I feel terribly sorry for the guy. A university graduate should hold their ground in today’s harsh economic environment… Or so some believes… But here’s fact, and no one can avoid it. Global economic recession is here and if not because profiteers/leechers in the stock market, we should only be in a recession for a while… In reality, selfish profiteers/leechers will buy low priced stocks and short selling it after gaining ground for just a bit, causing another downturn and creating a more volatile market, making the recession that much deeper.

The occasional extensively long post will be here now and then, but more or less the short chatter is here to stay.

So stay on, and keep that Honda spirit!

So… Without further adue… 2008/2009 ASIAN HONDA CITY!

Starkingly different than the outgoing Honda City

The rear reminded me of the last generation Toyota Vios… But hey, mimicry is the sincerest form of flattery

Much more upscale look on the inside… But hating that red glow

Proportionally improved and rims to die for

So now that the image are done for, let’s talk about the specification of the car. The car itself is heavily based upon the Fit, so it has the same engine, same suspension and everything in between. Meaning the new L15 i-VTEC producing 120ps, available 5-AT transmission with paddle shift and optional 5-MT (not announced yet, but I bet my mobile phone they will offer it in Indonesia). Mcpherson strut upfront and H-shaped torsion beam back suspension. It comes standard with ABS+EBD+BA and Airbags.

In the audio department, the new Honda City will have 6 speaker system (4 speakers + 2 tweeters) with steering mounted audio control. At least in the announced Thailand version. The car itself will be marketed not only in ASEAN countries, but also to India and China. From a blurry spy picture, it is shown that China Honda City will have a sunroof.

According to my sources (really bad sources), the car will be down spec’ed to meet its targeted price point in Indonesia. The rising cost of materials and taxes has made the new City reportedly too expensive for Indonesian market. But considering that every Honda products that rises in price received good amount of standard equipment, Honda might just sell the City as is. After all, there’s quite a big gap between previous Honda City and Honda Civic, price wise. On a side note, the new Honda Jazz (ASEAN Fit) comes with a hefty price tag, the most expensive compact compared to its competitors. Even the most basic model costs more than Toyota Yaris or Suzuki Swift. But the basic model does however offers ABS as standard.

With the new Honda City growing in size and does actually looks like a sedan, it might receive the title for “vehicle of choice of Junior Managers” (the real managers, not the self titled managers).

The car is just great… Bar none… I really wish I could afford it *sigh*. But oh well, my new ride is just as good, if not better (in some aspect or another).

The world without stranger, the famous tagline from Giordano brand of clothing is one of the mot gullible tagline I ever heard. But truth be told, it holds a meaningful social message. The world without strangers means that we live our life without the fear of not knowing those who surrounds us. No more prejudice, no more wild guessing, no more bad things. But is the premise plausible in today’s society? Not really… We barely even talk to our neighbours, let alone a stranger we met at the bus stop. But Giordano does aiming at the right direction if it were talking about automotive in general, not in human perspective.

The world without stranger is one step closer in reality in today’s modern automotive world. So in what sense this world without stranger really is in reality? Well, consider this, with the ever increasing energy cost that are based on fossil fuel, processing raw materials costs also rises. As of currently, no alternative fuel source can single handedly fuel a blast furnace for steel and glass refinery, two basic materials that makes up a car.

The World Without Strangers indeed

So what does automotive maker of the world did? They cooperate. They are no longer strangers and competitors in the business, they become friends… Or in some case, some poor financially weak automotive company got bought by a financially stronger automotive company. This reflects on the many automotive brands out there in the world, naming but a few from Japan we already have big names such as Toyota, Daihatsu, Suzuki, Subaru, Mazda, Honda, Isuzu, and Nissan. But among those, only two automotive companies that can raise their hand up proudly for stating that they are truly independent, Honda and Toyota.

Honda and Toyota aside, those who cooperate with other automotive maker enjoy the benefit of cheaper operational cost. The company who works together to produce cars now have the benefit of shared development cost, and shared part of construction of cars cost. For example, Mazda for all we know is one of the unique Japanese automotive companies that exemplify advanced automotive design to the highest degree. They got obscenely attractive cars that seemingly came out of Japanese manga/comics. The RX-8, The CX-9, the new Mazda 6, and so on. Now let’s take a look at Ford, one of the “Big 3” of American automotive giant and its subsidiaries. Ford have the boring looking Ford Fusion, the again boring looking Lincoln Zephyr, and finally the vanilla looking Mercury Milan. But hey… Guess what? All 4 cars are actually one of the same, at least structurally. All 4 are based off Ford CD3 platform, and furthermore, they are powered by the same engine… A Mazda engine.

Two of the same… Can’t you guys see it? Off course not

This is because Ford who bought Mazda cooperates in many layer of a car production. They share what in automotive world is known as “platform”, an underlying basic structure of a car, a car’s body internal skeleton. Ford shares the platform with Mazda, therefore, Mazda doesn’t have to incur development cost of the body structure. Instead, Mazda just only need to design a sheet metal or the physical looks of the car.(and boy do they made great looking cars). Where does Ford benefit in this? They got Mazda’s world renowned engines. In fact, according to Indopedia.org, from 2005 onwards, all Ford’s midsize cars are equipped with Mazda’s engine. This is actually confirming a news from 1999 that states Ford and Mazda are building an engine empire.

The examples doesn’t just end there, there are just too many out there. Let’s take some short examples, Maserati, is powered by Ferrari engines. A diesel variant of Mini is actually using Toyota engine. And so much more.

So the keyword here is economy of scale. In the case of Ford and Mazda, both companies basically offers the same car underneath the flashy sheet metal design. By sharing components production together, both Ford and Mazda shares the burden of operational cost, achieving economy of scale much faster than if they are going at it alone.

But because this is a blog for Honda… I must put a Honda here somewhere… Ummm… Okay got it… So how does Honda survives after all this time by going at it alone? Well, Honda is alone alright, but they have what I called a “mini cooperation” between each products. Honda have their own platforms that is spread between each cars. The amazing thing about Honda platforms is that one platform can define a car from the smallest to the large and from the medium to the largest. Honda Life and Honda Civic Euro for example, one is a micro hatchback and another is a medium size hatchback. But both shares the same platform, the same suspension, the same seating arrangement, and everything in between. The size grows, but it’s basically the same stuff underneath the sheet metal.

Two of the same… Really…

But critically, does stand alone automotive company like Honda will be able to survive in the future? After all, compared to Ford and Mazda and any other joint ventures, Honda doesn’t share costs with anybody, that alone is one of threats to Honda. If Honda slips out of its efficiency just once, it’s downhill for them. So in term of efficiency, Honda must produce products that sells… Meaning, they cannot do anything that is… Fun anymore. To be frank, Honda products designs are currently are between vanilla and chocolate ice cream, “too safe” and “too mass market”. Well, they have to do this because after all, Honda have to aim for the mass market, not the enthusiasts. So watch out Honda, a buyout might just be around the corner if you just slipped one bit.

There you have it, the world without strangers, at least in the automotive world. Parts sharing are common, perhaps one day, all automotive company will merge and join together as a world’s auto… Not likely, but one can sure dream.

Source:

Ford Duratec engine uses Mazda engines

Ford and Mazda building engine empire

Automotive company: Who owns who

Anyways, because my time now is devoted largely to work, and family, this blog will be occasionally updated. But don’t fret, the updates will feature articles that are worthy enough to be embossed with my MBA degree on it… Just kidding, but I guarantee that future posts will be worthy enough to read when you are bored and want to know something about Honda, and marketing management in between.

So Honda unveils the aptly named OSM or Open Study Model at 2008 British International Motor Show. A bold statement that a hybrid shouldn’t always be dorky looking like the Insight, the Prius or the Prius wannabes. To add more bite to that, throw in some great driveability and fun to drive, you have this car, the OSM.

A look to die for… No hybrid ever look this sporty

Short front wheel distance to door means a front wheel drive

Nice front… Bad ass

Everything looks production ready

Now, let’s talk about the OSM… OSM… OSM… Never heard something similar to that? Uumm, let me give you a hint… SSM, the Sport Study Model, or the world reknowned Honda S2000. It’s either this concept car is a homage to Honda S2000, with its design and nomenclature, or Honda marketing department has waaaaaaayy too much free time at their hand.

The S2000 is really tooooo long in the tooth some say. Well, because it is… Its engine is the pinnacle of VTEC technology, producing north of 120ps per liter, something few automaker achieves on naturally aspirated engines. The X-Frame that strengthen the chassis doesn’t need anymore external brace or dorky roll cages. Its engine is placed partly behind the front axle, making it essentially a front midship engine car. But alas, the horsepower race is still on, and the S2000 is lagging behind, badly.

So, when the OSM is announced, I’m giddy like a kid, only to be bashed by reality after looking at the pictures. It has IMA on the tachometer… Meaning it’s a hybrid. It has very short bonnet and short distance from front wheel to door opening, signifying a front wheel drive car… Something that will put a shame to Honda S series heritage.

So what car is this? It certainly won’t tango with the S2000 in the track, it just look mean, but doesn’t really have the bite… Worst of all, if I have to make this pun… Which I’m going to… The car doesn’t even have the mean look, and being a hybrid, it won’t even sound… Exciting. So the term no bite and no bark applies.

The SSM, the early stage of S2000

Thankfully, Honda doesn’t have any plan to produce this car. However, it might be just something to swipe the competitor off their heels. Toyota, with the help of Subaru is reviving the Celica heritage (compact sportster), so does Nissan is reviving the Silvia heritage. All are middle class performance cars slotted below the super cars, the then Toyota Supra and Nissan Skyline. Well, Honda have the NSX and the Integra Type-R to compete on the same level. But that’s the 90’s, and those names are dead and gone.

Two decades past and the battle of Japanese supercars are on again. Nissan forge ahead with the GT-R, Toyota coming out with the LF-S, and Honda is coming out with… An unnamed car sporting a V10 that is supposedly replacing the NSX. So, now what? Toyota and Nissan already preparing their 2nd coming medium class performance cars, what about Honda? Is the OSM their answer or just something they should built?

You know… A rear engine rear wheel drive OSM is a very good candidate for that spot.

Source:

Low emission Honda roadster breaks cover

A distinct front end with design cue from the FCX

A tall and swoopy rear reduce rear drag

No, this is not the new Prius. This is Honda latest all new global small hybrid that is coming near you early next year, well, probably the Americans will be the lucky one, as the car tested is a left hander and it’s tested in America. This car is the culmination of almost 2 year (maybe more, time estimate is just at the time of spy shot taken) of design and research, you guys can check out the test mule of this car here.

The small global hybrid test mule caught testing in 2007… How times changed

Now a lot of Internet automotive forum that displays this new car is flooded with Toyota loving children that ridicule Honda incapability of designing a car. Well, I myself sees a lot of Toyota Prius in this car especially in the rear end, but does anybody forgot about the Honda Insight, and its grandfather, the CRX? Now why do I have to use Toyota loving children remark? Well, certainly nobody ever mentions the CRX, and those who do not know the CRX must still be in his teens. The CRX, a 20 year old car is the first to incorporate tear drop shape with a raised C pillar and trunk long before Toyota even considered a hybrid car.

Honda CRX: The original design cue for a highly efficient aerodynamic body

This design was chosen because it effeciently eliminate rear drag because of the unusually swoopy tall trunk design. Just like motorcycle faring; in its early years, no motorcycle maker considered this simple device to increase aerodynamic efficiency and thus speed, why? Because they don’t know, back then aerodynamic study is considered to be voodoo magic. Now we see farings as a standard device on a sport motorcycle, and it would be considered silly for a sport bike not to have farings. So, this is the same with highly aerodynamic efficiency of a car, the rear end have to be tall and swoopy to allow air to break and reduce rear drag. So it’s never about who copying who, it’s just a natural design evolution.

So there you go, a brief design study on why this new Honda looks very similar to Prius. Expect the new car to be unveiled at Paris Motor Show this year and officially sold early next year globally… Well, it is afterall, the small global hybrid.

Source:

Spied on The Street: New Global Small Hybrid

Autoblog Spy shots: Honda hybrid

Blurry as hell, but you can see the numbers clearly

Well, as you can see, even if it’s blurry, the tachometer indicates a clear 10000 RPM rev limit, with a redline around 8200-8400 RPM (conservatively). Here, I blew up the picture and added some graphical outline.

A mediocre attempt to clear things up

The redline area I drew is just a rough estimate, taking a clue from Ferrari 430 tachometer below. Like the Ferrari, this new Honda super car have 10000 RPM rev limit. However, there’s that extra white line extending after 10000 RPM on the new Honda… What is that?

Judging from my rough estimate, such high engine rotation can only mean the car easily achieve 550ps Honda claim from the new car. So what about that extra white line after the redline? Well, if I may guestimate… Badly, and don’t take my word for this… Honda will incorporate some “over revv” function like in Formula 1 cars. Meaning that in daily drive, the car will use lower horsepower and if needed, the car can go full blast to its 550ps, just like the BMW M5.  The BMW M5 initially has 507 Bhp engine, however when the car is started, it only produces 400 Bhp unless the “power mode” is activated. The purpose probably to make the car more economical when needed, after all, this is Honda we are talking about, Mr. Efficient.

Ferrari: Race single mindedness to the extreme

Well, it actually is… A VERY BAD GUESS from my side. The white strip thingie is actually a light reflection on the tachometer display ring!!!! DAMN! That’s humiliating… A much higher resolution picture is coming courtesy of Temple of VTEC. You guys can check it here or just go to the source link I posted below.

Oh, one more thing. I’m actually quite surprised that the car has a complete interior. For a release date of 2010-2011, this car looks very finished already. You can see a lot of buttons on the stylish steering wheel. Not just buttons per se, but more like MID control, audio control, cruise control and the likes. This car can be released next year for all I know. But the million dollar question remains… Will this be a Honda or an Acura?

Source:

10000 RPM tach of NSX replacement