Prius.
In which case, in $4 gallon America, sales of this small, super-efficient Japanese-built Honda hybrid could just skyrocket, and soon.
A Historic, High-Mileage Honda
Not since the days of the first, pivotal CVCC-engined Civic of 1973 will Honda have had such a mainstream, marketable eco champion on the blocks. The car's design and space are good, according to a source familiar with the project, borrowing a lot from the fresh, flowing design of the FCX Clarity, Honda's groundbreaking new fuel cell sedan that officially went into production Monday in Japan with much ceremony.
The hybrid's economy is also "insane" says this well-placed insider with a good natured laugh, which suggests a rating well above today's Civic Hybrid which has an EPA-estimated city/highway rating of 40/45 mpg, the best of any 2008 Honda.
So how insane, exactly? Well, Japanese sources predict a domestic fuel rating of
30 km/l, equal to 71 mpg in the US. Now, that's in Japan's 10.15-mode fuel cycle, which is now a bit old and quite often shows hybrids in an especially flattering light.
Some are talking about even more, as in 35 km/l (equal to 82 mpg), which is pretty much what the old Insight registered in Japan (although it was much less in the U.S.). A more realistic expectation for the U.S., then, would seem to be in the 50-55 mpg-plus range.
Affordably Priced
Another enticement would surely be sticker price. Honda's also let it be known that the price differential over a typical Fit-type model in same class will be just ¥200,000 or so (some $1,850, at the time of going to press). That's in Tokyo, at least.
Honda, it's believed, wants to start this 'new Insight' off for under $19,000 in Japan, so well undercutting the Prius.
So, here's a 'smart' new little Honda that'll be compact and affordable, combining stellar mileage with low emissions and a fresh hatchback design, and will come with a Honda badge on the hood. It's hard at this point to see exactly what could go wrong.
Well, maybe in-house competition from the Fit and Civic Hybrid coupled with the arrogance of certain Honda dealers who know how to charge top dollar for any hot new Honda. Those are two areas that could dent its chances. But surely, not for long.
Regaining Honda Hybrid Leadership
Honda has certainly learned its lesson with hybrids. Even though it was the first into the hybrid race in the U.S. with the tiny, two-seat Insight coupe, which bowed in December 1999, Honda has since had to sit back and watch, as have others, as Toyota's eaten up the market and the Prius has gone on to become the rock star of today's eco generation.
Worthy as they have been, the Civic and Accord hybrids just haven't caught on in the same way. Honda has at last woken up to one of the Prius' biggest strengths: that its unique styling tells the world at glance you're driving a high tech, ultra eco car. If you want to make an environmental statement, the Prius is still the hottest game in town.
With that revelation on board, Honda's thus crafted the design for an all new, five-passenger hatchback body which, we hear, also bears more than a passing resemblance to the Prius, from certain angles, certainly around the A-pillars.
This 'new Insight' is reputed to stand some 3 inches longer than the latest Fit and about an inch wider, while being based off the same 98.4 inches wheelbase.
Platform and architecture will be Fit-derived and power served by an updated version of the Civic Hybrid's 1.3-liter IMA powertrain, sources say.
Sticking with NiMH Batteries
What's certain is that Honda will site the car's compact nickel-hydride (NiMH) battery pack beneath the trunk floor, as opposed in the rear seat back as per today's Civic Hybrid sedan.
Honda still has major reservations about the viability of the more advanced style of high power, lightweight lithium-ion batteries for mass production.
Honda will use Li-lo in the FCX Clarity fuel cell car for the time being and nothing else. This means, Honda's near future hybrids won't get it. As Honda sees it, lithium-ion batteries still need to improve their safety/reliability until the company's fully convinced of their worth for mass production.
Adding Value through Simplicity
Honda also talks about 'a major cost reduction' with the engineering of the new car, which sounds attractive. But what Honda's really talking about here is the ongoing process of making the key IMA hybrid components - four-cylinder gas engine, electric motor, CVT transmission and battery pack - all smaller and lighter, more tightly packaged while also using fewer parts.
Adding to the value equation is the fact that Honda's IMA system is simpler than Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive system in the Prius. Honda's IMA is fundamentally set up for maximum economy and when driving, the gas engine is pretty much running all the while. Honda is apparently less bothered about having its hybrids run on pure, silent, zero emission, electric/battery power, something Toyota's trying actively now to extend.
Japanese sources suggest the new global hybrid will run with a modified version of the Civic Hybrid's 1.3-liter 3-Stage i-VTEC four-cylinder +IMA powertrain. With 94 horsepower, performance in the smaller body should still be promising, especially when the 15 kW-class electric motor engaged. Suspension will again be Civic-derived.
At a time when Toyota is planning to move the Prius up market, from 1.5 to 1.8 liters with the coming third generation, Honda's ploy of producing a smaller, lighter, cheaper 1.3-liter competitor for major world markets looks pretty astute.
Battle of the Hybrids
Toyota, of course, will respond by producing not one, but three versions of the next Prius, according to sources, including a smaller edition than now, which will hit directly on this new global Honda hybrid as the coming global wars heat up.
Honda's new global hybrid will be built in the same Suzuka plant in Japan that made the courageous, wacky but ultimately unsuccessful Insight coupe, which Honda pulled from the market in 2006.
Honda, it's fair to say, hasn't really clicked yet on hybrids. But starting early in 2009, at coincidentally the same Detroit auto show at which the keenly awaited new Toyota Prius will go live, Honda will at last be fully in the game with this small, super competitive and ultra fuel efficient 'new Insight.'
Still, even at 500,000 hybrid units a year, Honda will still be totally outpaced by Toyota which is forging ahead with an aggressive plan for selling 1 million hybrid units a year by the early 2010s.
Twenty years after the 1989 Detroit Show when Lexus and Infiniti came out and announced their intentions towards America's luxury market in no uncertain fashion, a completely different but no less intense, high stakes power game will unfold as Honda's 'new Insight' and the next Prius go head-to-head under the lights at Detroit's Cobo Hall.
The green revolution will finally then have arrived.
June 16, 2008
By Peter Nunn
TOKYO - Surging gas prices, global warming and the need to go green make this absolutely the most perfect time for Honda to roll out an all-new, cutting edge gas-electric hybrid. Honda's eagerly awaited, long overdue rival for the Toyota Prius is set to set to land in American driveways in the first half of 2009.
Smaller than a Civic and with a unique five-door hatchback style, Honda's "New Dedicated Hybrid Vehicle" may well revive the Insight name when it goes on sale. Strong rumours in Tokyo also suggest that this 'new Insight' will adapt and repackage the Civic Hybrid's IMA (Integrated Motor Assist) front-drive powertrain and first appear in public in concept form at this October's Paris Auto Salon, ahead of its full official launch at the Detroit auto show in January.
If there's a no-show at Paris, then Honda's new concept hybrid will certainly be shown at the Los Angeles Show in November.
New Math for Honda Hybrids
Honda first spoke publicly about this new fuel-sipping global hybrid in Tokyo back in summer 200. At that time, Honda President Takeo Fukui floated the idea of a yearly sales plan of 200,000 units, with North America projected to take half.
Things have moved on quite a bit since then. This May, Fukui outlined a more ambitious plan involving not one, but four new compact hybrids, coupled with a new hybrid target of 500,000 units a year by around 2015.
Honda will produce not only a new Civic Hybrid, but also a version of its small, slinky CR-Z sports coupe concept seen at the 2007 Tokyo Show.
Add this dedicated 'new Insight' hatchback to the mix as well, plus a hybrid version of the next Fit, which may appear around 2013, and you have Honda's new hybrid quartet and that fresh half a million-unit target.
Some actually believe Honda is already being too conservative with these estimates based on the fact that the coming global hybrid may well turn out to be the coolest, most talked about, most gotta-have small green Honda in more than three decades.
A car that conceivably could do the unthinkable and out Prius the Prius.
In which case, in $4 gallon America, sales of this small, super-efficient Japanese-built Honda hybrid could just skyrocket, and soon.
A Historic, High-Mileage Honda
Not since the days of the first, pivotal CVCC-engined Civic of 1973 will Honda have had such a mainstream, marketable eco champion on the blocks. The car's design and space are good, according to a source familiar with the project, borrowing a lot from the fresh, flowing design of the FCX Clarity, Honda's groundbreaking new fuel cell sedan that officially went into production Monday in Japan with much ceremony.
The hybrid's economy is also "insane" says this well-placed insider with a good natured laugh, which suggests a rating well above today's Civic Hybrid which has an EPA-estimated city/highway rating of 40/45 mpg, the best of any 2008 Honda.
So how insane, exactly? Well, Japanese sources predict a domestic fuel rating of
30 km/l, equal to 71 mpg in the US. Now, that's in Japan's 10.15-mode fuel cycle, which is now a bit old and quite often shows hybrids in an especially flattering light.
Some are talking about even more, as in 35 km/l (equal to 82 mpg), which is pretty much what the old Insight registered in Japan (although it was much less in the U.S.). A more realistic expectation for the U.S., then, would seem to be in the 50-55 mpg-plus range.
Affordably Priced
Another enticement would surely be sticker price. Honda's also let it be known that the price differential over a typical Fit-type model in same class will be just ¥200,000 or so (some $1,850, at the time of going to press). That's in Tokyo, at least.
Honda, it's believed, wants to start this 'new Insight' off for under $19,000 in Japan, so well undercutting the Prius.
So, here's a 'smart' new little Honda that'll be compact and affordable, combining stellar mileage with low emissions and a fresh hatchback design, and will come with a Honda badge on the hood. It's hard at this point to see exactly what could go wrong.
Well, maybe in-house competition from the Fit and Civic Hybrid coupled with the arrogance of certain Honda dealers who know how to charge top dollar for any hot new Honda. Those are two areas that could dent its chances. But surely, not for long.
Regaining Honda Hybrid Leadership
Honda has certainly learned its lesson with hybrids. Even though it was the first into the hybrid race in the U.S. with the tiny, two-seat Insight coupe, which bowed in December 1999, Honda has since had to sit back and watch, as have others, as Toyota's eaten up the market and the Prius has gone on to become the rock star of today's eco generation.
Worthy as they have been, the Civic and Accord hybrids just haven't caught on in the same way. Honda has at last woken up to one of the Prius' biggest strengths: that its unique styling tells the world at glance you're driving a high tech, ultra eco car. If you want to make an environmental statement, the Prius is still the hottest game in town.
With that revelation on board, Honda's thus crafted the design for an all new, five-passenger hatchback body which, we hear, also bears more than a passing resemblance to the Prius, from certain angles, certainly around the A-pillars.
This 'new Insight' is reputed to stand some 3 inches longer than the latest Fit and about an inch wider, while being based off the same 98.4 inches wheelbase.
Platform and architecture will be Fit-derived and power served by an updated version of the Civic Hybrid's 1.3-liter IMA powertrain, sources say.
Sticking with NiMH Batteries
What's certain is that Honda will site the car's compact nickel-hydride (NiMH) battery pack beneath the trunk floor, as opposed in the rear seat back as per today's Civic Hybrid sedan.
Honda still has major reservations about the viability of the more advanced style of high power, lightweight lithium-ion batteries for mass production.
Honda will use Li-lo in the FCX Clarity fuel cell car for the time being and nothing else. This means, Honda's near future hybrids won't get it. As Honda sees it, lithium-ion batteries still need to improve their safety/reliability until the company's fully convinced of their worth for mass production.
Adding Value through Simplicity
Honda also talks about 'a major cost reduction' with the engineering of the new car, which sounds attractive. But what Honda's really talking about here is the ongoing process of making the key IMA hybrid components - four-cylinder gas engine, electric motor, CVT transmission and battery pack - all smaller and lighter, more tightly packaged while also using fewer parts.
Adding to the value equation is the fact that Honda's IMA system is simpler than Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive system in the Prius. Honda's IMA is fundamentally set up for maximum economy and when driving, the gas engine is pretty much running all the while. Honda is apparently less bothered about having its hybrids run on pure, silent, zero emission, electric/battery power, something Toyota's trying actively now to extend.
Japanese sources suggest the new global hybrid will run with a modified version of the Civic Hybrid's 1.3-liter 3-Stage i-VTEC four-cylinder +IMA powertrain. With 94 horsepower, performance in the smaller body should still be promising, especially when the 15 kW-class electric motor engaged. Suspension will again be Civic-derived.
At a time when Toyota is planning to move the Prius up market, from 1.5 to 1.8 liters with the coming third generation, Honda's ploy of producing a smaller, lighter, cheaper 1.3-liter competitor for major world markets looks pretty astute.
Battle of the Hybrids
Toyota, of course, will respond by producing not one, but three versions of the next Prius, according to sources, including a smaller edition than now, which will hit directly on this new global Honda hybrid as the coming global wars heat up.
Honda's new global hybrid will be built in the same Suzuka plant in Japan that made the courageous, wacky but ultimately unsuccessful Insight coupe, which Honda pulled from the market in 2006.
Honda, it's fair to say, hasn't really clicked yet on hybrids. But starting early in 2009, at coincidentally the same Detroit auto show at which the keenly awaited new Toyota Prius will go live, Honda will at last be fully in the game with this small, super competitive and ultra fuel efficient 'new Insight.'
Still, even at 500,000 hybrid units a year, Honda will still be totally outpaced by Toyota which is forging ahead with an aggressive plan for selling 1 million hybrid units a year by the early 2010s.
Twenty years after the 1989 Detroit Show when Lexus and Infiniti came out and announced their intentions towards America's luxury market in no uncertain fashion, a completely different but no less intense, high stakes power game will unfold as Honda's 'new Insight' and the next Prius go head-to-head under the lights at Detroit's Cobo Hall.
The green revolution will finally then have arrived.
Last edited by TSX69; Jun 16, 2008 at 05:41 PM.
Senior Moderator
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 14,667
Likes: 13
From: NY
What they need is a midsize hybrid, not so many compact ones. Compact cars do not appeal to people with families who are looking for cars with better gas mileage. This is where the Prius shines. It has more utility and is more comfortable for multiple passengers.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 14,432
Likes: 637
From: Orlando, Fl
I don't get it - why didn't they just use a smaller Clarity? It's not like the Clarity will be seen anywhere but a car show or Jamie Lee Curtis' driveway.
Last edited by biker; Jun 17, 2008 at 01:25 AM.
Senior Moderator
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 18,015
Likes: 1,736
Worthy as they have been, the Civic and Accord hybrids just haven't caught on in the same way.
Honda has at last woken up to one of the Prius' biggest strengths: that its unique styling tells the world at glance you're driving a high tech, ultra eco car. If you want to make an environmental statement, the Prius is still the hottest game in town.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 716
Likes: 0
From: San Francisco
Originally Posted by biker
I think most informed consumers will vote with their wallets for the most economical vehicle for them - regardless how that is achieved (not necessarily a hybrid).
Spy Shots
Senior Moderator
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 45,641
Likes: 2,335
From: Better Neighborhood, Arizona
Its a friggin' Clarity, not a Prius clone. Shoulder line and rear wheel wells are totally different. Plus the nose is unique.
The wind + 4 seater configuration + safety means only one shape will work.
The wind + 4 seater configuration + safety means only one shape will work.
Pinky all stinky
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 20,677
Likes: 192
Originally Posted by Ken1997TL
Its a friggin' Clarity, not a Prius clone. Shoulder line and rear wheel wells are totally different. Plus the nose is unique.
The wind + 4 seater configuration + safety means only one shape will work.
The wind + 4 seater configuration + safety means only one shape will work.
And let's not forget the 1st gen Prius was a regular sedan, while the Insight had this shape. Toyota figured it out and slapped 2 rear doors to make the 2nd gen Prius.
The sizzle in the Steak
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 71,436
Likes: 1,877
From: Southern California
Pricing: below $18,500?!?!?!
Honda’s new hybrid-only model to list from below $18,500
leftlanenews
Despite the popular belief that the Toyota Prius was the first hybrid vehicle sold in the Unites States, the Honda Insight actually holds that title. The Insight was never a sales success, and was eventually discontinued. This time around, Honda is convinced it will have a winner on its hands, and thanks to some new pricing information, we feel the same way.
Priced below the Honda Civic, this Japanese-built hybrid will carry over much of the hatchback styling from the FCX.
In addition to recycling the Insight name, Honda will equip the new hybrid with the same 1.3L Integrated Motor Assist system found in the current-generation Honda Civic Hybrid. However, further development of the system will cut the IMA’s cost by about 50 percent in the new hybrid, according to Next Energy News.
Although the new Insight will be loosely based on the Fit, it will measure in at 3 inches longer and 1 inch wider than the Fit.
One Honda insider told Edmunds the Insight’s fuel economy would be “insane,” with some Japanese sources predicting mileage as high as 71 mpg. Actual mileage will likely be lower when it hits our shores, but should still be impressive.
And if those lofty fuel-economy numbers weren’t enough to cause an instant waiting list for the new hybrid, the next-generation Insight will list from under $18,500 – undercutting the Toyota Prius by thousands of dollars.
The new Insight is expected to debut at the Paris Motor Show, but Honda could also wait until November’s Los Angeles Auto Show. Whatever the case, the new five-door hybrid should hit U.S. Honda dealers early next year.
Honda hopes to build 200,000 units annually, with half of that production to be sold in the United States. Look for the new Honda hybrid to arrive at dealerships here in the States in mid- to late-2009.
Priced below the Honda Civic, this Japanese-built hybrid will carry over much of the hatchback styling from the FCX.
In addition to recycling the Insight name, Honda will equip the new hybrid with the same 1.3L Integrated Motor Assist system found in the current-generation Honda Civic Hybrid. However, further development of the system will cut the IMA’s cost by about 50 percent in the new hybrid, according to Next Energy News.
Although the new Insight will be loosely based on the Fit, it will measure in at 3 inches longer and 1 inch wider than the Fit.
One Honda insider told Edmunds the Insight’s fuel economy would be “insane,” with some Japanese sources predicting mileage as high as 71 mpg. Actual mileage will likely be lower when it hits our shores, but should still be impressive.
And if those lofty fuel-economy numbers weren’t enough to cause an instant waiting list for the new hybrid, the next-generation Insight will list from under $18,500 – undercutting the Toyota Prius by thousands of dollars.
The new Insight is expected to debut at the Paris Motor Show, but Honda could also wait until November’s Los Angeles Auto Show. Whatever the case, the new five-door hybrid should hit U.S. Honda dealers early next year.
Honda hopes to build 200,000 units annually, with half of that production to be sold in the United States. Look for the new Honda hybrid to arrive at dealerships here in the States in mid- to late-2009.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,841
Likes: 1,429
From: NC
Article
IL Insider: Honda to Unveil Prius Fighter in Paris
Date posted: 08-06-2008
TOKYO — Honda will pull the wraps off its new Prius fighter, a compact five-door hatchback sedan priced from under $20,000, at the 2008 Paris Auto Show in early October.
As yet unnamed, the vehicle — Honda's first dedicated hybrid since the Insight — is known inside the company as the New Dedicated Hybrid Vehicle, or simply the "small hybrid." It will be christened at Paris with a new nameplate, although Honda insiders now dismiss earlier speculation that it might revive the Insight name.
The small hybrid is one of four new gas-electric models that Honda plans to roll out over the next four years, as part of a broad global strategy to boost hybrid sales to 500,000 units by 2012 — about 10 percent of its total sales volume.
Also in the pipeline is a production version of the sporty CR-Z hybrid coupe that debuted as a concept at last year's Tokyo show and is now due to arrive in early 2010; a replacement for the current Civic Hybrid, in late 2010; and a new hybrid edition of the subcompact Fit in 2012.
The small hybrid that's coming next year is intended to be an "entry-level" model that should undercut the price of the Toyota Prius by thousands of dollars. The production version of the Honda hybrid is expected to be formally unveiled in January at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, when Toyota plans to introduce its next-generation 2010 Prius.
Where the next Prius is moving further upscale in size, performance and price, the Honda hybrid is designed to be one of the most affordable gas-electric models on the market, priced from around $19,000 and delivering superior mileage — as much as 60 mpg or better, according to insiders.
It will be powered by a smaller, lighter version of the 1.3-liter IMA system that is fitted to the Civic Hybrid, along with a continuously variable transmission. A nickel metal hydride battery pack is located beneath the rear floor.
The Honda hybrid is a five-passenger design with compact exterior dimensions but lots of room inside. Its design silhouette resembles that of the Prius, with some styling cues said to be inspired by Honda's new FCX Clarity fuel-cell vehicle. The small hybrid will be slightly taller and wider than the Fit and will borrow a number of chassis bits from the Fit.
The small hybrid will be built at Honda's Suzuka plant in Japan and eventually could be assembled in China as well. Honda wants to build 200,000 units a year of the new car, with about half going to North America and another 50,000 to Europe.
Honda's next hybrid model after that, the CR-Z, will take the company upscale. The production version of the CR-Z, due to reach Honda's U.S. dealers as a 2011 model, may not have any direct competitors. Designed in Europe and built in Japan, it will be priced from around $25,000 and will be fitted with a more powerful version of Honda's IMA system.
What this means to you: Honda still won't be able to catch Toyota, which wants to be building a million hybrids a year by 2012. — Paul Lienert, Correspondent
Date posted: 08-06-2008
TOKYO — Honda will pull the wraps off its new Prius fighter, a compact five-door hatchback sedan priced from under $20,000, at the 2008 Paris Auto Show in early October.
As yet unnamed, the vehicle — Honda's first dedicated hybrid since the Insight — is known inside the company as the New Dedicated Hybrid Vehicle, or simply the "small hybrid." It will be christened at Paris with a new nameplate, although Honda insiders now dismiss earlier speculation that it might revive the Insight name.
The small hybrid is one of four new gas-electric models that Honda plans to roll out over the next four years, as part of a broad global strategy to boost hybrid sales to 500,000 units by 2012 — about 10 percent of its total sales volume.
Also in the pipeline is a production version of the sporty CR-Z hybrid coupe that debuted as a concept at last year's Tokyo show and is now due to arrive in early 2010; a replacement for the current Civic Hybrid, in late 2010; and a new hybrid edition of the subcompact Fit in 2012.
The small hybrid that's coming next year is intended to be an "entry-level" model that should undercut the price of the Toyota Prius by thousands of dollars. The production version of the Honda hybrid is expected to be formally unveiled in January at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, when Toyota plans to introduce its next-generation 2010 Prius.
Where the next Prius is moving further upscale in size, performance and price, the Honda hybrid is designed to be one of the most affordable gas-electric models on the market, priced from around $19,000 and delivering superior mileage — as much as 60 mpg or better, according to insiders.
It will be powered by a smaller, lighter version of the 1.3-liter IMA system that is fitted to the Civic Hybrid, along with a continuously variable transmission. A nickel metal hydride battery pack is located beneath the rear floor.
The Honda hybrid is a five-passenger design with compact exterior dimensions but lots of room inside. Its design silhouette resembles that of the Prius, with some styling cues said to be inspired by Honda's new FCX Clarity fuel-cell vehicle. The small hybrid will be slightly taller and wider than the Fit and will borrow a number of chassis bits from the Fit.
The small hybrid will be built at Honda's Suzuka plant in Japan and eventually could be assembled in China as well. Honda wants to build 200,000 units a year of the new car, with about half going to North America and another 50,000 to Europe.
Honda's next hybrid model after that, the CR-Z, will take the company upscale. The production version of the CR-Z, due to reach Honda's U.S. dealers as a 2011 model, may not have any direct competitors. Designed in Europe and built in Japan, it will be priced from around $25,000 and will be fitted with a more powerful version of Honda's IMA system.
What this means to you: Honda still won't be able to catch Toyota, which wants to be building a million hybrids a year by 2012. — Paul Lienert, Correspondent
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,841
Likes: 1,429
From: NC
April 2009
Honda to Produce 100,000 Units of Insight; Priced Below Prius
Honda’s new dedicated-hybrid only model will arrive on the market next year and it’s already making headlines. We saw spy shots of the hybrid earlier last month - sporting a Prius-like design - its main competitor.
Richard Colliver, executive vice president of Honda Motor Co. America, said that the new small-hybrid will be priced below the Prius. Colliver said that the hybrid, which is smaller than the Civic Hybrid, will arrive in April 2009.
“We’re targeting sales of 100,000 units of this new vehicle in North America,” Colliver said.
Power is expected to come from a 1.3 liter engine mated with a nickel metal hydride battery. According to insiders the ’small hybrid’ will get more than 60mpg.
Toyota sold more than 181,000 Prius hybrids last year and sold more than 106,00 this year.
Senior Moderator
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 47,710
Likes: 801
From: Toronto, Canada
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,841
Likes: 1,429
From: NC
Return of the Insight
Honda Insight Concept Previews Global Small Hybrid
Honda has released the first details and images for a hybrid concept vehicle that the carmaker is planning to showcase at next month’s Paris Motor Show. The concept is the new Honda Insight hybrid, which previews a small hybrid vehicle that will eventually go on sale next year and carry the same ‘Insight’ name.
The concept shares styling cues with the Honda’s previous FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle, although its profile and glass house share a striking resemblance with the current Toyota Prius, the main vehicle the Insight is targeting. According to Honda, it was designed with a low center of gravity and enough space for five.
Powering the vehicle will be the latest iteration of Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid technology. Engineers managed to achieve a significant cost reduction for the technology, which Honda claims should make the Insight the most affordable hybrid vehicle to date.
“The original Honda Insight pioneered hybrid technology in the U.S. and remains a symbol of Honda’s commitment to innovative technology and fuel efficiency,” said Honda CEO Takeo Fukui. “This new Insight will break new ground as an affordable hybrid within the reach of customers who want great fuel economy and great value.”
Going on sale in the U.S. next spring, and other markets soon after, the Insight will come to market at a price significantly below most hybrid vehicles on sale today. The Civic Hybrid’s base price is $22,600, and the Prius starts at $21,500.
The production version is expected to have annual global sales of 200,000 units per year, with approximately half of these in North America alone. Following its launch, Honda also plans to introduce a sports hybrid based on last year’s CR-Z. All together, the carmaker’s global sales of hybrids should increase to approximately 500,000 units a year, or more than 10% of its total worldwide annual automobile sales.