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From Wreck to Racecar; Hartmann Racing accepts the challenge 
First off, a race car is a highly strung, precise piece of equipment, which is why they usually begin life as a brand new showroom model. Whether Danish company Hartmann Racing were in the mood for a challenge, or simply wanted a unique way to dispose of their championship-winning driver, James Thompson, is unclear. Clearly we’re kidding, but you get the point. For them to rebuild a race car from the mangled wreck that once resembled their European Touring Car Cup Honda Accord is clearly not the norm. Nevertheless, they have succeeded in resurrecting the car in a period of no less than 2 months or 600 man hours - an achievement they can definitely be proud of. “I did feel convinced that the car had had driven its last metres as a racing car,” admitted team owner Hans Hartmann. “It had been a really big bang. Afterwards the data logging equipment told us that the car had reached a speed of 154 km/h when it hit the two stationary vehicles. But the car’s power box, which we have developed and which has been used by Porsche in their LMP2 car, soon realized that it was unusual for a racing car to go that sideways over such a long distance, so it automatically cut off the fuel supply to the engine and all the electrics and thus prevented even bigger damage.” Now the car is ready for its next challenge, the third and final round of FIA’s European Touring Car Cup that will be run on October 16th-17th at Franciacorta in Italy, where James Thompson will defend his current championship lead. He’s a brave man for getting behind the wheel of a rebuild such as this, never mind racing it to the limit and beyond! Honda issues recall for Accord Crosstour over malfunctioning airbags
That didn’t take long. Barely a year after it first dropped on the market, the 2010MY Honda Accord Crosstour is now being recalled in the US after potential problems with the car’s front passenger airbags were discovered. According to the Japanese automaker, the airbags may not have been assembled using correct specifications and as such, creates an increased possibility that the airbags may not deploy in the event of a crash. While no incidents have been reported from this problem, Honda is taking the necessary precautions to ensure that they solve the problem before an accident involving one of these cars occurs. As such, over 3,300 units of the Honda Accord Crosstour are being subjected to the recall. For this recall, Honda is expected to have its dealerships inspect and replace the airbag module on the passenger seat at no cost to the customer. The recall is likewise expected to begin on September 22. For more information on the recall, owners of the Accord Crosstour can contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009. Review: 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour
The Honda Accord has been the Iron Man of the midsize sedan market for generations. Now, with the great Accord name on the back, Honda has created an all-new version of the family sedan. Meet the Accord Crosstour, which adds a touch of modern versatility and a premium ride to the Accord lineup. The Crosstour is Honda’s take on the swoopy five-door coupe-like crossover that seems to be making its rounds in the automotive world. So, is the new Crosstour good enough to be called an Accord? If you think this design is new then you would be quite mistaken. The 2010 Accord Crosstour is just another five-door utility in the market. BMW has the X6, Toyota has the Venza, and Acura has the ZDX. Amazingly, despite being nearly the same company, the Acura ZDX is not at all similar to the Crosstour. The ZDX is based on a truck chassis, while the Crosstour is pure Accord. Hit the jump to keep reading. Full story Parking FAIL: Honda Accord Hybrid parks a little too close to a 40th Anniversary Nissan 370Z
This is precisely why it’s hard to blame someone for losing their top when they get upset at people who either don’t care that their parking skills are horrible at best, or that they’re just terrible at the rather simple practice. This photo, which was taken by a member of The370Z forum, shows a Honda Accord Hybrid parking a little too close to a 40th Anniversary Nissan 370Z, which incidentally belongs to a member of the aforementioned forum. For the life of us, we have no idea how the driver of the Accord could park this close to the 370Z without at least noticing it. We just hope that the owner of the rare 370Z has a forgiving heart because if we were in his shoes, it would be a test of patience and kind-heartedness for us to not get upset over this. Who are we kidding? We’d slaughter them. Photo credit: Cunnos Brooklyn teacher’s stolen Honda returned with tons of modifications
A few years ago, Amanda Pogany, a school teacher from Brooklyn, had a nice, little Honda Accord to call her very own. Unfortunately, her ride was stolen from her, leaving her without her noble steed for three-and-something years. Today, Amanda Pogany drives an Accord, which, in actuality, is the same car that was stole from her. Well, it’s still the same except for a few changes - or modifications - in the form of a new engine, a new set of tires, new rims, new windows, and a new manual tranny. We don’t now if Robin Hood was behind the theft of this car, but we figured the reunion between Pogany and her Honda - in all its tuned-up glory - was something she, or any one of us, ever expected. Honda Accord ends up tilted on a billboard after mistaken acceleration
Normally, we’d be the first ones to chastise the driver of this Honda Accord for this could-have-avoided accident. But since the driver is pretty high up on his years, we’re going to excuse it to a case of mistakenly pushing the accelerator pedal as he was backing in to a parking space. Instead of slowing down and braking the Accord, the old man accidentally pushed the accelerator and the car shot up and backed into a billboard. Needless to say, the Accord was caught in a pretty precarious position. Fortunately, the man wasn’t seriously injured from his unexpected thrill ride and last we heard, he chalked it up to just a bad case of pushing the wrong pedal. So you’re safe for now, Honda. No recalls are coming – at least not yet. Animated squirrel promotes Honda Accord Crosstour in Super Bowl comercialWhen you do see an animated squirrel in one of the commercials that will air during the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl please don’t think that’s it a trailer for a one of those new CGI 3D movies. The commercial is actually for Honda’s new Accord Crosstour and it shows the said squirrel – or is it chipmunk? – moving a number of different things, including a pineapple, a trophy, and a set of weights into what turns out to be the cargo area of the Crosstour. Don’t ask us why Honda chose a squirrel or why they decided to go the animated route for their Super Bowl commercial. But quirkiness aside, the commercial does touch significantly on the large storage space of the Accord Crosstour, which, incidentally, is one of the selling points of the new car. Honda Accord Tourer set to become new taxis in Germany
One of the really cool things about being in Germany is that when you hail a cab, you’re flagging down something that’s more than a taxi; more often than not, what you’re getting is a Mercedes.  But now, there’s a new car that’s going to start making rounds in the land of the autobahn and while it’s not as luxurious as a Merc, it sure has something that Mercedes can’t boast of: it’s completely brand-new. We’re talking the all-new European Honda Accord Tourer, which will be making its debut in Germany as a taxi. Powered by a a 2.2-liter i-DTEC four-cylinder diesel that churns out an output of 150 horsepower and 350Nm of peak torque, the new Accord Tourer – or Accord Tourer Elegance, as it will come to be known – will be making the rounds along the streets of Germany with an unmistakable taxi roof sign attached to it.  While the car is scheduled to have all the features of a standard Accord Tourer – electric tailgate, cruise control, leather steering wheel, heated front seats, MP3-capable CD player, dual-zone automatic climate control and 16-inch alloy wheels, to name a lot - it does have some functions that are unique to its kind. Among them include a taximeter case, wireless telephones and special brackets for the taxi sign. So when you happen to find yourself in Germany anytime soon and you flag down a taxi that has a Honda logo emblazoned on the front, count your blessings. That ride is as new as it can get. 2010 Honda Accord CrosstourThe Japanese automaker Honda has just reveled the first details on their all new crossover variant based on the popular Accord sedan, the Accord Crosstour, as it will be known will be placed at the top of the Honda Accord family and is slated to go on sale this Fall after today’s online debut.  The new Accord Crosstour’s design is inspired by the Accord’s familiar body lines and adds a bolder front grille that is complemented by a bolder and more muscular front bumper giving the Crosstour an aggressive stance while the wedge shaped C pillars add a bit of a fastback appeal to the sporty CUV. The flowing roofline narrows smoothly into the rear of the vehicle to create an attractive set of hips, which also makes for a rather large cargo area that can fit a bit more than the traditional sedan. With the Honda Accord Crosstour, the world’s largest engine manufacturer is getting into the game of plus sized luxury sedans that offer the practicality of a wagon while at the same time giving the owner the appearance of driving an SUV. It should only be a matter of time before we see an Acura badged variant to compete with other high end crossovers. UPDATE 07/15/2010: Check out our review of the Honda Accord Crosstour by clicking here. Press release after the jump. Full story 2009 Honda Accord Sedan by MUGEN
Honda has been presented at SEMA Show with a 2010 Accord sedan equipped with Mugen accessories. The list of accessories will be available at Honda dealers starting November 11th.  The Mugen accessories for the Accord will include: 18-inch alloy wheels, front sports grille, front under-spoiler, side spoiler, rear under-spoiler, sports floor mats, machined aluminum oil filler cap and a distinctive front emblem. All of the painted parts will come color-matched to one of five popular Accord sedan colors: Polished Metal Metallic, Crystal Black Pearl, Alabaster Silver Metallic, White Diamond Pearl and Taffeta White. MUGEN, under license by M-TEC Co., Ltd., of Japan, has been closely associated with Honda for decades in the design and manufacture of racing and premium performance components. Press release after the jump. Full story | Honda Accord latest reviews:
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