Honda President Says NSX Successor Back on Track, May Use a Hybrid Drivetrain

Honda President Says NSX Successor Back on Track, May Use a Hybrid Drivetrain

The Shanghai Auto Show brought some exciting news for Honda fans as the Japanese automaker revealed plans for the development of a new sports car that will be the spiritual successor to the iconic Honda NSX (Acura NSX in North America).Speaking on the sidelines of the show, Honda Motor Company president, Takanobu Ito, said the new car won't feature the V10 engine that had been planned for the next NSX, as the company scrapped this project back in 2008, during the global financial crisis. Ito told reporters that the future NSX would be exhilarating to drive but also environmentally friendly. “That's the kind of sports car we want to make. We are working very hard on it,” Ito was quoted as saying by Autonews.
The Honda official didn't offer additional details on the sports car or a timeline for its launch. However, a Honda spokesman said the car is expected to use an electric motor to give the gasoline engine a boost, much like in the case of the CR-Z sport hybrid. But unlike the latter, the NSX successor will be positioned as a high-performance hybrid vehicle.
Initial plans for an NSX successor were cancelled by former Honda president Takeo Fukui, who justified the move then as a cost-saving measure. The car was expected to have a front-mounted V10 engine developing at least 500 horsepower. The drivetrain ended up being used by the Honda HSV-010 GT racecar, the racing variant of the never-to-be-produced NSX V10.
The original NSX was powered by a mid-mounted V6 engine producing 270 horsepower (with a 5-speed manual gearbox). The NSX went out of production in late 2005 after a 14-year long career.

By Dan Mihalascu

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Starship Trooper: Mercedes-Benz Bodied Acura Integra Convertible

Starship Trooper: Mercedes-Benz Bodied Acura Integra Convertible

If you’re still with us and haven’t gone out looking for a bug swatter, there’s more of this lime-green creation to be seen in the video after the jump.
Judging from the cuts on the front fenders and the shape of the bonnet, we reckon it’s a mid-1990s Acura Integra Coupe.
The proud owner of the vehicle chopped off the roof to turn the Japanese coupe into a convertible model and then proceeded with the styling transformation that includes a custom body kit imitating the looks of many Mercedes-Benz roadsters and the customary trick doors.

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Most-Frequently Stolen Cars in the US

Most-Frequently Stolen Car in the US

Honda may now be caught in war of words with Consumer Reports over the results of its test drive of the 2012 Civic sedan, but the Japanese firm's models continue to be preferred by a…certain type of drivers.
According to the latest findings of The National Insurance Crime Bureau [NCIB], the 1994 MYAccord was the most frequently stolen car in the US in 2010 for the third year in a row. The not-for-profit organization stated that the reasons can be found in the car’s weak security systems and the demand for used parts.
Data from the FBI reveal that almost 52,000 Accords were stolen in 2010 alone. Honda also holds the number two-spot in car thieves’ preferences with the 1995 Civic, while Toyota comes in third with its 1991 Camry. Ford took three spots, Dodge two and Chevrolet held one.
The NCIB noted that Honda, Toyota and Acura have held the top three positions since 2000.
All over the US, car thefts in 2010 dropped to the lowest level since 1967, the primary reason being that security systems in new cars are much more effective than they used to be.
"Preliminary 2010 FBI crime statistics point to a further 7.2 percent reduction over the thefts posted in 2009," said the NCIB in a statement. "Should the preliminary numbers hold when the FBI produces its final statistics later this year, 2010 will post the fewest vehicle thefts since 1967"
In detail, for 2010, the most stolen vehicles in the USA were:

1. 1994 Honda Accord
2. 1995 Honda Civic
3. 1991 Toyota Camry
4. 1999 Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size)
5. 1997 Ford F150 Series/Pickup
6. 2004 Dodge Ram
7. 2000 Dodge Caravan
8. 1994 Acura Integra
9. 2002 Ford Explorer
10. 1999 Ford Taurus

Most-Frequently Stolen Car in the US

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Acura Presents 2012 TSX Special Edition with Modest Sporty Touches

Acura Presents 2012 TSX Special Edition with Modest Sporty Touches

Acura continues the celebration of its 25th anniversary with the launch of a new version of the 2012 TSX sedan named Special Edition that is available exclusively with a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine.
The Japanese company says the new model was "designed to evoke the fun-to-drive 4-cylinder Acuras of the past" (so does that mean it's current portfolio isn't "fun-to-drive"?), which in reality translates to a subtle aero package, added standard equipment and the availability of a manual gearbox.
On the outside, the TSX SE gains a front apron, a new rear bumper fascia, side skirts, a set of Special Edition badges and bespoke 17-inch alloy wheels featuring a polished finish with dark grey background.
Interior upgrades include a variety of cosmetic appointments such as the seating surfaces in perforated black Lux Suede inserts and red backing, red stitching for the seats, steering wheel and the shift knob, plus red lighting for the instrument cluster gauges, overhead lighting and footwell lighting.
The aluminum pedal covers and the bright silver plating for the steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters along with black headliner material complete the look.
As previously noted, the TSX Special Edition is powered by the firm's K24 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine available with either a close-ratio 6-speed manual gearbox or a Sequential SportShift 5-speed automatic transmission.
Sales will begin in late September with the TSX SE to make its first public outing at the Orange County International Auto Show on September 22nd.

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Honda Canada Hacked: 250,000+ Customers Affected By Security Breach

Honda Canada Hacked: 250,000+ Customers Affected By Security Breach

Less than a month after Sony’s Playstation Network was compromised by hackers seeking personal information, a similar mishap has struck the Canadian arm of Honda / Acura. In a notice to its customers, the Japanese automaker revealed:“The incident involved the unauthorized access of information as held in our records in 2009, specifically name, address, Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), and in a small number of cases, Honda Financial Services account numbers.”
It is believed that as many as 283,321 have been affected by the security breach. Honda Canada Executive VP Jerry Chenkin released a statement saying: “The information was limited and is not typically used for the purposes of identity theft or fraud. We would like to sincerely apologize to our Canadian customers for this incident. Honda and Acura are working diligently to protect our customers' personal information and improve our data security procedures on an ongoing basis.”
Honda / Acura notified The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada and set up a hotline to ease customer concerns. Customers are being notified by mail and have been warned of possible third-party abuse of their details:
"We do not recommend that customers take any specific action at this time, other than being alert for marketing campaigns from third parties that reference your ownership of a Honda vehicle. Honda does not share its customer information with unauthorized third parties and does not contact customers asking for financial information."
You know, except when said third parties hack in and take it…

By Tristan Hankins

Via Canada

Honda Canada Hacked: 250,000+ Customers Affected By Security Breach

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