A new, limited edition Honda Civic Type R is to be rolled out in April. Though it seems that the body design will be fairly traditional for the range, the Mugen 200 will feature sleek, narrower lights, Mugen parts and a Championship White paint job with black gloss door mirrors.
The Mugen 200 will also feature 19 inch ‘Lightning’ alloys, Mugen badges and a unique Mugen number plate, as well as Honda’s latest 201PS i-VTEC engine, which means it’ll have quite a lot of kick for a small car.
Heads are turning at the prospect of a new Honda in the SUV market. The revised CR-V is here, and courtesy of a quick nip and tuck, is looking fighting fit.
Owners of small SUVs had reason to feel smug this winter. As Britain shivered beneath a blanket of snow, suddenly they had a good reason for using a 4×4 for the school run. True the school in question was normally closed, but they could certainly get there.
Honda is looking to use India as its springboard to launch a new series of small cars before bringing then to the European market. The new breed of Honda cars are set to be launched to compete directly with their Japanese counterparts, Suzuki, who currently occupy over 50% of the current car sales within the country with their highly successful Suzuki Swift and Suzuki Alto.
This is a bold strategy for the Japanese manufacturer to take at such a delicate time in the economy, but it is clearly something that they feel will benefit them in the long run. India has a love affair with the car and Honda is very keen to capitalise on a slice of this market.
Reliability is a key factor to consider when purchasing a car and with the results of the Fleet News magazine 2009 top50 results just released it is the perfect opportunity for customers and consumers around the UK to take stock of the situation and make a informed decision about their next purchase and used Honda’s recorded staggering results.
The Japanese and German car manufacturers have come out of the latest survey very well, with the Honda Civic coming out with the top honour of being the most reliable car on the market today. There was even more reason for the Japanese car giant to celebrate with two more of their cars featuring heavily inside the top 5 cars with the Honda Jazz in third place and the Honda Accord scooping fourth place.
With The Insight becoming the first hybrid vehicle to top the Japanese sales list in April, Honda has recorded rising domestic sales once again in August.
Honda car sales significantly outperformed industry figures, increasing by 13 per cent during the first three weeks in August compared to the same period in 2008.
The Honda Insight has continued to perform strongly gaining significant market share in the Hybrid sector.
Honda increased their global production by 90,000 units in June as sales and pre orders rose considerably as the Japanese Government offered incentives and tax breaks on the purchase of eco-friendly vehicles.
Honda have catered for those who wanted a new Civic Type R but couldn’t afford one with the release of the Sport-Si Civic.
The Sport-Si Civic is soon to hit the UK market, starting with a 1.4 litre i-VTEC Si and then the 1.8 i-VTEC Si and 2.2 i-CTDi Si will follow a few months later.
With colour-coded body mouldings, Type R front grille, alloys, dark chrome features, half leather interior and USB connectivity, starting from just 15,800, pounds Honda are sure to be inundated with pre-orders.
Honda dealers are taking orders for the Sport-Si Civic now – click here for more info.
Japan seems to have surpassed us in just about everything. Cars, money, technology, you name it. The Japanese seem to be able to take their hand to almost anything and everything! But, the tables seem to have turned for this one subject at least.
Japan has a large market for sturdy, reliable cars, and Honda has provided their working class citizens with just that since September 1948 from their corporate headquarters in Minato, in Tokyo, Japan.
The Honda Civic Type R is made at the Swindon Honda factory but Honda is importing the hatchback, so that it can be sold in Japan.
Honda are to increase their global production following an increase in sales and sales forecasts.
A further 90,000 vehicles will be produced by Honda in response to higher than expected sales in China, India, Thailand and Brazil.
As a result Honda’s net income will increase. This is a significant turnaround for Honda who like so many car manufacturers had been hit hard by the global economic downturn.
This comes on the back of impressive domestic sales, with the Honda Insight becoming one of the fastest selling new cars in Japan.
Over the years, Honda has been known for their affordable, stylish range of cars, but that’s not where it stops: Honda has also pushed the boundaries with their innovative and playful take on advertising, and that is where they are being recognised at the moment.
Five of their adverts, announcing that their Swindon plant is back to work, have won nominations for the 2009 Awards for National Newspaper Advertising (ANNAs). The ads were made by Wieden + Kennedy.
ANNAs judge Darren Bailes described Honda’s adverts as: ‘news in the form of advertising’ and picked the ‘Bacon’ execution as Ad of the Month for June. Other executions nominated were ‘Bolt’, ‘Uniform’, ‘Paint’ and ‘Tea’.
The Honda Accord is officially the most reliable car in the UK according to consumer experts Which?
The Accord scored a reliability rate of 98.5 per cent in Which? Magazine’s survey based on more than 84,000 motorists.
And it was a double whammy for Honda as the Honda Jazz came second in the 121 model strong survey based questions regarding breakdowns, faults and servicing.
This is good news for Honda who have suffered indifferent news in the past 12 months having had to close their UK plant in Swindon for four months due to falling sales figures because of the economic downturn and also to safeguard jobs.
News that Honda has topped Warranty Direct’s used car reliability survey again proves the engineering expertise of the Japanese car giants.
According to insurance specialist’s survey used Honda vehicles only have a 10.59 per cent chance of breakdown – when compared to those at the bottom of the list, such as Land Rover with a 47 per cent chance of breaking down, that is an impressive statistic I’m sure all motorists would agree!
Honda’s domestic sales continue to perform well with the Insight and Jazz proving popular in Japan.
Having become the first hybrid vehicle to top the Japanese sales list in April, the Insight looks to be taking the Japanese market by storm, although sales in Europe are yet to meet such heights.
The Jazz, named the Fit sub compact in Japan, has been a complete success, becoming the number one selling Japanese car of 2008.
Honda believe that the increased interest in the Insight will have a knock on effect with other models as showrooms fill up with prospective buyers as the worst of the motor industries sales slump looks to have passed.
Honda haven’t experienced the finest six months in their history, what with having to close their production plant in Swindon for four months until reopening in May, yet since production has restarted things are finally looking positive for the Japanese company.
Despite financial problems Honda have continued their eco friendly engineering and although early UK sales figures of the Insight aren’t inspiring sales of the Insight, the world’s cheapest hybrid vehicle, have soared in Japan.
In the UK, Honda have set up a roadshow to showcase their new technological advances that have made it into their new models, including the Insight but also the Civic Type R and the ever popular S2000.
Honda may be in the Press of late for the wrong reasons – having to introduce a pay cut at their Swindon plant in order to avoid job cuts – the Japanese giants continue to lead the way in terms of motoring innovation!
The Honda Insight hybrid vehicle has been a huge success since entering the market a month ago, so successful that it has become Japan’s best selling car! And now Honda have unveiled a sports car like no other: it runs on hydrogen!
Honda have released details of their new Goldwing touring bike – the GL1800! If you’re looking for a tourer that’ll be a joy to cruise on over longer distances then this is most certainly the bike for you!
The 1832cc engine offers effortless power and with its low centre of gravity the new Goldwing offers driving comfort, yet receptive feedback from a meaty engine.
The anti lock braking system and airbag mean that the Goldwing is one of the safest motorcycles available and with a whole host of luxuries available the new Goldwing will have many two-wheel fans drooling.
