Japan's BEST CAR on the new Civic Type-R

The japanese domestic car magazine 'BEST CAR' featured 'scoop' info on the new Civic Type-R in its latest issue. Our (TOV) staff in Japan, Daniel Garcia, scanned and translated that article for our 'News and Rumours' section. 

 

Some very interesting 'claims' were made in that article, according to Daniel, including the fact that the final production version of the CTR could be having as much as 360hp from its 2.0l DOHC i-VTEC DI TURBO INTERCOOLED engine. 

The 'mule' that is currently being tested in the Nurburgring is claimed to already have 280ps max power and 40.8 (!!!) kgm max torque, and supposedly will spin the front tyres (it's still FF) right from 1st gear until 4th ! The final production CTR is claimed will be faster than the 1G NSX around the Nurburgring (more !!!). 

For the full translation, and more interesting details, as well as the scan of the article, go to http://vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=1184956.

New 10G Civic Type-R concept revealed in the Geneva Motor show

By now, most Honda fans would have already read the official Honda press release and also saw the videos and admired the photos of the forthcoming new (10G) Honda Civic Type-R. Our news article on this is at http://vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=1181572. 

The most important details from Honda's press release are of course the confirmation that the new Civic Type-R will have a new 'Earth Dreams' 2.0l direct injection turbocharged engine delivering at least 280ps and still EURO-6 compliant for emissions. Well those are the official details.

In our news article, right now there is an ongoing debate about whether Honda will continue to use the Torsion beam as the rear suspension. And also that although Honda says at least 280ps, supposedly some UK magazines have already published claims of information from their own insiders that the actually current power is around 300ps and it is steadily increasing. So the suggestion is to expect the new Civic Type-R to have in excess of 300ps. The intention is still to achieve the status of being the fastest FF car in the Nurburgring.

About the Proton Accord-Perdana

ACCORDANA

At the Honda Malaysia 'Media Appreciation' event that took place on Thursday (Feb 20th), the issue about the recent move by Honda to release their 'old' previous 8Gen Accord to Malaysian car-maker Proton to make what is effectively a re-badged 8Gen Accord into a Proton 'Perdana' was raised to the Honda Malaysia management during the press conference. In the free-time after the conference, I took a chance to catch up with an old friend in Honda Malaysia to discuss further and fully understand Honda Malaysia's official response from the press conference.

I highlighted that based on interactions with Honda enthusiast, Honda's move to release the 8Gen Accord to Proton was held with very low regards. There have been outright criticism and I myself knows of a few real cases where people planning to buy either a used 8Gen Accord or even a new 9Gen Accord cancelled their plans immediately when Proton announced the 'new' Perdana.

What I was told was intriguing. Basically I was told that the 3,000 units of 'Perdana' for government use is all that will happen. But what about the announcement by Proton that they plan to release a new Perdana to the public in a couple of years time ? Honda Malaysia says that as far as they are concerned, any such 'new' Perdana will be really a new Perdana, no longer a simple re-badge of their 8Gen Accord. It was said so but I got the impression that a request was made to HQ regarding this. However, under the collaboration, they do not discount the possibility of Proton using the 8Gen Accord as a platform to develop their new Perdana. But they are insistent that it will NOT simply be a re-badged 8Gen Accord. 

Is this news any better ? I am in two minds about it myself. In truth, the 'previous' generation Proton Perdana was simply a re-skinned and de-spec'ed Mitsubishi Eterna. It might not be public knowledge but all car enthusiast worth their salt knows this. Similarly Proton's other models like the Wira and even the Savvy are re-skinned and often de-spec'ed versions of other manufacturer's car. So even if Proton is to develop their own 2G Perdana, if they are using the 8Gen Accord as the development platform, then there will be great similarities judging from known efforts. Of course chances are the engines will be replaced by Proton's own 'CPE' engines though they now also offers some form of variable valve timing.

Honda displays in the 2014 Geneva Motor Show

Honda Civic Type R Concept Model set for Worldwide Debut at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show

Honda today reveals its 2014 Geneva Motor Show line-up, including the worldwide debut of the Civic Type R Concept model, the European debut of the Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) Concept, the powertrain layout of the new NSX and the 2014 Civic World Touring Car Championship race car.

Racing Car for the Road – Civic Type R Concept

Honda’s appearance at the 2014 Geneva Motorshow will lead with the worldwide reveal of the Civic Type R Concept model, providing the styling direction for the exterior design of the highly-anticipated production version that debuts in 2015. Dubbed by the design team as a ‘racing car for the road’, its bold and expressive styling reflects the strong performance characteristics for which Type R is renowned.

Advanced Technology Leadership – FCEV Concept

Further underlining Honda’s leadership in the development of advanced technology, the FCEV Concept makes its first European appearance. Sleek and aerodynamic, the Concept points to the potential styling direction of Honda’s next-generation fuel cell electric vehicle which launches in the U.S. and Japan in 2015, followed by Europe.

Further Evolution – Honda NSX

Making its Motorshow debut, Honda will highlight the powertrain layout of the new NSX supercar. The model showcases the longitudinal, V6 direct injection engine with twin turbo alongside Honda’s innovative 3 motor Sport Hybrid SH-AWD^® (Super Handling All Wheel Drive™) hybrid system.

Racing Spirit – 2014 Civic World Touring Car Championship livery

Following victory in the Manufacturers' Championship  of the 2013  World Touring Car Championship, Honda will also reveal the livery of the 2014 Civic WTCC car. Additionally it will showcase its long history in Formula One with the RA271 that competed in 1964 making its debut in the German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring and the record-breaking turbo-charged RA168E engine which dominated the 1988 season.

Rumour : Honda's new VTEC Turbo engine delayed

If you are a regular at our (TOV/TOVA) forums, you will already have read the rumour but for those who are not, we have an insider telling us that Honda was supposed to debut one of their new generation VTEC Turbo engines this year but this has now been postphoned to next year due to the need for more developments. Also, Honda's new 2-motor hybrid has also been similarly delayed. The full rumour is below. Take it with the same precaution as you will for all rumours of such nature.

The VTEC TURBO ENGINES will not be ready until 2015.

The Lithium Battery Shortage will not be solved until 2016.

The first car to get the VTEC TURBO ENGINE had its launched delayed from late 2014 to 2015.

Step Wagon is getting the 1.5L VTEC TURBO ENGINE(on sale 2015) and the 2.0L TWO-MOTOR HYBRID(delayed to 2016 because of battery shortage).

Looks like the Vezel will launch in NA with out a Turbo engine in Fall 2014.

So it also looks like we will be waiting another year(some two years) for all the new fun Hondas/Acuras!And very low supply of Hybrids in all markets except Japan.

2015 NSX,CTR,S660/1000
2016 FR Sports Car,Civic

Short test drive - Honda Vezel

TOVA contributor Daniel who is currently living in Japan recently test drove the new Honda Vezel and came with this short report which appeared in our TOV forum. We reproduce it here. (Image of Vezel taken from world.honda.com).

Daniel Garcia:

The other day I went to meet a friend working at a Honda dealer and enjoyed the opportunity to quickly check out the Vezel.

First of all, the dealer was pretty much filled up, and it had been like that for a while according to my friend. Certainly business is doing well in Japan in recent times.

On the Vezzel itself, I tried the AWD Hybrid X version over a very short drive (about 15min, exclusively within the city). It was night, so I couldn't fully appreciate the interior colour tones/textures, nor could I take it to some freeway to see how it felt on that department.

For whatever is worth, here are a few random comments after jumping in from my CR-Z:

- Ride and Handling :
* You could immediately feel the larger width and heavier weight over the Fit. Around the city though, it still felt pretty easy to maneuver and responsive.
* Suspension was rather on the firm side and sporty, without being uncomfortable, with very well controlled damping and rebound over bumps, much better than anything Honda has done in this class before.
* The chassis truly felt incredibly rigid and solid to me when coming from my CR-Z, though some of it may be because I'm comparing a brand new car with one with nearly 90.000km of rolling around.

- Drivetrain :
* I was really surprised but how responsive the car was, and would certainly doubt many feel lacking power. Given the added weight, I'm not sure it is ultimately faster than my CR-Z, but that is at peak power. Whenever you stomp in the throttle pedal it's like night and day, and the Vezel simply pushes forward with an eagerness my car certainly does not provide.
* I still would rather have a CVT, but at least this time around it seemed to me the DCT tranny was smoother and more responsive than before. Maybe it's just me though.
* Overall I averaged 37mpg in my 100% city short loop after a cold start, which I found rather good, if not quite utterly impressive.
* The test car had paddle shifters, but I didn't really have time to test those.

- Interior:
* was nice all around in terms of style and functionality.
* was plenty ample, with plenty of legroom for me seating both front and back (I'm 6.2").
* Trunk enjoys the Fit's easy seat folding mechanism.
* Materials seemed to be also noticeably up in quality when compared with the Fit, specially around the front area and console.
* Speedometer had a nice 3D effect, although I would have preferred to have the speed showing in the dark center orb like in my CR-Z.
* I am still not digging the new touch-controls (identical to the Fit's), and still find the navi graphics are embarrassingly slow, but at least it was considerably fully featured (including at last Bluetooth Audio support...). Coming from the one in my CR-Z though, I missed direct access to zooming, an extra button in the wheel to control voice commands, and some diminished functionality in the voice department.
* disappointed by Honda's choice on the front illumination controls, which employ now a tiny button like in so many cars from the competition, instead of the easy-push mechanism I love so much about all my Honda's. This goes again on the direction I noticed in the Fit, with the feeling that Honda is doing away with some of their best ergonomic practices for the sake of "coolness". Hope this trend will/can be reversed.

Overall
* I was pretty impressed by the package, which felt like a much expensive vehicle in all matters (from fit&finish to ride&handling). Certainly considerably upscale feel coming from my top of the line CR-Z.
* I'd be surprised if this car wasn't popular all over the world, because it really has so much good going on for it it's hard to find many defects. Not surprising that so far in Japan there is already a waiting list until end of April for the Hybrid.

Honda's New Compact SUV: VEZEL

Honda is riding the wave of the new model launches to conclude an amazing 2013, delivering yet another new model. This time round, it is the long awaited compact SUV, the VEZEL. There has been no answer to the Toyota Rush/Daihatsu Terios and the newer coupe-like Nissan Juke segment of cars from Honda for many years. We saw the potential challenger in the Honda Fit Twist, based on the GE platform but it is only exclusively for Brazil.

Honda Vezel

Honda Fit Twist

The VEZEL sports Honda's latest design theme "Solid Wing Face" and the latest Earthdreams Sport Hybrid drivetrain i-DCD. While there is no news on what models the 1.5 litre VTEC Turbo engine would be installed to, CEO Ito has mentioned that the US-bound VEZEL is likely to be equipped with a turbocharged engine. With this, I believe VEZEL will develop into a challenger to the Juke turbo. I am happy to see the tuned up version of the Sport Hybrid drivetrain in the Vezel as this drivetrain is expected to deliver a sportier drive through the dual clutch system. 

Reading the specifications of the Fit Hybrid already sent me itching for a test drive of the latest drivetrain, which again has been a long wait too. With direct injection and the hybrid system, this realized maximum system output of 112 KW (152 PS)*9 that is equivalent to that of a 2.0 L engine and higher than the Fit Hybrid! The latest hybridization plans from Honda certainly seemed to have upped the developmental results in this aspect over Toyota. The key determinant of success would be the real world fuel efficiency results.

At this point, I am excited and optimistic that Honda would achieve success with the new Sport Hybrid drivetrains as it is in line with Honda's mission of delivering the joy of driving. Honda's product plans have also become much more globalized as reflected in the closer launch dates for various countries for new models such as Odyssey and City. Reinforcing this is the news by CEO Ito that a version of Vezel will head for the US in the very near future.

Honda got us excited in the late 2013, and hopefully the excitement can be kept all the way to 2015 when the flagship supercar NSX will be launched alongside the S660. That will definitely be a key milestone for Ito's leadership. Meanwhile, let's savour the VEZEL.

The Honda Official Press Release is attached below.

Honda to Begin Sales of New Vehicle "VEZEL"

TOKYO, Japan, December 19, 2013 - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today announced that it will begin sales of the VEZEL in Japan on December 20, 2013. The VEZEL is a new vehicle that belongs to a new category of automobiles that fuses together multifaceted values, including the dynamic qualities of an SUV, the elegance of a coupe, the functionality of a minivan and excellent fuel economy, at a high level. A 4WD type will also be available for both the hybrid and gasoline models.

VEZEL HYBRID Z (FWD)

VEZEL HYBRID Z (FWD)

The beautiful and elegant exterior form of the VEZEL fuses together SUV-like stability and coupe-like styling to realize an emotional design that stimulates people's senses.

The interior, created through a comprehensive effort to realize a high quality feeling for both the look and texture, creates a coupe-like personal space for the front seats. At the same time, Honda's original center-tank layout enabled a large cargo space and minivan-like rear seats with ample elbowroom beyond what people can imagine from the elegant exterior form.

The VEZEL HYBRID is equipped with SPORT HYBRID i-DCD^*1, Honda's next-generation hybrid system that combines a 1.5 L direct injection engine with a high-output motor to realize overwhelming high power that is comparable to that of a 2.0 L engine^*2 and an exhilarating driving feeling. In the area of environmental performance, this hybrid model realizes 27.0 km/L^*3 (JC08mode), the highest fuel economy in its class^*4 in Japan. Moreover, the VEZEL HYBRID will be the first among all Honda hybrid models to be equipped with Honda's original Real Time AWD, which controls torque distribution to the front and rear wheels precisely through electronic control.

In addition, for smart operation, all VEZEL types feature advanced technologies and functions normally associated with high-end models, such as the Electric Parking Brake and the Automatic Brake Hold, as standard equipment. Furthermore, high-performance soundproofing materials and dampers, which are typically used for high-end sedan models, are adopted to realize outstanding quietness and driving stability. Furthermore, hybrid model is equipped with the Reactive Force Pedal that assists fuel-efficient driving by applying reactive force to the accelerator. The VEZEL HYBRID will be the first among all Honda hybrid models to be equipped with the Reactive Force Pedal.

< Naming Concept of VEZEL >
VEZEL is a name coined from an English word “bezel” which means the oblique faces of a cut gem together with the “V” for “vehicle.” The name represents Honda's passion to create a vehicle which offers multifaceted charm and value, just like a cut gem, which changes its look depending on the angle.

*1

i-DCD stands for Intelligent Dual Clutch Drive.

*2

Comparison with maximum output of Honda's 2.0 L vehicle

*3

HYBRID (FWD) tested by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism

*4

SUV class excluding EV and plug-in hybrid models (As of December 2013, Honda internal research)

[ Key features of VEZEL ]

 Exterior design pursues the high-quality merger of the dynamic qualities of an SUV and the elegance of a coupe

• The exterior design was developed under the concept of “Dynamic Cross Solid.” The distinctive and sharp character lines fuse together two elements of the vehicle body – the SUV-like stable lower body and coupe-like upper body. The stylish exterior design adds a glow to the people on the vehicle.
• A sharp and elegant expression was realized by the adoption of headlights that feature two LED lights on each side^*5. Moreover, an LED light guiding stripe was adopted for all rear combination lamps for hybrid models, enhancing the wide look of the vehicle and expressing its innovativeness and high-quality.
• The rear outer door handles are integrated into the window graphics, creating a 2-door-coupe-like feel.

*5

Available for selected types

Interior design fuses together the personal feel of a coupe and the comfort of a minivan at a high level

• Developed under the concept of “Expansible Cockpit,” the interior design pursues both spaciousness and a personal feel.
• Striving to realize a high-quality and comfortable cabin space, soft materials are used for most of occupant touch points. For the soft pads, a stitching line is featured to emphasize the sense of craftsmanship. LED lighting was adopted for the front-map-lamps and room-lamps of all types as part of the comprehensive effort to achieve a quality feeling.

< Front seats >

• The smooth instrument panel, which highlights the spacious feeling, and the advanced and high-quality high-deck center console create a personal space for both front seat occupants.
• The high-deck center console features flexible drink holders with a bottom that can be adjusted to change the depth according to the height of drink containers.
• The fully automatic air-conditioning unit was adopted for all types. Wide flow air-conditioning units featuring the design of a horizontal straight line are installed on the front passenger side, realizing a simple design and comfortable air flow.

< Rear seats >

• Knee room is spacious like minivans.
• The length of the seat bottom was increased to the point where it is equivalent to that of high-end sedan models, and the seatback angle was optimized to realize seating posture that provides a high sense of security and is less tiring even during a long drive.

The package incorporates spaciousness and user-friendliness within an easy-to- handle body size

• The minimum turning radius of 5.3 m was realized, making this vehicle easy to handle on narrow roads in urban areas, parking lots, intersections, etc.
• From the perspective of aerodynamics and driving performance, the overall vehicle height was kept low, while setting the eye point at the perfect height that offers both great viewpoint and sense of security. A wide viewing angle was secured through the optimization of the width and angle of the front pillars.
• The low, wide and square floor creates outstanding user-friendliness of the cargo room. With the cargo capacity of 404 L^*6 three regular golf bags^*7 can be loaded while using rear seats.
• The tailgate opening is as wide as 1,180 mm, making it easy to load and unload large-sized luggage such as a golf bag^*7. The ground height of the tailgate opening is set as low as 650 mm, one of the lowest within the class^*8, which makes it easy to load and unload heavy items.
• For the rear seats, split fold-down seats with a 6:4 tip-up and dive-down mechanism are adopted for a versatile seating arrangement.

*6

Including the capacity of the cargo box underneath of the cargo room floor. Measured internally by Honda

*7

9.5-inch golf bag. Depending on the shape of a golf bag, there may be a case where three bags cannot be loaded.

*8

1.5 L - 2.0 L SUV class (As of December 2013, Honda internal research)

Advanced functions provide smart driving assistance

• The Electric Parking Brake, which can be put on with an easy pull of the switch and released when the driver steps on the accelerator pedal, is featured as standard equipment on all types.
• The Automatic Brake Hold function is featured as standard equipment on all types. When the driver activates the system by pressing a switch while stopping for a traffic light or traffic congestion, the system automatically holds the vehicle in position without the driver stepping on the brake, and the system automatically releases the brake when the driver steps on the accelerator pedal.
• The Reactive Force Pedal assists fuel-efficient driving through control of the reaction force of the accelerator, and is standard equipment on all hybrid models. The system applies reactive force on the accelerator pedal when the driver steps on it excessively. The relative force also is applied when driving on slippery surfaces such as icy roads.

The fun of driving and a high quality feel were fused together for driving performance which is built on the sense of security

• For hybrid models, direct-injection technology was adopted for the 1.5 L engine of the SPORT HYBRID i-DCD, the lightweight and compact one-motor hybrid system which can power the vehicle through EV driving alone. This realized maximum system output of 112 KW (152 PS)^*9 that is equivalent to that of a 2.0 L engine. The fuel economy of 27.0 km/L (JC08mode), the highest fuel economy among all SUV models sold in Japan was realized through intelligent use of three different driving modes depending on the driving situation. Moreover, the paddle shifter, which enables the driver to enjoy high output of a direct-injection engine and the direct feel of DCT, is featured as standard equipment on all hybrid models.
• Gasoline models are equipped with a 1.5 L direct-injection engine and realize powerful driving and excellent fuel economy of 20.6 km/L^*10 (JC08 mode).
• Adoption of high-performance sound absorbing and insulating materials, which are typically used for high-end sedan models, realizes outstanding quietness.
• Adoption of the Amplitude Reactive Dampers, which demonstrate optimal damping characteristics in accordance with driving scenes, enhances occupant comfort and driving stability at a high level.
• An inner-frame structure and super high tensile material (high-tensile sheet steel) are adopted to approximately 20% of the overall body frame, realizing a lightweight and highly-rigid body that generates linear driving.

*9

Maximum output of the hybrid system consists of the engine and motor. Measured internally by Honda

*10

G (FWD) and X tested by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism

Real Time AWD, which realizes both the ability to cover various ground and excellent fuel economy, is also adopted for a hybrid model (first time for Honda hybrid models)

• The Real Time AWD, which electronically, precisely and quickly controls the driving force of the rear wheels, is available for selected types of both hybrid and gasoline models.
• Based on the information collected through multiple sensors, the ECU accurately detects the driving situation and determines the amount of torque necessary for the front and rear wheels. The system instantaneously distributes an appropriate amount of torque for the rear wheels and smoothly shifts to 4WD.
• The VEZEL exclusive setting, that distributes more torque to the rear wheels during cornering, enhances the exhilarating feeling.

Incorporating advanced safety performance

• Outstanding passive safety is realized through the adoption of the next generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body and the Pedestrian Injury Mitigation Body. The ACE body applies Honda's original G-Force Control Technology (G-CON) to enhance self-protection and make it less aggressive to other vehicles in the event of a collision. The Pedestrian Injury Mitigation Body structure also absorbs the impact of a collision in the front part of the body, which is at the highest risk of causing a pedestrian injury in the event of a collision.
• Offering a range of enhanced safety features, the City-Brake Active System is available on selected models. The City-Brake Active System supports safe driving and mitigates accidental damage from a collision or when the vehicle starts moving forward. The system is accompanied by a side curtain airbag system and a front seat i-side airbag system (variable capacity type).