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A hit in Japan, Honda Insight fails to make same impact in US
 
There’s no place like home for the Honda Insight. That sentiment has apparently become more legitimate as the days go by for Honda’s hybrid vehicle. You see, it didn’t take long for the Insight to become an instant hit in Japan; it actually topped the list of best-selling vehicle in Japan for April and in doing so, became the first hybrid car to be place number one on a monthly sales list. But despite the overwhelming success it has enjoyed in its homeland, the number haven’t necessarily translated on the other side of the Pacific. It may have been hot in Japan, but if early forecasts hold true, the Insight would be lucky to even get a lukewarm reception in America. After going on the market last March, sales of the Insight have dragged to a crawl with the numbers suggesting that it would all behind by as much as 33% of the predicted number of sales by the end of the year. Continued after the jump. Full story
Honda Insight tops Toyota Prius in car sales in Japan – for a month
When you’re an upstart vehicle determined to topple the industry leader, you take any advantage over your competitor any way you can get it. For the Honda Insight, there’s no more gratifying challenge than to outsell the Toyota Prius in Japan. And for at least a month, the Insight was able to do that, garnering the distinction of becoming the very first hybrid car to top the monthly sales charts in Japan. While the Prius has long been regarded as one of the most popular hybrid cars in the market, the Insight was able to move up the charts by selling 10,481 units, doing so mostly because it comes at a cheaper price tag ($19,000) – 1.89 million yen) than the Prius. Continued after the jump. Full story
2010 Honda Insight
The 2010 Honda Insight Hybrid made its world debut at the 2009 Detroit Show. It went on sale in April and prices started from $19,800 for the LX version and from $21,300 for the EX version.  All Insights are powered by an advanced 1.3-liter SOHC aluminum-alloy i-VTEC engine and CVT, along with a new generation of Honda’s IMA hybrid system that incorporates a 13 hp electric motor and a compact Intelligent Power Unit (IPU). The car delivers an estimated maximum driving range in excess of 400 miles. The 2010 Insight is being offered with dual-stage, dual-threshold front airbags; front-side airbags with a passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS); side curtain airbag system; anti-lock brakes with electronic brake distribution (EBD); driver- and front-passenger active head restraints and a front body designed to mitigate pedestrian injuries.  The EX models add alloy wheels, cruise control, 6-speaker audio system with USB audio interface, steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters, Honda Vehicle Stability Assist and an available Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System™ with Voice Recognition. Press release after the jump. Full story
Honda Insight priced for hard working Americans
One of the main problems with hybrid vehicles is the cost. The government does offer tax credits that help offset the price, but those are negated by the enormous premiums that the dealers are charging in addition to the MSRP; simply because the supply of these vehicles is limited and they are high in demand, Business 101. It has been concluded that the additional amount spent to purchase a hybrid instead of the traditional model will never be recuperated at the pump because the sher number of miles that a person would have to drive is tremendous. For example, a well-optioned Toyota Prius can around $30,000. Hopefully Honda will affect this trend by introducing an affordable hybrid vehicle. The 2010 Honda Insight will go on sale March 24th for around $19,800 becoming the cheapest hybrid vehicle sold in the U.S. The five-door five-seater gas-electric hybrid follows Honda’s latest design trend and comes with a long list of standard features. "The all-new Honda Insight brings the cost of entry for hybrid technology within closer reach of an entirely new car-shopping audience" Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist joins a 1.3 liter 4 cylinder i-VTEC gasoline engine with a 10 kilowatt electric motor connected to a Continuously Variable Transmission. The electric motor is positioned in between the engine and transmission. This motor provides power during acceleration and through regenerative braking generates electricity during deceleration that is stored in the battery for future use. Another benefit of the IMA system is its ability to operate exclusively on electric power during low speed driving and the fuel saving idle stop feature that shuts down the 4 cylinder engine while the vehicle is standing still. New for 2010 is the Ecological Drive Assist System, much like FIAT’s Eco Drive software that lets you record personal driving statistics on a flash drive and then have the program evaluate your economy at home on a PC. Except that with Eco Assist displays all the information in front of the driver in real time on a 3-D looking panel in front of the speedometer. Off to the left is another new feature is the ECON button, which can manipulate the throttle, control, CVT operation, idle-stop duration, air conditioning and in the slightly higher priced EX model the cruise-control operation in order to achieve maximum efficiency. All of this technology is said to return 40 miles per gallon in city driving and 43 miles per gallon while cruising on the highway. The 10.6 gallon gas tank in the Honda hybrid should give the Insight a range of over 400 miles. The vehicle will also be sold in an EX trim starting at $21,300 and $23,100 for navigation. Not to shabby for an affordable hybrid. Press release after the jump. Full story Honda Insight by Mugen
Mugen means unlimited in Japanese. It is a brand that is often thought of as tuning racecars and high-performance street machines. This time they have put their efforts into improving the aerodynamics of Honda’s latest hybrid. Mugen is once again showing off its close ties with Honda, the Insight went on sale in Japan last week. Since hybrids are designed with fuel-economy in mind their body’s main purpose is to cut smoothly through the air and reduce drag, not win any car shows. The Mugen kit drastically improves the automobiles appearance and at the same time reduces lift. Both front and rear lower spoilers work in tandem with the side skirts to channel air around the body and not underneath it. Although the rear spoiler seems a little extreme it improves down force. The side mirrors were even designed to reduce turbulence when driving with a slightly opened window.  Of course, Mugen improved the handling as well. The suspension setup comes with a set of sports-tuned springs and damper that reduced ride height by 20mm. There are two different kinds of wheels in the package: the XJ is 16-inch mesh wheel and the NR a 15-inch, 8-spoker. Mugen has also included a system called Intelligent Tire Condition Monitoring System (i-TCMS) which, besides measuring tire pressure, also displays tire temperature and will inform the driver when a tire has reached an undesirable condition. The engine did not receive any modification except for a high-performance air filter and out back is a triangular sports exhaust tip. Tuning hybrids is new business for the Japanese tuner. It is nice to see that just because an emphasis is put on fuel efficiency, fun is not left out of the equation. Unfortunately like most Mugen accessories this one is Japan only.
Honda Insight hybrid will be priced below $19,000
Honda announced that the 2009 Insight hybrid will be priced below $19,000, meaning it will get the same fuel economy as the larger Civic Hybrid but will cost less ($23,500). The Insight also will sport a 1.3-liter, four-cylinder engine and lightweight aluminum wheels, although it will drop the aluminum body panels used in the Insight’s earlier two-seat incarnation. Honda President Takeo Fukui announced the details today while unveiling a concept version of the five-door, five-passenger hatchback at the Paris Auto Show. The revived Insight will cost less than the Civic Hybrid, thanks to cost cuts in its battery, motor and electronic control unit. Its fuel economy will mirror the Civic Hybrid’s, at 40 mpg city/45 highway. Although the new Insight will undercut the current Prius’ pricing ($22,000), it does not beat the current Prius’ 48 city/45 highway millage. This becomes even more important as the 2010 Prius will likely widen the millage gap even further with better fuel economy. So the future hybrid champion may be decide by lower cost of better millage.
Honda Insight Hybrid on sale in USA in April 2009
As officially announced few days ago Honda will unveil the Insight Hybrid Concept at the Paris Auto Show. The production version will go on sale on the U.S. showrooms in April. Like the Prius, the new Insight will be a five-door, five-passenger hatchback. Honda will price it significantly below hybrids available today. From this unique position in the marketplace, the Insight will advance the affordability and accessibility of hybrid technology to a new generation of buyers.
2008 Honda Insight Concept
It’s official; Honda will call its Prius fighter the Insight. The company revealed the first official images of its new gas/electric hybrid ahead of its October 2nd debut at the Paris Auto Show. Sales of the production Insight should begin in the U.S. by the spring.  The design of the five-passenger hatchback seems to share a bloodline with the FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell vehicle as well as the CR-Z concept hybrid. All three of these cars could possibly show the future of Honda’s design. Although Honda is still keeping the exact pricing a secret, the company says the Insight will come to market at a price significantly below hybrids available today. Honda will follow-up the launch of the Insight with the introduction of the CR-Z. This is all part of Honda’s plan to make hybrid vehicles 10 percent of its total global sales. The goal is ambitious considering that Toyota’s new Prius and Chevrolet’s Volt will both be fighting for this same market within two years. Press release after the jump. Full story Models we won’t see in 2007
Every history comes to an end. So is with the car’s life. And 2006 brought with it the demise of a slew of auto models, cars, and trucks that won’t be back on dealers’ lots in 2007, including vehicles of every stripe from exotic supercars to plebeian sedans. Farewell to: Ford GT - Many consider the GT the greatest American supercar ever—a product from Ford no less. Reception of the concept version of the vehicle at the 2002 Paris Auto Show convinced Ford to produce the car on a limited (... > Full story
Honda Insight Import Dragster
‘Bisi Ezerioha has presented his Honda Insight Import Dragster at SEMA. Ezerioha, who was born in Nigeria and now lives in Hacienda Heights, CA, runs the “World’s Fastest All Motor SOHC Honda,” and he re-set that record with a run of 9.76 seconds at 145.28mph at Battle of the Imports in Joliet, IL in September. It was a typical run for Ezerioha, who has continues to improve the performance of his Honda on the IDRA, IDRC and NHRA tours. Combining his knowledge with that of drag racing and it (... > Full story
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