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General Motors' self-driving unit, Cruise got a huge boost today from Honda. Today at a press conference, the two companies announced a new deal where Honda will invest $2.75 billion ($750 million upfront for a 5.7 percent stake and the remainder to be invested over the next 12 years) and will work together on developing a purpose-built self-driving vehicle. Speaking at GM's technical center in Warren, MI, CEO Mary Barra said Honda would provide "additional engineering, design, and technology expertise" and help assist Cruise's “global reach and the ability to deploy at-scale.” “Together, we can provide Cruise with the world’s best design, engineering and manufacturing expertise, and global reach to establish them as the leader in autonomous vehicle technology – while they move to deploy self-driving vehicles at scale,” said Barra in a statement. Honda's investment comes five months after Japanese holding conglomerate SoftBank invested $2.25 billion into the unit. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), General Motors Honda Joins with Cruise and General Motors to Build New Autonomous Vehicle Honda investment of $750 million values Cruise at $14.6 billion SAN FRANCISCO — Cruise and General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) announced today that they have joined forces with Honda (TYO: 7267) to pursue the shared goal of transforming mobility through the large-scale deployment of autonomous vehicle technology. Honda will work jointly with Cruise and General Motors to fund and develop a purpose-built autonomous vehicle for Cruise that can serve a wide variety of use cases and be manufactured at high volume for global deployment. In addition, Cruise, General Motors and Honda will explore global opportunities for commercial deployment of the Cruise network. Honda will contribute approximately $2 billion over 12 years to these initiatives, which, together with a $750 million equity investment in Cruise, brings its total commitment to the project to $2.75 billion. In addition to the recently announced SoftBank investments, this transaction brings the post-money valuation of Cruise to $14.6 billion. “This is the logical next step in General Motors and Honda’s relationship, given our joint work on electric vehicles, and our close integration with Cruise,” said General Motors Chairman and CEO Mary Barra. “Together, we can provide Cruise with the world’s best design, engineering and manufacturing expertise, and global reach to establish them as the leader in autonomous vehicle technology – while they move to deploy self-driving vehicles at scale.” “Honda chose to collaborate with Cruise and General Motors based on their leadership in autonomous and electric vehicle technology and our shared vision of a zero-emissions and zero-collision world,” said Honda Executive Vice President and Representative Director COO Seiji Kuraishi. “We will complement their strengths through our expertise in space efficiency and design to develop the most desirable and effective shared autonomous vehicle.” “With the backing of General Motors, SoftBank and now Honda, Cruise is deeply resourced to accomplish our mission to safely deploy autonomous technology across the globe,” said Cruise CEO Kyle Vogt. “The Honda partnership paves the way for massive scale by bringing a beautiful, efficient, and purpose-built vehicle to our network of shared autonomous vehicles.” View full article

According to The Drive website, Mercedes-Benz is putting out a car for the quote "Pikachu Generation". The AMG A35 hot hatch is a AWD 306 HP 295 lb-ft of torque pocket rocket with a 2L Turbo 4 engine. Power is delivered to the four wheels via a 7sp dual clutch automatic transmission. For those that think 0-60 times are the measure stick, Mercedes-Benz quotes a time of 4.7 seconds with a top end speed of 155 mph. The power train is an AWD system that is FWD Biased but can go to a pure 50:50 split AWD when needed. According to Mercedes-AMG CEO Tobais Moers, this is directed to compete with the Volkswagen Golf R, Honda Civic Type R and the Ford Focus RS. The CEO has also stated they have an A45 in the pipeline for next year producing more than 400 hp. Sadly for those in the United States, Mercedes-Benz is not planning on exporting this to the US at this time.

Honda and GM have partnered up to develop the next generation of high density extreme fast charging battery packs. Honda and GM have already partnered on Hydrogen cell and motor technology development. Now they sign a multiyear agreement to develop batteries for the next generation of auto's. To quote the news release: "General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) and Honda (NYSE: HMC) announced an agreement for new advanced chemistry battery components, including the cell and module, to accelerate both companies’ plans for all-electric vehicles. The next-generation battery will deliver higher energy density, smaller packaging and faster charging capabilities for both companies’ future products, mainly for the North American market." http://www.gm.com/mol/m-2018-jun-0607-gm-honda-battery-cell.html

Trucks Records Set as Core Products Deliver American Honda May Sales Gains Jun 1, 2018 New May sales records for American Honda trucks (up 9.2%), Honda trucks (up 11.6%), Pilot (up 36%), and CR-V (up 11.6%) Core Honda products Accord, Civic and Odyssey post strong retail sales despite industry trends Pilot is biggest mover in Honda lineup, jumping 36.1% in May and 40.8% year to date Acura sales remain strong with all-new 2019 RDX arriving today at dealers nationwide Honda Sales Highlights: Trucks and core products delivered major gains for Honda in May: Trucks set a new May record, Accord sales gained significant momentum, and strong performances from Civic, CR-V and Odyssey pushed all of these models to retail sales leadership in their respective segments. With Pilot and CR-V also adding record May sales, Honda brand gained a total of 4.3 percent for the month. Accord sales continued to climb strongly since its launch last fall, posting more than 28,000 sales in May, up 29.3% versus last month. With 34,349 sold in May, Civic gained 7.4% for the month. Pilot sales jumped 36.1% in setting a new May record, its 9th consecutive gain, and CR-V sales climbed 11.6% on sales of 35,905, also a May record. Acura Sales Highlights: With strong sales of the outgoing RDX helping Acura maintain a steady sales pace in May, the all-new 2019 RDX arrives in dealers today – the first in a new generation of Acura products completely designed around the brand’s Precision Crafted Performance brand direction. Acura light truck sales remained strong with RDX topping 4,700 in May and MDX passing the 4,000 mark. ILX gained 28.3% on for the month and is up 16.2% year to date.

New Ring Drive adds AWD to Latest Honda Civic Type R Posted to Youtube a video on a california start up that believes it can build a better mousetrap. What mousetrap would that be? In wheel electric motors. According to the company's web, the average traditional hub motor is approximately 68lbs. The Orbis Ring Drive is 35lbs for a 70hp motor. The company does not state the torque but will give you full details if you sign an NDA. So adding AWD and 140 HP to the Type R basic 306HP FWD car brings you to a blistering 446hp AWD Type R Hybrid. Founder and CEO Marcus Hays with Co-inventor Scott Streeter are the brains behind this Ring Drive motor. Hays was the principle lead for development at EV Global Motors by Lee Iacocca. He left the company and started up his own 5 years ago developing the Ring Drive technology that he believes will also offer gains to be used by Motorcycles, powered bicycles, ATVs and military off road applications. ORBIS DRIVEN Web Site “The company’s brochure explains “the technology divides a wheel or cog into two essential parts, a stationary hub and a rim or ‘ring.’ The ring rotates about the stationary hub, driven by a lightweight, high-speed motor.” Hays says the ring drive is more efficient while reducing vehicle weight as much as 40% and driveline complexity by 75% compared to powertrains in which the electric motors (in-hub or in the driveline) power an axle.” Wards Auto Story InsideEVs Story

If you happen to have a pre-production Honda Civic Type R just sitting around, what would you do with it? If you happen to an engineer in special projects division at Honda's Swindon plant in the U.K., you decide to make it into a pickup. Codenamed ‘Project P’, the Type R pickup made its debut at the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) Test Day. To create this truck, the special projects division changed everything from the b-pillar to the back to install a bed with diamond-plate metal bed and a set of rollbars. The big rear wing is retained. The rest of the vehicle is pretty much identical to the standard Type R with a turbocharged 2.0L inline-four producing 306 horsepower, six-speed manual transmission, and adaptive suspension. Honda says the truck can hit 60 mph in 6.5 seconds and hit a top speed of 165 mph - just 5 mph slower than the standard Civic Type R. "We have a special projects division at the factory in Swindon and this project was a fantastic opportunity for the team to show just what their creative minds could do. The passion that our engineers have for Honda is shown in our latest creation and we are even considering taking it to the Nurburgring to see if we can take the record for the fastest front wheel drive pickup truck!” said Alyn James, project lead. Before someone asks, Honda explicitly states in the press release "no plans to put the concept into production." Source: Honda Honda Reveals Civic Type R Pickup Truck concept at SMMT Test Day Created by the team behind Synchro Motorsport at the Swindon factory Potentially one of the fastest pickup trucks on UK roads No plans to put concept into production Honda UK has stolen the show at the annual SMMT Test Day this year by showcasing a Civic Type R Pickup Truck concept, almost a year after the launch of the standard road car. Built by a specialist team from the Product Engineering department at the Honda of the UK Manufacturing (HUM) factory in Swindon and codenamed ‘Project P’, the Civic Type R Pickup Truck has been modified and developed from the standard road car to create potentially one of the fastest pickup trucks on UK roads. To create the Project P concept, the team used a pre-production version and adapted the design rearwards from the B-pillars of the car, with sweeping lines from the roofline to the back hiding a flatbed loading area in the centre of the car where the rear seats and boot space would normally be. Finished in Rallye Red, the concept retains the iconic rear wing associated with both the FK2 and FK8 Civic Type R, which, in a clever piece of engineering, is movable to allow direct and unfettered access to the rear of the truck. Using the same powertrain, suspension and gearbox as the standard road car, it is estimated Project P will complete the 0-62mph sprint in under six seconds and reach a top speed of over 165mph. It also possesses the same driving modes of comfort, Sport and +R, Project P offering both ride comfort as well as a unique racing capability on track. Alyn James, project lead, commented: “We have a special projects division at the factory in Swindon and this project was a fantastic opportunity for the team to show just what their creative minds could do. The passion that our engineers have for Honda is shown in our latest creation and we are even considering taking it to the Nurburgring to see if we can take the record for the fastest front wheel drive pickup truck!” Phil Webb, head of car at Honda UK, added: “This Civic Type R Pickup Truck concept by the special team at our Swindon-based plant demonstrates the passion and commitment of the team there – going above and beyond outside working hours to deliver the final product. There are no plans to put this in to production but we will be using it to transport our lawn and garden products as and when required!” View full article

According to Autoblog, Honda started production of their 2019 Insight Hybrid car. This will be slotted between the Civic and Accord Hybrid. This brings the Honda family of Green Cars to the following 5 models: Clarity Fuel Cell Clarity Electric Clarity Plug-In Hybrid Insight Hybrid Accord Hybrid These are all cars in the age of CUVs & SUVs. Does it make sense for Honda to be building all these new car models when the newest Honda Accord is sitting on the lots with 104 day supply at the end of March and now at over 145 day supply Honda is idling for 2 weeks the 4,200 employees at the Marysville Ohio plant. This is in comparison to the average of just 70 days for all other car models out for sale. EPA rating are not out yet, but Honda expects to get 55 mpg equal to the Toyota Prius and hyundai Ioniq for City driving and no word on Highway driving. Does it make sense that Honda is continuing to invest in cars at a time that the public is ignoring them as they move to trucks / CUVs / SUVs? Autoblog story

EV Battery War Heats UP, Asia Versus America! Seems America, Tesla and the department of energy have created the next war. This is the Battery war, Lithium Ion versus Solid State batteries and Japan is behind. As such according to the story in the Nikkei, the Japanese government is funding research by leading Japanese manufacturers to develop what they believe will power the EVs of the future. This group brings together the Japanese Consortium for Lithium Ion Battery Technology and Evaluation Center (Libtec) with Toyota Motor, Nissan Motor, Honda Motor, Panasonic and battery maker GS Yuasa to develop rapid charging solid-state batteries that are easier to manufacture, safer, denser energy and costs less. The story goes on to say that Toyota's Solid State battery technology is considered to be the most advanced in the world, but is not commercialized yet. This new consortium is meant to make this happen by being funded by the Japanese government. This should help Japan beat China, Korea and the US in having the fastest charging, safest and densest battery packs in the world. Current market numbers are that global battery market shows Japan had 70% in 2013 but shrunk to 41% today, China and Korea combine for 26% today from 3% in 2013 The consortium is quoted as bringing the smaller but denser 400km Toyota solid state battery pack to market in the next 18 months in current EVs and have the size grow of the solid state batteries grow very little while having 550km batteries by 2025 and 800km batteries by 2030. For those that are a bit rusty on their metric, this equates to 249, 342, and 497 miles of range in a small dense battery pack. Japan industry ministry is eager for the country to reclaim its global dominance by setting the standard for solid-state batteries. Nikkei Story

American Honda Posts March Sales Increase as Balanced Sales of Cars and Trucks Propel Honda and Acura Apr 3, 2018 Honda brand sets new March record for total sales, rising 2.6% AHM trucks set new March sales record with an increase of 7% Honda brand truck sales jump 7% for best March sales Acura TLX leaps 43% for best ever March sales; RDX gains 17% Honda Sales Highlights Honda found fresh momentum with a new total vehicle sales record in March as Accord continued to gain ground, Civic set a new record, and light trucks set several new benchmarks. Honda brand sales set a new March record, gaining 2.6% on sales of 128,855 Accord sales topped 24,000 for the month, moving up vs. last month while competing in a declining segment dominated by heavy incentives. Pilot jumped 42.4% on sales of 14,158; Odyssey rose 27.8% on sales of 9,873. HR-V had its best-ever March, rising 1.3% on sales of 7,753 vehicles. Civic gained 3.4% on sales of 32,584 units. Acura Sales Highlights Acura brand sales gained sharply in March, rising 15.7% as sedans enjoyed major gains, fueled primarily by record TLX sales and a strong month for RDX. Total Acura car sales were up 35.2% in March, while trucks gained 6.4% for the month. TLX starred for Acura, posting record March sales of 4,014, up 42.6% vs. March 2017. The sporty V6 A-Spec model has sparked new interest in TLX, as a new 4-cyl. A-Spec model enters the market today. RDX sales also were robust in March, up 16.7% on sales of 4,398 units as the brand looks ahead to an all-new 2019 RDX this summer.

The Honda Insight has always been a out-there vehicle. The first-generation model was a two-seat hybrid that offered a manual transmission. It would morph into a Toyota Prius clone for the second-generation. The third-generation model, making its debut this week at the New York Auto Show looks somewhat normal. We got our first peek at the Insight's design via a concept at the Detroit Auto Show back in January and not much has changed in the transition to the production model. There is the large front grille, LED headlights, and coupe-like roofline. Step inside and conventional look continues. The dash is lifted from Civic with an 8-inch touchscreen (and actual volume knob). Power will come from Honda’s third generation two-motor hybrid powertrain system. This is comprised of a 1.5L Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder, a pair of electric motors, and a 60-cell Lithium-ion battery pack. Total output stands at 151 horsepower and 197 pound-feet of torque. Honda estimates the Insight will return 55 mpg in the city. In terms of safety, all Insights will come with a backup camera, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, collision mitigation braking, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, and traffic sign recognition. The EX and Touring will add Honda's LaneWatch system. The 2019 Honda Insight will be built at the company's Greensburg, Indiana plant - home to Civic and CR-V. Sales are expected to begin this summer. Source: Honda Press Release is on Page 2 All-New 2019 Honda Insight Production Model Makes Global Debut at New York International Auto Show Mar 26, 2018 Sleek and sophisticated new Insight hybrid sedan boasts robust acceleration and exceptional driving refinement with competitive fuel efficiency Outstanding 5-passenger comfort with premium feature content, including standard Honda Sensing® and available Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™ integration Built in Indiana with the battery unit from Ohio, the all-new Insight reflects Honda's investment in growing electrified vehicle manufacturing capabilities in America NEW YORK – The all-new, production version of the 2019 Insight will make its global production debut on March 28 at the 2018 New York International Auto Show (NYIAS), providing a first look at the latest entry in Honda's expanding lineup of electrified vehicles. The new Insight, launching at Honda dealerships nationally in early summer, joins the Clarity series and just-launched 2018 Accord Hybrid as the fifth new Honda electrified vehicle introduced over the past year. As a premium compact sedan, Insight is positioned and priced between Civic and Accord in Honda's passenger car lineup. The Insight is unique in providing universally appealing styling, with the packaging and refinement of a premium compact sedan and fuel efficiency competitive with leading hatchback hybrid models. Powered by the third generation of Honda's innovative and efficient two-motor hybrid system, Insight's 151 net system horsepower combines with a lightweight structure to deliver the best power-to-weight ratio in its class as well as up to 55-mpg in the city1. "The Honda Insight shows consumers that the efficiency of a hybrid car doesn't mean sacrificing style, refinement or performance," said Henio Arcangeli, Jr., senior vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "The Insight is another symbol of a new era in the evolution of Honda electrified vehicles, where customers can have everything they want with no compromises." Design and Packaging The 2019 Honda Insight boasts a sleek sedan design with a low and wide stance highlighted by Honda's signature "flying wing" grille and bold front fascia, low-profile LED headlights and taillights, sharp and dynamic character lines and sweeping coupe-like roofline. Inside, the new Insight features premium cabin appointments including a soft-touch instrument panel with real stitching, ergonomically sculpted seats, a 7-inch TFT color digital driver's meter, available heated and leather-trimmed seating and an 8-inch Display Audio touchscreen with Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™ integration. The new Insight's comparatively generous wheelbase (106.3 inches) and exceptional packaging efficiency yields best-in-class rear legroom of 37.4 inches, along with a spacious 15.1 cu.-ft. of trunk space that rivals gasoline versions of midsize cars. The placement of the lithium-ion hybrid battery pack beneath the rear seats allows for a fold-down rear seat (60/40-split on EX and Touring trims) to maximize cargo- and people-hauling flexibility. Trims and Features The 2019 Honda Insight will be available in three trims – the well-equipped Insight LX and EX and line-topping Insight Touring. Standard features include full LED headlights, LED daytime running lights and taillights, 16-inch alloy wheels, heated side mirrors, a 7-inch TFT digital driver's meter, push-button start, a 6-speaker audio system, Bluetooth®, Pandora® compatibility and a folding rear seat. The Insight EX adds Smart Entry, two additional audio speakers, SiriusXM® radio and an 8-inch Display Audio touchscreen with smartphone-like features and functionality, including customizable app tiles and home-screen shortcuts. The line-topping Insight Touring adds 17-inch alloy wheels, LED fog lights, rain-sensing wipers, a power moonroof, LED side-mirror turn signals, perforated leather seating, heated front seats with 8-way power adjustment for the driver and 4-way power for the passenger, dual-zone climate control, embedded Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System™, Honda HD Digital Traffic, 4G LTE Wi-Fi with mobile hotspot capability and Wi-Fi-enabled over-the-air system updates, next-generation HondaLink® subscription services, a 10-speaker premium audio system, and HomeLink® Remote System. Body and Chassis The Insight shares its basic platform architecture with the highly-praised 10th-generation Civic. In keeping with its premium compact sedan character, the Insight gets numerous engineering enhancements to further improve ride quality, cabin quietness and efficiency. The body features Honda's Advance Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure. An aluminum hood, unique to Insight, reduces weight, while additional sound insulation in the engine bay, front fenders, front firewall, and front and rear floor further aids cabin quietness. The Insight's new chassis is designed to provide a highly refined, confident and composed driving experience. It utilizes a fully-independent suspension system – Macpherson strut front and multi-link rear – with liquid-sealing compliance bushings at both ends (Touring only). Like Civic, the Insight also features variable-ratio dual-pinion electric power steering. Confident and linear braking performance is provided by an electro-servo brake system, which seamlessly combines efficient regenerative braking and mechanical (friction) braking for ultimate stopping performance. Advanced New Powertrain The all-new Insight is powered by the third generation of Honda's two-motor hybrid system, featuring a highly efficient 1.5-liter Atkinson cycle engine, a powerful electric propulsion motor, and lithium-ion battery pack. Total system output is 151 horsepower and 197 lb.-ft. of electric motor torque. Under most conditions, the Insight operates as a series hybrid, in which the gasoline engine, connected to the generator motor, produces electricity that is supplied to either the electric propulsion motor and/or the 60-cell lithium-ion battery pack. The Insight features three selectable driving modes – NORMAL, ECON, and SPORT – allowing drivers to customize their experience by maximizing efficiency or driving performance. Additionally, all Insights have steering wheel-mounted deceleration selectors to choose among three levels of regenerative braking performance, depending on driving conditions. In normal mode, the Insight is capable of all-electric driving for short distances of roughly a mile. Unlike competing systems, Honda's two-motor hybrid technology works without the need for a conventional automatic transmission, with the electric propulsion motor directly powering the drive axles. During higher speed operation a lock-up clutch connects the engine to the drive axles to provide the most efficient operation during highway and freeway driving. Advanced Safety Technology The 2019 Honda Insight will include the Honda Sensing® suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies as standard equipment, which includes Forward Collison Warning (FCW), Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™), Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keeping Assistance System, Road Departure Mitigation, Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow and Traffic Sign Recognition. Insight EX and Touring trims will also come equipped with Honda LaneWatch™, and all trims will have a multi-angle rearview camera. The Insight targets top collision safety ratings, including an NCAP 5-star Overall Vehicle Score and IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK with a "Good" rating in all crash test modes and a "Superior" rating for front crash protection. Manufacturing The Insight will be manufactured alongside the Civic and CR-V at Honda's plant in Greensburg, Indiana2. The hybrid battery unit will be assembled at the company's Marysville Auto Plant in Ohio, with the 1.5-liter Atkinson cycle engine manufactured by Honda's Anna, Ohio engine plant, which also produces the engine for the Ohio-made 2018 Accord Hybrid. View full article

The new Honda Accord has been lauded by the automotive press for its design, improved ride and interior, and noticeable increases in fuel economy. In fact, the Accord has been named North American Car of the Year. But dealers are struggling to move the new Accord off lots. In February, sales of the Accord dropped 15.8 percent when compared to the year before. According to Automotive News, inventory levels of the Accord stood at a 104-day supply at the beginning of this month - very high by Honda's sparse count. Some dealers have been turning away shipments from the Marysville, Ohio plant. "Where lease is heavy, like Florida, New York, Ohio and California, that's where we're getting hurt. When you get two cars as close as they are, it's not that much better than the Camry that people are going to pay $50, $60 [or] $80 more a month," said Rick Case, CEO of Rick Case Automotive Group. One of Case's dealers in Florida has more than 600 Accords in stock, about 200 more than its usual stock. They have turned away some Accords in January an February. Sources told Automotive News that dealers in the Miami area have turned down around 1,000 Accords since they have too many sitting on their lots. One reason is how consumers are trending towards to crossovers over midsize sedans. But dealers who spoke with Automotive News say there is another reason - the lack of attractive leasing options. The new Accord has a higher starting price than the previous-generation model which in turn raises the price of a lease. Honda's website lists a 36-month lease for the base Accord LX at $249 per month with a $3,199 down payment. Meanwhile, Toyota is offering a 36-month Camry LE lease in the Detroit area for $229 per month with a $1,999 down payment. In other regions, the Camry deal becomes even sweeter. In the Miami area, Toyota is offering a 36-month Camry LE lease for $199 per month with a $3,198 down payment. The various accolades and high-quality that have been key Accord attributes aren't working at the moment. "The quality gap has narrowed between the domestics, Honda and Toyota. When you're buying a car, you have a great story to tell a customer. When you're leasing, they say, 'Well, it has at least three years of warranty on it.' They're just renting it anyway. It is an uphill battle," said a Honda dealer in the Detroit area. Dave Conant, owner of Conant Auto Retail Group which has four Honda dealers in California says he understand why Honda isn't throwing money at the Accord at the moment due to big investment to get it on the road. But he wouldn't be shocked if the automaker offers some sort of incentive support, especially in terms of leases later in the year. "I'll be surprised if we don't see some help in April or May. They're not going to let the car sit on the lot. Without the incentive support, the payment from the car [that customers are] trading to the new one — the gap is too large. They need to do something to bring that closer, and the car will start selling and leasing well again," said Conant. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) View full article

American Honda Reports February 2018 Sales Results Mar 1, 2018 - TORRANCE, Calif. Honda HR-V sets new February sales record, gaining 6.9% Honda Pilot sales jump 49% in February, its 6th consecutive month of sales gains Honda Odyssey bucks minivan market trend as retail sales drive 3.4% increase Double-digit gains for TLX, ILX and RLX push Acura cars up 17.4% for the month American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) today reported February sales of 115,557 Honda and Acura vehicles, a decrease of 5 percent versus February 2017. Honda Division sales were down 5.6 percent on sales of 104,588, with Honda cars down 6.9 percent on sales of 50,646, and trucks down 4.4 percent on sales of 53,942 vehicles. Total Acura Division sales gained 1 percent in February with 10,969 units sold. Acura cars gained 17.4 percent on sales of 3,866, while trucks decreased 6.2 percent on sales of 7,103 vehicles for the month. "As supplies of our light-truck offerings continue to grow, we've maintained a strong sales pace, notably with sharp increases to Pilot and HR-V," said Henio Arcangeli Jr., senior vice president of the Automobile Division & general manager of the Honda brand. "We're selling every CR-V we can build and it continues to lead the segment in average transaction price, which demonstrates its true retail demand." Honda Based entirely on retail sales, the new Accord performed strongly in a midsize segment that continues to be marked by heavy incentives and fleet sales. Pilot jumped nearly 50 percent in February as Honda's flagship SUV extended its winning streak to six straight months. Odyssey sidestepped the recent downward minivan trend, while HR-V moved ahead with a new February record. HR-V set a new February benchmark, rising 6.9 percent on sales of 6,791. Pilot sales jumped 48.9 percent on sales of 12,056, gaining for the 6th month in a row since production supply increased. Against a receding segment tide, Odyssey made a solid gain based on retail sales, rising 3.4 percent on sales of 7,034 in February. Acura Much as they did in January, Acura cars drove against the industry tide with a solid 17.4 percent gain in February. TLX sales were up 16.1 percent in February on sales of 2,794 units. ILX gained 22.3 percent on sales of 904 vehicles. American Honda Vehicle Sales for February 2018 Month-to-Date Year-to-Date February 2018 February 2017 DSR** % Change MoM % Change February 2018 February 2017 DSR** % Change YoY % Change American Honda Total 115,557 121,686 -5.0% -5.0% 220,099 228,066 -5.5% -3.5% Total Car Sales 54,512 57,697 -5.5% -5.5% 102,715 106,264 -5.3% -3.3% Total Truck Sales 61,045 63,989 -4.6% -4.6% 117,384 121,802 -5.6% -3.6% Honda Total Car Sales 50,646 54,403 -6.9% -6.9% 95,870 100,244 -6.3% -4.4% Honda Total Truck Sales 53,942 56,419 -4.4% -4.4% 104,352 107,756 -5.1% -3.2% Acura Total Car Sales 3,866 3,294 17.4% 17.4% 6,845 6,020 11.4% 13.7% Acura Total Truck Sales 7,103 7,570 -6.2% -6.2% 13,032 14,046 -9.1% -7.2% Total Domestic Car Sales 47,688 46,581 2.4% 2.4% 90,155 85,936 2.8% 4.9% Honda Division 43,973 43,390 1.3% 1.3% 83,595 80,099 2.2% 4.4% Acura Division 3,715 3,191 16.4% 16.4% 6,560 5,837 10.1% 12.4% Total Domestic Truck Sales 61,045 63,989 -4.6% -4.6% 117,384 121,802 -5.6% -3.6% Honda Division 53,942 56,419 -4.4% -4.4% 104,352 107,756 -5.1% -3.2% Acura Division 7,103 7,570 -6.2% -6.2% 13,032 14,046 -9.1% -7.2% Total Import Car Sales 6,824 11,116 -38.6% -38.6% 12,560 20,328 -39.5% -38.2% Honda Division 6,673 11,013 -39.4% -39.4% 12,275 20,145 -40.3% -39.1% Acura Division 151 103 46.6% 46.6% 285 183 52.6% 55.7% Total Import Truck Sales 0 0 0.0% 0.0% 0 0 0.0% 0.0% Honda Division 0 0 0.0% 0.0% 0 0 0.0% 0.0% Acura Division 0 0 0.0% 0.0% 0 0 0.0% 0.0% MODEL BREAKOUT BY DIVISION Honda Division Total 104,588 110,822 -5.6% -5.6% 200,222 208,000 -5.7% -3.7% * ACCORD 19,753 23,455 -15.8% -15.8% 37,430 42,991 -14.7% -12.9% * CIVIC 25,816 27,039 -4.5% -4.5% 49,565 50,134 -3.2% -1.1% CLARITY 1,234 27 4,470.4% 4,470.4% 2,087 69 2,862.9% 2,924.6% CR-Z 9 118 -92.4% -92.4% 17 207 -92.0% -91.8% * FIT 3,834 3,764 1.9% 1.9% 6,771 6,842 -3.1% -1.0% INSIGHT 0 0 0.0% 0.0% 0 1 -100.0% -100.0% CROSSTOUR 0 3 -100.0% -100.0% 0 3 -100.0% -100.0% * CR-V 25,852 31,898 -19.0% -19.0% 50,178 61,185 -19.7% -18.0% HR-V 6,791 6,354 6.9% 6.9% 13,050 12,043 6.2% 8.4% ODYSSEY 7,034 6,800 3.4% 3.4% 13,134 13,300 -3.3% -1.2% PILOT 12,056 8,099 48.9% 48.9% 23,675 15,279 51.8% 55.0% RIDGELINE 2,209 3,265 -32.3% -32.3% 4,315 5,946 -28.9% -27.4% Acura Division Total 10,969 10,864 1.0% 1.0% 19,877 20,066 -3.0% -0.9% ILX 904 739 22.3% 22.3% 1,560 1,432 6.7% 8.9% NSX 17 46 -63.0% -63.0% 51 96 -48.0% -46.9% RLX / RL 151 103 46.6% 46.6% 285 183 52.6% 55.7% TLX 2,794 2,406 16.1% 16.1% 4,949 4,309 12.5% 14.9% MDX 3,337 3,541 -5.8% -5.8% 6,305 6,815 -9.4% -7.5% RDX 3,766 4,029 -6.5% -6.5% 6,727 7,231 -8.9% -7.0% Selling Days 24 24 49 48 **** Hybrid 1,572 2,093 -24.9% -24.9% 2,904 4,013 -29.1% -27.6% * Honda and Acura vehicles are made of domestic & global sourced parts ** Daily Selling Rate **** Hybrid includes FHEV, PHEV, CR-Z, Civic Hybrid, Insight, Clarity FCV, Clarity PHEV ILX Hybrid, RLX Hybrid, RLX Sport Hybrid, MDX Sport Hybrid and NSX

Honda's first SUV sold in the U.S. was the Passport. Sold between 1994 to 2002, the Passport was rebadged Isuzu Rodeo. But the name could be making a return for a new model. Automotive News has learned from sources that the Japanese automaker is working on a new crossover wearing the Passport name. The two-row crossover will slot between the CR-V and Pilot, and compete with the likes of the Ford Edge and Nissan Murano. Reportedly, dealers have been pushing Honda's management for a near-premium crossover. The Passport is expected to use the platform that underpins the Pilot. It will be about 6 inches shorter than the Pilot. According to one source, Honda will be showing off the new Passport at a dealer meeting in November and go on sale in early 2019. "We have not confirmed any details related to this product so any specifics would be quite speculative at this point," a Honda spokesman told Automotive News. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) View full article

American Honda Reports January Sales Results Feb 1, 2018 - TORRANCE, Calif. Honda Pilot notches 5th straight monthly gain with 62% jump in January Honda HR-V hits new January record as sales climb 10% for the month Honda Civic rises 2.8% on heels of all-time annual record TLX and RLX lead Acura cars to 9.3 percent gain in January, bucking industry trend American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) today reported January sales of 104,542 Honda and Acura vehicles, a decrease of 1.7 percent versus January 2017. Honda Division sales were down 1.6 percent on sales of 95,634, with Honda cars narrowly down 1.3 percent on sales of 45,224, and inventory constraints leading trucks to slip 1.8 percent on sales of 50,410 units. Total Acura Division sales declined slightly in January, recording a 3.2 percent drop on sales of 8,908 units. However, passenger car sales gained 9.3 percent on sales of 2,979 vehicles. Honda Following a record year for Honda trucks, Pilot continued to show its true market strength as improved supplies helped it to a 61.8 percent increase, with HR-V recording a double-digit gain. Civic enjoyed a notable gain for the month, while overall car sales lagged a bit behind January 2017. Pilot sales jumped 61.8 percent on sales of 11,619 in January, its 5th straight monthly increase. HR-V set a new January record, gaining a robust 10 percent on sales of 6,259 for the month, continuing as one of the segment's hottest selling vehicles. Civic sales were up 2.8 percent in January, while all-new Accord begins to gain momentum with the just-launched national marketing campaign. "With a strong and fresh product line-up, we're confident in the fundamental competitiveness of our products in their segments," said Henio Arcangeli, Jr., senior vice president of the Automobile Division & general manager of Honda Sales. Acura After a strong December — its best month of 2017 — Acura Division sales were relatively flat in January. However, Acura cars bucked the downward trend for luxury sedan sales with a gain of 9.3% for the month. Led by TLX and bolstered by the recently refreshed RLX, Acura car sales were up 9.3 percent on sales of 2,979. With the TLX A-Spec increasing showroom traffic, sales gained 13.2 percent in January. "Led by the TLX A-Spec, we're pleased to see our efforts with Acura sedans paying off in the face of a challenging market for luxury cars," said Jon Ikeda, vice president & general manager of Acura Sales. "We're looking forward to showing the 2019 RDX Prototype in Chicago next week, as the auto show circuit comes to one of Acura's strongest markets."

American Honda Sets 3rd Straight Annual Sales Record with Best-Ever December Jan 3, 2018 - TORRANCE, Calif. American Honda breaks all-time annual record for total Honda and Acura vehicle sales with 1,641,429 units in 2017, a gain of 0.2% New light truck annual sales mark set for Honda and Acura combined, rising 3.3% Honda Division sets 4th consecutive annual sales record, up 0.7% on sales of 1,486,827 in 2017 with all-time sales marks for Civic, CR-V and HR-V Honda trucks achieve best month ever (up 3.4%) and annual (up 4.1%) sales Acura RDX tops 50,000 units in sales for the third year in a row American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) today reported its third consecutive all-time annual sales record on sales of 1,641,429 Honda and Acura vehicles in 2017, an increase of 0.2 percent over its previous best set in 2016. AHM also set new annual and monthly sales records for light trucks, recording 840,450 sales in 2017 for a 3.3 percent gain, and 86,740 sales in December, rising 1.4 percent. The Honda Division also reported record annual sales, gaining 0.7 percent on total vehicle sales of 1,486,827 while Honda trucks set new December and annual records, rising 3.4 percent on December sales of 75,856 and 4.1 percent on 2017 sales of 734,269. Total Acura Division sales declined 12.2 percent in December on sales of 15,062, and 4.2 percent in 2017 on total vehicle sales of 154,602. Honda With eight completely new or refreshed models in 2017, including a new generation of electrified vehicles, the Honda brand continued its commitment to strengthening passenger car light truck sales by leveraging its North American production operations to attract a record number of customers for the 4th consecutive year. Honda's effort to better leverage its North America production operations to grow light truck sales continued to pay dividends: Newly dedicating a production line in Honda's Alabama to Pilot in October helped the three-row SUV to December sales of 18,602, a jump of 54 percent. CR-V, built at three plants in North America, also posted strong December sales of 36,983 units, to set a new annual sales mark of 377,895 as Honda's best-selling model. HR-V set a new annual record as well, topping last year's mark by 14.6 percent on sales of 94,034 for the year. Honda also maintained its unique commitment to passenger car and strong retail sales leadership: Civic continued its record run with sales of 31,406 units in December on the way to a new all-time annual sales mark of 377,286 units. The all-new 2018 Accord continued to show strength in the incentive-heavy mid-size segment, as the 2.0 turbo model began to hit showrooms – triggering the full marketing launch set to begin in January. Overall, Accord topped 320,000 sales in 2017. Sales of the all-new Honda Clarity series of electrified vehicles reached a major milestone with December sales of more than 1,400 units signaling Honda's effort to take electrification mainstream, led by the launch of the all-new 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-in Hybrid in all 50 states. Overall, Honda Division set the following sales records: Total vehicles, best ever annual sales – 1,486,827 Trucks, best ever monthly sales – 75,856 Trucks, best ever annual sales – 734,269 "2017 was a terrific year for the Honda brand with the continued fortification of our light truck and passenger car lineups, and a new generation of electrified vehicles combining to reach a record number of new customers for a fourth consecutive year," said Henio Arcangeli, Jr., senior vice president of the Automobile Division & general manager of Honda Sales. "Eight all-new or refreshed product launches is an impressive achievement for any car company, but it put us in a strong, competitive position to maintain our unique commitment to retail sales to individual buyers." Acura Acura recorded its best sales month in 2017 in December, showing a positive trend with sales increasing over the last three months of the year. In addition to strong truck sales for RDX and MDX, sedan sales showed promise with TLX topping 3,000 sales in December. RDX ended 2017 with 51,295 sales for the year, the only vehicle in the fast-growing entry luxury SUV segment with three consecutive years above 50,000 units in sales – a critical foundation for the all-new RDX Prototype that will make its world debut the North American International Auto Show this month. "The continued strength of the RDX is a great foundation for the next-generation RDX we will debut to the world in prototype form in Detroit later this month," said Jon Ikeda, vice president & general manager of Acura Sales. "This is the first in a new generation of Acura products based on our Precision Crafted Performance brand direction and we're pleased to reach this moment with growing momentum for the Acura brand."

Updated: 3:10 pm est with additional pictures Honda released a teaser image today, ahead of the 2018 North American International Auto Show, of a prototype of the forthcoming Honda Insight. This will mark the third time Honda uses the Insight name. The original Insight was the first hybrid offered in the US. A small two-seater, the Insight never caught hold. The second time around, Honda went for a Prius-shaped compact hatchback and the CR-Z sporty hatchback hybrid, still customers stayed away. The new teaser image reveals little, beyond the new Insight's shape. The prototype shares a profile now more closely related to the Civic sedan, though perhaps a bit more swoopy in the rear. The new Insight will be a five passenger sedan positioned above the Civic in the lineup. We expect the Insight to be powered by the same hybrid system as the larger Accord Hybrid. The Honda Insight Prototype will be revealed on January 15th. Click here to follow all 2018 Detroit Auto Show News. Click here to follow Honda News. View full article