Honda recalls 2010-11 Accord V6 in the US over possible suspension failure
Seems like the Japanese carmakers, once known for their reliability are losing their way. After the recent recalls by Toyota, Honda has now recalled its 2010-11 Accord V6 cars over a chance of a failure in the front suspension. According to NHTSA (National highway Transportation Safety Administration) the bolts that attach the front dampers to the suspension may not have been accurately tightened. This may potentially name a suspensionsteering failure. The recall for the Honda Accord comes along with a remember for the 2011 Honda Pilot, which also seems to be having a like problem. The total figure of units which are likely to be affected are 10283. Apart from the bolt connecting the damper and suspension the spindle nuts for the axle on the accord v6 may not have been tightened correctly which may result in excessive noise and/or loss of steering.
According to USA Today, the difficulty of the bolts not being tightened correctly has arisen because of a software matter that controls the machines that tighten bolts at the factory. The recalled cars will be inspected at the dealerships and the bolts will be tightened if need be. Previously, Honda has recalled 9300 Accord and CR-V cars that are presently being investigated for possible oil leaks due to an improperly cast portion of the engine. Just one question – why do we don’t have any such recalls in India, even though most of these cars are CBUs? And We are not talking only about Honda, or this particular example of a recall. So many times we have international recalls for automobile models which are available in India as well as a CBU, but no one as much as squeaks in this part of the world – any views?
The Indian auto sector witnesses record car sales mark for 2010
The year 2010 is indeed a special year for automakers in India. Many important events marked the Indian auto market. Maruti 800 took a bow from big cities, Hero split with Honda and Nano failed to impress. For an economy that grows at 9 percent, it was not astonishing that the car sales broke all records in the July –October season, where there was an st
andard growth of 30 per cent. India became the hot spot for the launch of Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport. At Rs 16 crores, the auto became the costliest car in India. The niche cars like marques Aston Martin and Spyker Cars are believed to drive in soon. The year 2010 will also be remembered for the end of the 26 year association of Hero Honda.
The slip was suggestive of the break-up of a Renault – Mahindra & Mahindra joint venture. This year also marked the phasing out of the first people`s car- Maruti 800. It has already bid adieu to 13 major cities in the wake of strict Bharat Stage IV emission norms. Hindustan Motors have approached the Board for monetary and Industrial reconstruction due to the mounting losses. Tata Nano- the much talked about car did not have an easy ride on the Indian roads. Marked by dwindling sales, the Nano still needs to confirm its mettle in the Indian market. India was touted as the principal center for global players and the homegrown Mahindra & Mahindra stepped in with its international expansion plans. However there have been no flurries of new launches as Renault and Ford also join the bandwagon to cash in on the sales boom. However, the new models that hit the roads include Maruti Suzuki Eeco, Ford Figo, Volkswagen Polo and Vento and Nissan Micra. The Indian auto mart is slowly but steadily inching towards the two million units per year mark.
Honda launches CB1000R in the United States
Honda Motors- the world's largest two wheeler manufacturer has announced the launch of its most well-liked supersports bike named Honda CB1000R for the United State and Canada market. The bike has been available in European market from several years and now ready to hit American roads. The company has not announced price of the bike but it might be priced between the $8000-$10000 range. It is to be noted that the bike is already available in Indian market. American Honda Motor Co. has already displayed and announced this bike for the US and Canada during the EICMA expo in Italy.
The company is claiming to unveil this motorcycle by spring of 2011. Honda CB1000R is a supersports motorcycle that has a liquid-cooled, fuel-injected inline four-cylinder, 998cc powerplant. This energetic engine produces 123 hp of peak power at 10,000 rpm and 73 lb-ft of torque at 7750 rpm. The features rich bike comes loaded with 43mm suspension and 310mm large disc brakes while appearance of the bike is awesome that attracts everybody. “The Honda CB1000R fills a great position in today’s market as we now bring a very competent sport machine packed with high-performance features to riders who focus on street use -wherever and whatever their destination may be,” said American Honda Powersports Press Manager Bill Savino in a press release. Honda has recently announced Honda CBR 250R for India and it is expected to be offered at Rs 1.50 lakh.
Honda Launches Li Nian S1 Sub-Compact In China
China is leading automobile market with more vehicles selling in the country than any other part of the world. Automakers from all over the world have been scrambling to gain a sizable piece of the Chinese auto market as the nation’s buying capacity has been increased in the last few years. Honda Motors is no exception. The Japanese company has launched an entry level sedan in China during during ongoing Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition. The new sedan is based on old Honda city and is called Honda Li Nian S1. Although nowhere as complicated as the Everus idea shown at the 2010 Beijing auto show, the S1 does allow Honda to start making further inroads into the Chinese market.
While the aggressive-looking concept appeared to be based off the present Honda City (which, in turn, shares its platform with the Fit hatchback), the S1 is essentially a gussied-up version of the previous-generation City sedan, albeit with a few cosmetic tweaks. Honda Li Nian S1’s manufacture model comes with blunt looks. Other Popular Cars of Honda are- Honda Accord, Honda Civic, Honda CR-V and Honda Jazz. Li Nian S1 will have two engine options including a 1.3- and 1.5-liter four cylinder power houses. The performance information of these engines are yet to be disclosed, but from earlier examples, the 1.5ltr should bring 120hp minimum. According to Honda, the Li Nian S1 is aimed particularly at young Chinese buyers, many of whom are shopping for their first vehicle. As a result, we wouldn’t be amazed to see an aggressive price tag on the S1, especially since it has to counter rivals like the BYD F3 and L3. Honda hopes such a model is input to expanding its footprint in China, but we’ll know for certain come spring, when the S1 rolls into Honda showrooms across China.
Hero To Buy Honda for $1 Billion
Hero Group owners Munjals are ready to buy out Honda shares in age old Hero Honda JV for $1 billion. Honda Motors owns 26 percent stake in the joint venture and will sell its shares in a two-tier deal. Hero will obtain the stake through special purpose vehicle by raising a bridge loan The Indian promoters will subsequently divest 60-70% stake in this SPV to a group of 2-3 private equity firms to pay back the loan. The Munjals are likely to use its holding companies Hero Investments, Bahadur Chand Investments Pvt Ltd (BCIPL) to sell part stake to private equities via a exclusive purpose vehicle.
All the six PE firms have shown keen interest and have assured Munjals that they would stay committed for long tenure a senior official of a PE firm said. “However, the second tier of the deal is not yet frozen as unlike conventional PE transactions, Munjals have asked the PE firms to bid for the stake.” According to sources familiar with the development, the two associates have agreed that current royalty rate per model rewarded to Honda would not alter which in 2009 -10 on an average was 2.3 per cent to 3 per cent of sales. Further, Honda will continue to provide technology and models to the Hero Group during the transition period, for which the minimum is till 2014 as per their existing joint venture agreement.
2012 Honda Civic Concept Sketch
Here’s a sneak peek on what to assume from Honda at January 2011′s Detroit Motor Show, where the 2012 Honda Civic will be unveiled. The vehicle which looks more like an evolution from the present model than anything revolutionary looks like a car that Honda has designed to be safe rather than radical.
Any which ways, January 2011 it is, when the 2012 Honda Civic will be out in the open. Meanwhile, here are a bunch of pics snapped somewhere in the middle east, which supposedly is the 2012 Honda Civic Sedan.
Honda Launches VFR1200F in India
Honda India has launched its new super bike, VFR1200F , at ex-showroom price of Rs 17.5 lakh in Delhi today. Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India President and CEO Shinji Aoyama has said that VFR1200F is a fun bike manufactured at the Honda's most advanced facility and the mother plant of global motorcycles - the Kumamoto factory in Japan. VFR1200F is a concept driven by extensive customer needs.
Honda's VFR1200F is powered by a Liquid-cooled 4-stroke UNICAM 76° V-4 engine 1237 cc that generates a peak power of 170 hp (127 kW) and a maximum torque of 129 Nm. The transmission is Six-speed automatic with two modes and manual mode (VFR1200F with Dual Clutch Automatic Transmission). This superbike sports front dual full-floating 320mm discs with CBS six-piston calipers with ABS and rear single 276mm disc with CBS two-piston caliper with ABS brakes.
[Via: Vicky]
Honda Starts 2 Wheeler Plant Construction
Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Private Limited. has started the construction of its second two wheeler production plant to meet increasing demand for its products. The company has acquired close to 240,000 square meters of land within the Tapukara Industrial Area (near Bhiwadi) in Rajasthan. This lies just 40 kms from the existing plant and 90 kms from Delhi.
The new plant is scheduled to start production in the 2nd half of 2011 with annual production capacity of 600,000 units. The Japanese two wheeler manufacturer has also expanded annual production capacity of its existing plant from the current 1.25 million units to 1.55 million units, with a further expansion to 1.6 million units already scheduled for this year. Once the second plant goes live, the company's annual production capacity will be 2.2 million units. The total investment for new plant will be approximately Rs. 5.0 billion.
[Via: Motorbeam]
Honda to increase Activa production
Honda Motorcycle and Scooters India is gearing up to increase production of its flagship Activa scooter by 300 units a day. This step has been initiated by the fact that the Activa is currently asking its prospective customers to wait for a period of five months before they can have their Activa's keys in their hands.
Sharad Pradhan, Regional Head, West, HMSI -
We currently manufacture 2100 Activas per day at our Manesar plant in Haryana which will go up to around 2400 Activas per day
Ahmedabad HMSI Dealer -
There is a high demand of more than 3000 Activas per month in the city and that we have been struggling to meet demand.
HMSI has also initiated the process of setting up its second two-wheeler manufacturing facility at Alwar in Rajasthan, with an investment of Rs. 530 crores. The plant will have an installed capacity of six-lakh two-wheelers per annum which can be scaled up to 12 lakh units per annum. The second manufacturing facility of HMSI in India, is expected to come online by May 2011 and should help in shortening the delivery times of HMSI's products.
The Activa has been a runaway success for HMSI in India, and it revived the dying scooter market in India, when it was launched way back in the year 2000. But, in order for it to remain as its segment's leader, HMSI will have to ensure it is delivered as soon as possible to its waiting customers, since its competitors have developed equally capable products with similar specifications in the same price bracket. Customers not willing to wait for the Activa, will definitely gravitate to these products.
[Via: Business Standard]
Honda Unveils Zero Emmision Electric Scooter
Green is the future and every auto manufacturer is striving to bring out cleaner and greener vehicles. Following suit Honda has unveiled the new zero emission electric scooter. The EV-neo is powered by a lithium-ion battery that matches the performance of a 50cc petrol engine, is noise free and does 30 km on a single charge with a top speed of 30 kilometers per hour.
The battery can be rapidly charged up to 80 percent of capacity in 20 minutes, while a regular power socket charger will take about 4 hrs time. The pricing has not been revealed yet and the EV - neo is initially targeted at domestic business customers like Pizza delivery boys. Even though the EV - neo battery charge and top speed is limited, it does well in contributing to a greener environment.
[Via: Motorbeam]