The year 2008 has been disastrous not only for the automotive industry but for the entire global economy as well. Car sales slumped and every major automaker registered a net loss in profits. Three million fewer cars were sold in 2008 compared to 2007. And the forecast is just as gloomy: analysts predict that the downward trend is expected to continue until 2012 or even later.

Still, despite the negative growth in sales, ten vehicles managed to get to the top of the bestselling vehicle list of 2008. The Ford F-150 continued its twenty-three year reign at the top although sales have significantly decreased compared to the mid-2000s sales figures. Meanwhile, six of the top selling cars are all made by Japanese automakers with the Toyota Camry as the best selling import car.

Here are the top ten vehicles of 2008 based on US sales:

1. Ford F-150 – 515,313 units sold
2. Chevrolet Silverado – 465,065 units sold
3. Toyota Camry – 436,617 units sold
4. Honda Accord – 372,789 units sold
5. Toyota Corolla – 351,007 units sold
6. Honda Civic – 339,289 units sold
7. Nissan Altima - 269,668 units sold
8. Chevy Impala – 265,840 units sold
9. Dodge Ram – 245,840 units sold
10. Honda CR-V – 197,279 units sold

Source

For years, inventors and automakers have dreamt of creating an electric car. In fact, the electric car dream goes back to Thomas Edison’s time. However, electric cars have remained a novelty in the automotive world. This is mainly due to the limited battery life which impairs the practicality of such cars.

But that is bound to change with the recent announcement by Japanese automakers of their intent to develop electric cars and roll them out within the next few years. Already, recent technological breakthroughs in the development of longer-lasting lithium-ion batteries may soon eliminate the obstacle of limited battery life.

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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.