As Acura most successful and most selling product, the new 2009 TSX has a lot of ground to cover. Acura didn’t mess with success and designs the new TSX with similar cues as the out going generation. To satisfy the demands of its customers, Acura made the new TSX bigger and with a revised engine, producing slightly lower horsepower but more improved torque. More pictures and witty comments after the click. Continue reading
So the buzz is out! Well, at least according to a nameless source from Edmunds.com, Honda will finally build a top of the line over the top luxury full size sedan featuring all of Honda’s latest technology and the first ever production V8. Under Honda’s own luxury brand, Acura, the car will carry on the RL moniker, which in turn was Honda Legend. Continue reading
Acura apparently has admitted that they are not up there with the likes of Mercedez, BMW, or even Lexus at a recent dealer meeting. Starting next year, Acura will make a huge “shift” to tier 1 although I suspect that this shift will probably just the start of something big, not necessarily the “it” factor, so expect results in 2-3 years time. Here’s the summary of what Acura shift will be. Articles and witty commentary after the click. Continue reading
On 11 February 2008, Honda officially announced the all new Accord for Europe. Building from previous success of the Accord lineage in Europe, Honda rebuild it with extensive and ground breaking technology for safety, performance and environmental awareness (how much does Honda paid me to write this stuff?).
Frankly, I’ve never been a “wagon person”, I’m more into the sedan crowd. However, after seeing the Accord Euro Wagon, I’m amazed how the design can excite me so much. Personally I consider wagons design take their cue from a hearse, but not this Accord. Well, if I have to be snobby, this Accord Wagon also looks like a hearse, but a cool, futuristic, jet age hearse. I want my dead body to be carried on that hearse.
And… We also have the usual sedan guise for the Accord. I have to admit, the design is a stark reminder of previous generation Accord Euro but with a more modern and cool feel. Honda take the cue of past design and redo it perfectly… So why the fat Accord (American/Asian Accord or Japanese Inspire) looks like… Well, it looks like vanilla compared to Accord Euro’s Triple Chocolate Chip Raspberry Durian Surprise (I want to make that ice cream flavor).
Now let’s talk about its safety feature and everything else…
To say that this car is safe, we have a lot more and I should emphasize this, A LOT MORE to talk about. Unlike those auto company whom claim that their cars are the safest needs to worry a lot about this car. For its safety package (some are optional) Honda offers several step ups for the all new Accord Euro. First, let’s talk about its active safety package. The all new Accord Euro has Motion Adaptive Electronic Power Steering. This steering aid is not just your average electric driven power steering, it also detects instability in slippery conditions both during cornering and under braking and automatically initiates steering inputs aimed at prompting the driver to steer in the correct direction. Being a front wheel driven car, this system benefits a lot during aqua planing, a situation where the steering suddenly jerks towards a deep puddle when the front wheel is running through it. There’s also Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), where brakes are applied to left and right wheels and automatic engine modulation to maintain trajectory stability. Both systems are a standard across the Accord Euro range. There’s also the usual complete set of airbags, brake assists, ABS, and every boring safety stuff in the current automotive world.
Then we have the Advanced Driving Aid System (ADAS) which is optional for the car, and I have to say, you got to have it. The ADAS is a combination of three system, the Lane Keep Assist System (LKAS), the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), and the Collision Mitigation Brake System (CMBS). Weird marketingless acronym and technical jargon aside, the ADAS is the most complete active safety package Honda currently offers, only lacking the infrared vision found on Honda Legend and automatic parallel parking feature. Let’s break the ADAS system one by one:
I don’t condone the use of excessive driving aids actually, it makes the driver less apparent towards the condition of the road. Honda is aware of this and doesn’t apply the full auto pilot control of the car to the itself. The LKAS for example, it can actually turn for itself on gradual bends (not sharp) and thus making the car totally self driving. However, if the car noticed that you are not holding the steering wheel, it will tell you to hold it back… Or what? Don’t know… Potentially, the car can drive for itself for 15 seconds before the LKAS system asks you to hold back the steering wheel again. After all, the LKAS only maintains straight line given you manually steer the car. Theres’ a video link I put about how ADAS system works at the end of the entry.
Powering the car will be three engines, all new for 2008 Accord Euro. A 2L i-VTEC engine producing 156 ps, revised to deliver better fuel economy, a 2.4L i-VTEC producing 200ps (the engine that is used on Acura TSX), and the all new i-DTEC diesel engine. As the second generation diesel engine from Honda, it produces 150ps from a 2.2L, up from 140ps from the passing i-CTDI engine and it is claimed to be more frugal. All engine complies to Euro-5 emission standard that will be effective next September. Just for comparison, my country only recently adopts Euro-2 emission standard (that’s 3 level below Euro-5). All engine type have a choice of 6-speed manual or 5-speed auto sans the diesel which only available in manual trim. However there are rumors abound that next year it will be offered with 5-speed auto. Probably current generation automatic Honda transmission couldn’t handle the abundance of torque generated from the engine.
That’s that for the all new Honda Accord Euro 2008 sedan and wagon. As usual, the car will come to North America under the guise of Acura TSX. I actually like the Acura grill better, let’s hope the ADAS system makes it to the states because it could be that “luxury” item Acura needs (pending the V8, full size flagship sedan and supercar).
Source and viewing material
Official Honda press material
Video on how ADAS system works
Finally, Acura of America officially released some words about the launching date of its successful TSX model. The 2nd generation TSX will be launched in New York International Auto Show on mid March. Pending further photos, here is one official one from Acura.
Above is the picture of 2009 Acura TSX to be launched sometimes middle of this year or earlier. Honda/Acura of America uses advance year model to describe brand new model year. You know, like those fashion magazine, February edition is launched in January and so on… This is actually quite a novel marketing concept, I’ll discuss about it later on.’
The model pictured above doesn’t have front parking sensor like the Accord Euro Wagon teaser picture.
Oh, Acura TSX is also Honda Accord Euro sedan with different bumper/grill combo, as like the picture from the teaser ad for it.
The guys at Temple Of VTEC never ceases to amaze me. After a slew of definite past news, now one of its member managed to take two pictures of the supposedly Acura TSX/Accord Euro Sedan being tested in America. I wonder why Honda/Acura tests its brand new car in a suburban area? You can click the thumbnail for larger pictures.
From the frontal view, the car is a dead ringer to the teaser pictures of Accord Euro wagon. It looks… How to say it, normal… Again, we are talking about Honda, the producer of boring looking cars which surprises us in every turn. Oh by the way, I’ve found a dry ground not long after evacuating with my trusty notebook, next up, exit strategy and why we all got to have it!
Nuclear bombs decimate two of Japan’s city with casualties exceeding thousands of lifes, and compound interest… Well, let’s just say that because of it, lots of people lost their everything. The Romans once even ban compound interest in their law (although we know compound interest is very lively nowadays). But there is something more than those two combined, well, what else is there except for perception.
Now first, let’s talk about what is perception means literally. Because I don’t have my trusty library next to me, I will define perception with the help from the almighty internet itself. The meaning of perception varies a lot from sources to sources, I was even kind of shocked by how many meanings it contain. However… I noticed some similarity between them, therefore this is what I interpret about perception from the various sources (link at the end of the article). Perception is our disposition towards something related through our past experience… Now that’s a new definition of perception.
Now from the definition which I have filtered from various sources means that our judgment or perception will differs wildly because a person’s personal experience is up to God’s will and cannot be constructed as we hoped. This fact is actually quite new to me. I thought that perception is a response from a person directly when that situation arise. Then, about a week ago, I talk to my father about perception, he also added something new for me. In his book, he wrote about perception is a cumulative experience of a person PLUS our instinct… Instinct? What the hell… Then he describes that almost everybody are afraid of the dark although the intensity varies. Well, this is actually true because it is human nature to be afraid of the unknown, I think it goes back to our ancestors days.
So if I might summarize it all, perception is a person attitude towards a subject prior to their experience, knowledge and mood at the time they make a judgment. I put personal mood because sometimes, people makes decision based on feelings, just a bit personal experience there.
Now let’s get into the interesting part… The examples!
Now we have Suzuki and their SX4, Honda and their CR-V, Nissan and their Livina. In Indonesia, those respective cars delivery waiting period exceeds 3 months, and the question is what people perceives about the long delivery waiting period? To the majority of people, it means that all three cars are a hot item, but to the more wary people, it means that all three company fails to estimate the market absorption rate of their products. Me? I’m one of the wary people so I perceive Honda, Nissan and Suzuki has failed to estimate the market absorption rate of CR-V, Livina and SX-4. One would argue that the company could not do anything about it because their main headquarter established a fixed quota… Well, global warming is a natural cause anyway (sarcasm warning).
Then how about J.Co and Krispy Kreme strategy here in Indonesia? They play perception game quite well if I bold enough to speak. Well, this is my blog, I can write anything anyway… One peculiar thing I noticed about those spritely donut shops are how their cashier counter and queue line is set up. Most often than not, it revolves around one single line with two cashier waiting at the end of the line. This set up will always make a long queue line even when the customer load (people coming) is just medium to high. I consider this as a stupid management, but there are two advantage of doing this. One is there are more seating space because the queueing line is just a single file, and two, people will perceive that J.Co and Krispy Kreme products are so good even people willing to wait in long line just to purchase it. There you go… Perception…. Me? Again, as my personal experience are a bit bitter, I consider it as a hassle. I demand swift service, I want to go in and out as fast as possible, so I just consider J.Co and Krispy Kreme queue strategy as lacking management wise. However, us we are Asians who are typically does not want to be left out of the “loop” will consider this queueing line as something that is “hip” and we as people must follow that trend. Because we perceive that if people stand that long for just an over the top sugary treat or whatever it is must be extremely good… Me? I don’t like queue lines, when I buy donuts I bought Dunkin Donuts or Krispy Kreme, just because they have shorter queue line than J.Co.
So there you go, perception. I can go on and on about the examples of perception, but it is a little bit of a moot point because there are just too many examples out there already.
Until then, XOXO… (I’ve been watching too much Gossip Girl)
The Sources:
American Marketing Association definition of perception
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions definition of perception
Canadian Food Inspection Agency definition of perception
As I was writing about the confession about being a marketer… I stumble upon Temple Of VTEC preview of Honda cars that received a “prototype” body kit treatment for the upcoming Tokyo Auto Salon show. Honda brings three blinged up ride, the Civic Type-R, the fat Accord (called Inspire in Japan) and the Fit.
The Fit only receives small interior update, because it’s fairly new. The Civic looks like shit… Sorry, I have to say it. It just looks like garbage, complete with garbage like stickers. It’s like a 12 year deranged kid got mad because his mother doesn’t buy him playboy and he’s playing with Need For Speed Underground after a marathon of pimp my ride… It’s just wrong!
But the Inspire… Holy Marry mother of God! Please Honda… PLEAAAAAAAASSSSEEEEEE Make this body kit as an option for the Accord globally, not just Japan. I will delete my post about my rant of how 2008 Honda Accord looks like and put up an open apology letter on this blog for Honda. OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMGWTFWTHROTFLLCBBQ!!!! It makes the so-so Accord looks like awesome, it screams presence, menace and respect.
As I have noted previously on the new Fit engine, a recent review from asia.vtec.net has proved that I am dead wrong about the speculation of the new engine used in the new Fit. I mentioned about the Fit’s engine uses dual sequential ignition system coupled with VTEC cam changing mechanism… As it is reviewed… Apparently the new Fit engine make do with single ignition system.
My assumption was stemmed from the new Fit 1.3L engine torque curve which maxed out at 2800 rpm (the same as the outgoing 1.3L i-DSI engine), and flat lined with tendency to dip. However at 3200 rpm the torque shoots up again until it reaches 5100 rpm, most likely attributed to the change of hotter cam profile, a proof of VTEC mechanism applied. However, as I have noted, the engine uses a single ignition system… And I can only say… WHAT THE @#)(*&^%$! HONDA!! Why can’t you use this system since day 1??!! I’m upset because as an i-DSI Fit owner, the 1.3L I-VTEC is like a dream engine, high torque at low rpm but can spins high and produce more power. The outgoing 1.3L i-DSI engine only produces 86hp, 14hp less than the new engine with the same fuel consumption.
The new 1.3L I-VTEC achieves power and frugality similar to the outgoing engine because it employs valve deactivation system… I’ll quit the technical mumbo jumbo, and go straight to the point. When the 1.3L engine is cruising it runs on 12 valve, while running hot (accelerating), the full 16 valve goes into action. Just what VTEC was intended, frugal low speed and cruise speed, while power can be achieved at wide open throttle condition
The new 1.5L I-VTEC produces a good 120ps, the highest naturally aspirated production 1.5L power output on any car in Japan. This number I assumed came from a “chipped” 110ps old VTEC engine… And again I am dead wrong. The old 1.5L VTEC uses valve deactivation system that is now used on the new 1.3L I-VTEC. Replacing that system is a full 16 valve that unlike found on the 1.3L version is that the 1.5L changes the valve timing and it also employs a cam changing system. While the 1.3L valve deactivation system is intended for low speed/cruising speed as the engine allow it, the 1.5L is designed for all out performance. Because the 1.5L only changes the valve timing, it is faster at generating torque across the rpm range, no flat line or dip in the torque curve like the 1.3L engine because it takes a bit time in activating the valve.
I really don’t know what I’m talking about here except for the 1.3L I-VTEC engine… After all, aside from marketing and general Honda stuff, I’m clueless… (Well, I have some more qualification but I don’t want to brag). More clear information can be read on asia.vtec.net website provided below.
Anybody who likes Honda, can spell VTEC right and knows what VTEC stands for, knows that Honda is faithful for the longest time to naturally aspirated engine. Every known popular Honda cars are naturally aspirated, it can even be said that nowadays Honda is the purveyor and champion of naturally aspirated car engine maker. Honda S2000 F20 engine is considered to be the best 2.0L engine available in the world, producing 250ps (246hp) on the high spec Japanese Domestic Market. Honda newest K24 displacing 2.4L in America even produce 190 horsepower in the 8th generation Accord, using regular gas, the most powerful engine of its class. Moreover, Honda Fit RS produces 120ps from a 1.5L, and it is just a simple SOHC engine, wonder what number it can churn if the car uses DOHC type engine.
All Honda venerable Type R cars even have a trademark of using only naturally aspirated engine, from Integra, to Civic, to Accord Euro, and the everlasting NSX. None has ever needed a force induction to make the car go fast around the tracks. Sure sure people will mock Type R cars for having no torque and pit it with a forced induction engine cars and the Type Rs will go bye bye. But what naturally aspirated engine cars with displacement below 2 Liters can go toe to toe with the Type Rs? Answer… Only a few and most often than not they uses bigger displacement engine to win (hints: Nissan and BMW).
With all of this naturally aspirated engine affection, do you know that in the 80s Honda had a brief affair with turbo?
After the advent of CVCC engine that put Honda in the long road to fame, Soichiro Honda’s son Hirotoshi Honda decided that Honda needs a proper “enthusiast” car, one that can go fast but still showcase the spirit of Honda. Then, he took the unjustified tame looking Honda City and installed a turbo in it. So who is this snobby son of Soichiro who can decide what Honda needs? Well, he is after all the founder of Mugen, the-not-so-affiliated-but-actually-is Honda tuning division.
So after the turbo installation, Hirotoshi named the City appropriately as City Turbo, and the car was an instant classic. The engine now produce 100ps up from the measly 70ps, it seems small but consider this… The City Turbo only weighs around 700 Kilogram!! That gives it a power to weight ratio as good as today’s Civic Type R, and that car is fast. When Honda facelift the car, giving it the designation of City Turbo II, the power was upped a little to 110ps. However, according to many various resources, the boost pressure for the engine is limited to preserve engine life, and the car can be boosted easy to more than 150ps (I’m guessing, but being conservative). That’s just insane!
The small car that could
Then, there is the thing about 1989 Honda Legend, the first ever 2L V6 with a variable geometry turbo. This variable geometry turbo that Honda created was aptly named the Wing Turbo as it uses some kind of a winglet inside a turbo that variably change the boost pressure depending on the engine load. This beats out conventional turbo concept because it can change boost on demand depending on the engine load, unlike the static boost single turbo charger and the “low-high” characteristic of twin turbo chargers. However, even though the engine was ground breaking, the price reportedly was “too much” for a car of that class back then. Furthermore, I personally suspect that the effect of force induction that is detrimental to the engine was one of the main cause Honda ditch turbo engine.
A legend in its time
When VTEC was integrated into Honda product lineup starting from Integra back in 1990, suddenly turbo development was put into stasis, and nobody ever talk about it anymore. Like turbo, VTEC allows for a surge of extra power when the engine is forced to its limit however unlike turbo, VTEC allows daily driving to be efficient. This is because Honda introduce a cam profile changing system that allows “soft” cam to be used for slow driving and “hot” cam to be used for full throttle condition. Furthermore, unlike turbo, the engine is not forced to operate beyond its limit, giving that longevity trait of naturally aspirated engine compared to force induction engine. Now, Honda has this miracle engine that can be driven efficiently but can produce power at high RPMs and have a long life time. It’s a no brainer, turbo is dead! Until recently…
When Acura (Honda lux division) RDX, Acura answer to BMW X3 was launched, enthusiast and media gasps with what type of engine the car used. It is a factory spec turbo, a first for Honda after nearly 20 years! The K23 as it is called produces 240hp and 260 lbs-ft, the torquiest engine Honda ever made. As it code sign gives away, it is a K series engine, the engine that can be found anywhere in the Honda product line, ranging from Accord, Odyssey (JDM), Accord Euro, Civic, Civic Euro, Edix, Element, and others. However Honda engineers strengthened the engine block and added the turbo unit, a variable geometry turbo… The past has return, with a vengeance!
Acura RDX: Variable geometry turbo in action
With this in mind, speculations about another engine used by Acura TSX replacement (Honda Accord Euro outside US), is a turbo engine producing at least 260hp are running rampant throughout the web. With Honda proprietary torque vectoring all wheel drive system (Super Handling All Wheel Drive, SH-AWD for short) will be adopted by every Acura cars, they need high power high torque engine, and what could give that kind of power except for turbo or large displacement engine? There is something else though, and it is called the A-VTEC.
In the late 80’s Honda ditch turbo for the favor of VTEC. From the looks of it, turbo seems to be a short answer to the long awaited completion of VTEC mechanism. Now does history is repeating itself? Honda new variable geometry turbo engine is faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr from complete. It doesn’t feature direct injection like many advanced engine featured in the Lexus (expensive Toyota) line. Therefore its performance can still be increased with the addition of this simple mechanism. However, 20 years and Honda only took an existing engine, lower its compression, strengthen its structural integrity and adding turbo… Skipping the important direct injection technology? I smell something fishy. I smell Honda is going to repeat history again, introducing stop gap turbo technology before the real “true” advanced engine to be introduced.
A-VTEC or Advanced Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control, is a more advanced version of I-VTEC (Intelligent VTEC), which itself is a more advanced version of VTEC. I won’t try to be a smart guy, you can check how VTEC works by clicking the links I provides at the end of the article.
Anywho, that’s that for now. Will Honda introduce direct injection or not is up to them, but one thing for sure, the existing K23 turbo engine is far from complete. Will Honda repeat history and introduce next generation of their venerable VTEC, or will they soldier on with turbo is still up in the air.
Honda Very Own VTEC Documentation
Pictures are taken from Acura.com, Asia.VTEC.net, wikipedia.