So, it’s that time of the year again, when everything has come to an end and people at Honda can breathe slightly, before the new year starts that is. As usual, the head honcho at Honda befall his year end speech, and here are the most interesting part of that speech:
- There will be four (4) new cars released next year in Japan, I assume this will be cars based on the newly released Fit platform. So that means new Fit-Aria (Fit sedan), new Mobilio, new Life, and might be new Accord Euro. I bet at least two of my prediction will come to fruition.
- A new “unified cars logo”? eh? unified what? The H logo has been the same to me for every Honda I saw… Probably just size changes, you know, there’s small logo on the Fit, and big ass logo such as those on the Honda Legend or Ridgeline. Honda wanted to make it same size everywhere… probably.
- Honda Pilot prototype at 2008 North American International Auto Show (January).
- Accord Euro will be released in Europe by March 2008, that’s right, Acura TSX!!! Will it come with turbo? We’ll see.
- New diesel technology will be introduced with Accord Euro launching, the I-DTEC, replacing the old I-CTDI. North America will receive the engine in 2009… Hold on to your horses boys, I know you wanted diesel from Honda for the longest time.
- FCX Clarity wil be available for “rent” starting 2008 in America… For those in the not know, it is Honda first functional, practical, cool, upscale, futuristic looking hydrogen car.
- A new dedicated Acura development facility will be introduced in 2009 and will be in full operation by 2010… Honda is trying hard to separate Honda and Acura before, but the obvious rebadging hurts the more expensive brand (Acura). With this, it is hoped that Acura will have its own products, miles high than the Honda products, unlike the today Acura RL/Honda Legend, Acura TSX/Honda Accord Euro thingie.
- New 100cc bike to be introduced in 2008 using fuel injection that is 15% more efficient, more powerful and cheaper to produce (the engine). In Asia, especially Indonesia, Honda receive its biggest revenue by selling <150cc bikes. Probably this 100cc bike will be introduced in Indonesia first.
And that’s that, the rest is just mumbo jumbo about increased sales and other heartening facts about Honda increased performance throughout 2007. For me, 2007 is a dry season for Honda, globally this year Honda only launch Accord + Fit and no Acura news while Lexus has spread its wing to Indonesia. There are some news floating around, mostly written by American journalists about how Acura is struggling. Well… Actually they only need to change two sedans, the RL and TSX, because MDX, RDX, and TL is already Acura exclusive (not taken from Honda product line). However, one couldn’t change market perception, and while Acura is still rebadging Honda products, people couldn’t associate Acura as luxury because well… Luxury is unique. I’ll do a write up about Acura Vs Honda in the near future.