Honda’s newest hybrid car due early next year will carry the Insight nameplate. The new gas-electric vehicle will be named after the original Insight. “The name Insight was chosen to denote Honda’s ’insight’ into a new era in which hybrid vehicles come within reach of most car buyers,” the company said. The new Honda Insight has a lofty goal of catching up to rival Toyota Prius’ success in the hybrid arena. Introduced back in 1999, the original Honda Insight was the first mass-produced hybrid automobile sold in the U.S. However, it was discontinued in 2006 due to sluggish global sales. In contrast, the Toyota Prius has sold more then a million units over the past ten years.
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The new Honda City 2009 looks promising with a redesigned front exterior that is inspire by the FCX Clarity. The interiors feature a neat dash with a clean and simple instrument cluster and center stack. The new headlamps feature reflector lenses which are less expensive than projector type.

Behind the steering wheel are paddle shifters for the automatic transmission. A 120-horespower 1.5 liter four-cylinder i-VTEC engine will provide power to the new City. This engine is also available on the Fit and Jazz models.

Here are some great sneak photos of the new 2009 Honda City:

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Aiming squarely at the market-leading Toyota Prius, Honda Motor Co. will introduce a new gas-electric hybrid by April of 2009. Honda already has the most fuel-efficient lineup in the US. “We’re targeting sales of 100,000 units of this new vehicle in North America,” said Richard Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co. in a speech at the Center for Automotive Research Management Briefing Seminars.

The new Honda dedicated hybrid model will be priced lower than the Prius while offering superior performance in the hope of cutting through the market share of Toyota’s popular hybrid. It will also be priced lower than the hybrid gas-electric version of the Civic. Smaller than the Honda Civic, the new five-door car will feature a hybrid powertrain. Colliver further added that Honda wants to make the hybrid affordable to a new generation of buyers and it is not specifically trying to match Prius sales.

The automaker has not yet released fuel economy figures for the new hybrid. It will sell the new Prius competitor in the US, Japan and Europe. A new hybrid version of the Honda Fit has also been announced.

Via International Herald Tribune

Honda revealed a low-emission sports car study model at the British International Motor Show in London. The new concept, dubbed the OSM (for Open Study Model) features a lightweight roadster design that highlights Honda’s core engineering values – designing stylish, exciting cars that are also environmentally responsible. The concept for this project is ‘Clean and Dynamic’.

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If you drive a 1995 Honda Civic, you better employ better anti-theft solutions because this popular model is America’s most stolen car for 2007, according to ‘Hot Wheels’, a report released by the National Insurance Crime Bureau based on information from the National Crime Information Center. The ’95 Civic is followed by another Honda model, the 1991 Honda Accord in the list.

The 1989 Toyota Camry was the third most stolen vehicle while the 1997 Ford F-150 was the highest-listed pickup truck as well as the most stolen domestic-branded vehicle. Other domestic models were the 1994 Chevrolet C/K 1500 and the 2004 Dodge Ram Pickup, all trucks. Rounding out the top ten perennial favorites of car thieves were the Acura Integra, Nissan Sentra, Toyota Pickup and the Toyota Corolla.

According to the NICB, the types of vehicles being stolen remain consistent year to year. Thieves continue to prey on these older vehicles because they provide the best market for stolen vehicle parts.

To protect your cars from thieves, NICB recommends a ‘layered approach’ by using simple, low-cost solutions to make vehicles less vulnerable to carjackers. These four layers are: common sense, a warning device, an immobilizing device and a tracking device. Common sense means locking the car and taking the keys with you.

Using a warning device or alarm is also an effective deterrent. The third layer encourages the use of an immobilizing device that will prevent the vehicle from being driven such as a smart key or fuel cut off. The fourth layer is the use of a tracking device that law enforcement officers can use to track and recover a stolen vehicle.

Meanwhile, the Honda Civic moved 39,967 units to post a new June record. Sales for the Honda Accord also rose 54%. Reflecting current industry trends, the Honda’s light truck segment suffered a 14.2% slump. Year to date, American Honda’s sales grew by 4.8%.

Source: Honda

Honda Motors rides high at the 2007 Greater Los Angeles International Auto Show, taking the center stage as it exhibited three stunning, new concept vehicles: the Honda FCX, Honda REMIX and the Honda STEP BUS. The Honda FCX is heralded as a glimpse of the future of automobiles. Unlike most concept models, which are merely engine-less replicas, the futuristic Honda FCX shown in LA is a fully-functional vehicle offering next generation fuel cell technology for maximum environmental performance. Limited units of the Honda FCX is expected to go on sale by 2008 in the US and Japan.

The Honda REMIX could be the precursor to the return of the CRX. This two-seat sports car concept combines “sports car attitude with everyday functionality”. Meanwhile, geared towards the youth market just like the Honda Element is the Honda STEP BUS concept. Designed for “high energy lifestyles”, the Honda STEP BUS offers an adaptable and fully maximized interior space within a small-sized vehicle.

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Toyota and Honda dominated the list of the top vehicle models with the highest fuel economy ratings released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy. Five of the top ten most fuel efficient vehicles in the U.S. today were manufactured by Toyota, now the world’s second largest automaker. The hybrid car Toyota Prius topped the list with a fuel economy rating of 60 mpg city and 51 mpg highway.

Meanwhile, Honda’s Civic hybrid and Fit were also cited for their high fuel economy scores with the gas-sipping Civic coming only second to the Prius. The list is rounded up by other Asian models: the Hyundai Accent and Kia Rio tied for 9th place. Meanwhile, the Ford Escape FWD and 4WD were the only domestic models on the list.

All roads lead to Paris from Sept. 30 to Oct. 15 as the 2006 Mondial de l’Automobile opens at the Paris Expo, Porte De Versailles. Just like in previous Paris Motor Shows, automakers from all over the globe will turn out in full force to reveal their latest brand new models and concept car designs. This year, the spotlights will be on the latest hybrid and alternative fuel cars competing with high-end luxury cars and exotics for the public’s attention. Companies from Audi to Toyota will unveil their hottest new models and show a glimpse of their future design directions.

European automakers will take the covers off their top new models. The French have a number of major launches up their sleeves including Citroen’s midsize C4 Picasso and futuristic C-Métisse concept car. Meanwhile, Citroen’s mother company Peugeot is hoping that its Epure and 908 RC concept cars will both be a success. Another French automaker, Renault, will show off its new Nepta, a cabriolet concept with motor driven gull wings, 3.5-liter V6 engine, and 420-hp direct-injection gasoline engine.

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Honda Motor’s Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control System (VTEC) Engine has further evolved with the development of the Advanced VTEC engine, which offers higher performance, better fuel economy and lower emissions. This time, the new engine offers continuously variable valve lift and timing control combined with the continuously variable phase control of VTC. Within the next three years, Honda may release a production vehicle equipped with this new engine.

The next generation engine offers significant advantages including optimum control over intake valve lift and phase in response to driving conditions. This enhances the charging efficiency for a significant increase in torque for the whole range of engine speeds. Meanwhile, to further reduce pumping losses and improve fuel economy, the valves are set to low lift and early closure under low to medium load levels.

All these technology translates to a vast improvement in performance and fuel efficiency. The engine itself improves fuel economy by 13%. Emission levels is 75% lower than those required by the 2005 standards of both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency LEV2-ULEV regulations and Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport requirements for Low-Emission Vehicles. With this engine, Honda further solidifies its leadership when it comes to manufacturing vehicles with outstanding quality, performance and fuel economy.