Honda

Hybrid, Ford, LA Auto Show click to for a high-resolution gallery of Ford Fusion hybrid pictures On top of the new Ford Mustang that everyone’s so excited about, Ford is unveiling the new Fusion hybrid at the LA Auto Show this week. The Fusion (and the Marcury Milan hybrid) feature the new SmartGauge[TM] with EcoGuide that grows leaves when the driver uses a green foot. The benefit - aside from the pretty pictures - is the ability to go over 700 miles on a tank of gas. A 2.5 liter 4-cylinder puts out 155 hp/136 lb.-ft. of torque. The amount of fuel needed at startup is also reduced thanks to an enhanced electronic throttle control. There’s also a lighter, better NiMH battery pack. (Read the full post about ‘LA 2008: 2010 Ford Fusion hybrid - all the details and press pictures available’…)

MPG, Ford, USA It’s time to go out and get a good deal on a car. We hesitate to call it a good thing, since these special deals are necessary to help the struggling American automakers from going bankrupt, but the time has never been better to save money on a brand new car purchase. To wit, Ford has announced “Employee Pricing Plus” deals for all cars in the Blue Oval line, minus the 2009 F-150, which is brand new for ‘09. Not only can you get the Ford employee price, but there is additional cash back on many models. Alternatively, for the first time ever, Ford is offering extra incentives to choose a fuel efficient model by throwing in zero-percent interest financing on top of the employee price if you choose not to take the added cash back. (Read the full post about ‘Ford offers employee pricing plus zero-percent financing for efficient models’…)

Etc., Green Culture, Citroen, UK This has been a good year for concept cars with green themes. It kicked off in Detroit where Chrysler showed off its trio of electric-drive rides, and where we also saw appearances from the likes of the Mazda Furai and the Land Rover LRX. Later in New York we were introduced to the, um, “interesting personality” of the Scion Hako Coupe concept and it’s sexier box-shaped compatriot, the Nissan Denki Cube. The “Old World” gave us Honda OSM Roadster concept at the British International Motor Show and Paris, ah sweet Paris. There we saw a veritable plethora of green concepts that included such lovelies as the Peugeot RC HYmotion4 concept and the Nissan Nuvu. (Read the full post about ‘Autocar Magazine on acid, names Citroën Hypnos “2008 Concept Car of the Year”’…)

Corporate

Honda Brand Earns 2009 Overall Best Resale Value Award from Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com

2009 Civic, Civic Hybrid, CR-V, Fit and Odyssey win segment, Top 10 awards Text Only HondaKBB_Best_Resale.doc 11/18/2008 - TORRANCE, Calif. -

Honda has been honored today with several of Kelley Blue Book’s (www.kbb.com) 2009 Best Resale Value Awards, including the top overall award for the Honda brand. 2009 Honda models earning awards included Civic and Fit, Top 10 model awards; Civic Hybrid, Hybrid Car award; CR-V, Crossover award and Odyssey, Van award.

“Value is a keystone in the foundation of the Honda brand,” said Steven Center, vice president of advertising and public relations for American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

(Read the full post about ‘Honda Brand Earns 2009 Overall Best Resale Value Award from Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com’…)

Corporate

Honda Dedicates Indiana Auto Plant

Text Only HMIN_NewPlant08.doc 11/17/2008 - GREENSBURG, Ind. - Hailing the “Civic Pride” it shares with the state of Indiana and city of Greensburg, Honda Manufacturing of Indiana, LLC today dedicated its new auto plant that last month began producing¹ the fuel-efficient, 4-cylinder Honda Civic Sedan.

Joining the more than 1,000 Honda associates for the event were Honda Motor Co., Ltd. President & CEO Takeo Fukui, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, U.S.

(Read the full post about ‘Honda Dedicates Indiana Auto Plant’…)

Corporate Honda Manufacturing Plant in Indiana Mr. Fukui at podium. download - 367.1 KB (Read the full post about ‘Honda Manufacturing Plant in Indiana’…)

Ford A prototype of the four-door sedan variant of the new Ford Fiesta has been spotted wearing some rear camoflage while in public in China. Production of the three and five door hatchback variants of the Fiesta started this fall in Europe. Chinese production is expected to start sometime in the first of 2009 with the addition of the sedan. Production for the North American market should start around the end of 2009 or early 2010 at a plant in Mexico. Originally the U.S. was only supposed to get the sedan, but increasing interest in hatchbacks prompted Ford to offer those body styles as well. Like the hatchbacks, the sedan looks like it will be pretty much unchanged from the Verve sedan concept. (Read the full post about ‘Spy Shots: Ford Fiesta sedan spotted in China’…)

EV/Plug-in, Dodge, LA Auto Show, USA Dodge has their recently revealed electric vehicle line-up in L.A for the upcoming Auto Show and, at the tail end of a press event in the Rosebowl parking lot, had occasion to indulge in a little “impromptu” drag racing. The two cars involved were the Lotus Europa Dodge EV and a Dodge Challenger they “just happened” to have laying around. Now, electric cars are known for their instant torque off the line and, as the Tesla Roadster recently demonstrated, make pretty good quarter mile sprinters. However, the Challenger not only looks intimidating but packs a lung disease-inducing 6.1 liter Hemi under it’s striped hood. (Read the full post about ‘VIDEO: Drag race between Dodge Challenger and Dodge EV’…)

EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Audi We’ve been hearing ruminations of new small cars from Audi for the last few years, and they’ve only heated up since the introduction of the A1 Sportback concept at the Paris Motor Show a few months back. Current rumors indicate that the small hatches are expected to hit the market sometime before 2014. Of course, by that time, the A1’s primary competitor, the MINI, will have already had its electric power for a few years. The A1 will share an engine range with VW’s Up! and will likely spawn an electric variant that could be named the E1, breaking from the automaker’s standard naming practice. (Read the full post about ‘Audi A1, A2 and E1 to arrive before 2014′…)

EV/Plug-in, Nissan OK, as we just posted, we know that Nissan is getting involved in large EV projects in Europe, Israel and Japan. Minoru Shinohara (pictured above with the Pivo 2 concept), senior vice president of the technology development department at Nissan said during the CEATEC Exhibition in Japan that Nissan is exploring wireless recharging. For some people (that’d be me!), the hassle of plugging in their car might be a real challenge or just an easy thing to forget. Seeking Alpha gives hints that Nissan may be looking to ultracapacitors from the APowerCap company in Ukraine. Besides wireless charging, Shinohara said Nissan will one day offer a complete range of EV options. (Read the full post about ‘Nissan’s EV forays leading to wireless recharging?’…)