Civic continues to go strong, in line with the current environmental trend

 Projects  1 Response »
Jul 172011
 

Honda shows much wisdom in its approach to the problem of air-pollution, global warming and the diminishing resources of the fossil fuels. It continues to lead studies and experiment with hydrogen technologies, electricity-powered engines and its biofuel cars.

The especial breakthrough in this field was the introduction, in September 2006 of Flex Fuel Vehicle (FFV), using the platform of Civic. The Civic FFV is unique in the sense that it is capable of operating on both E-85, the already available bio-fuel in the US, Sweden, Finland and to a very limited degree in Canada and on 100% ethanol, used far and wide in Brazil. The concept is not new in any way; however it is the Honda’s advanced research and production capabilities that make this vehicle so adaptive to varying fuel mixtures, and ambient temperature changes. FFV’s made in the US are currently setup to run on straight E85, straight gasoline, or any ratio of both fuel types. Honda is introducing an FFV into the Brazilian automobile market suited to run on a much higher blend of ethanol – E20 to E100.

The challenge here is to eventually achieve comparable performance and economy from E100, as from petroleum based gasoline. A factor to consider is the temperature, as low temperatures can contribute to poor starting and performance. And yet Honda manages to fix this problem, by introducing a secondary, gasoline fuel tank. The new Honda ethanol fuel feeder adapts to varying ethanol to gasoline ratios measuring the concentration of ethanol in the tank via time exhaust measurements.

Well, here is the deal. Ethanol, also known by the name of biofuel, is made from feed stocks such as sugar cane and corn. Thus using biofuel does not much increase the atmospheric CO2 and makes the ethanol an effective alternative to fossil fuel. And yet it is the government that has to make use of biofuel more attractive, by dropping the prices, so that cars, such as Honda Civic FFV would be bought not only by the smart people concerned about reducing the carbon footprint, but also by the majority of the population thinking of saving a dollar here and a dollar there. So let’s hope for that!

 Posted by lcironii at 1:21 pm

Honda’s engine used to power a supercharged monster

 Projects  No Responses »
Jun 262011
 

I see Civics every day. There are lots of them that people use to get from point A to point B; different generations and in different shapes – some are shining and proudly showing off their body-lines, others eaten by the rust from the ground up.
But there is one thing that has always made Hondas stand from the crowd of similar Toyotas, Nissans, and countless Korean makes presently storming the market, and it is their engines. Tracing their heritage to the car and motorcycle racing, Honda continues to design its engines being more performance oriented, comparing to the other fellow Asian opponents.

 

It’s interesting that it is a rather common practice to use Honda’s souped-up engines in building one of a kind concept cars or racing fireballs. Have a look at the following example of this phenomenon.

What you see here is called Ariel Atom – which is nothing, but a student project of Nick Smart from the University of Coventry. This concept car is built around Honda Civic Type R power train and is ready to be driven on the common highways, though it doesn’t have the doors, or windows, neither stereo system or air conditioning.

I wonder, if you had asked yourself a question, as to why so many boutique companies that are capable of coming up with rare and exceptional sports cars choose the easy way and equip their creations with already known and widely used engines bought from the mainline manufacturers? Why in stead of coming up with an exclusive multi-cylinder engine, they instead weld together two Volkswagen V6s, for example?

And the answer to this is the resource and reliability of a well tested and time-proven engine that can not be beaten by exclusive, newly designed prototype engines. The same goes true in the case of the Ariel Atom – Honda’s Civic Type R engine has all the muscles, reliability and the output one may want, with none of the hassles. This popularized creation of the engineering craftsmanship produces 245 horse powers and 218 N·m of torque at 7,000 r/pm, utilizing Mugen parts, namely camshafts, exhaust and ECU. All this power derived from Honda’s engine allows Atom to reach 60 mph in just 2.9 s, with the maximum speed of 225 km/h.

So regardless what would be the choice of the prospective buyer – a fast and furious Civic or Accord Type R, a supercharged Honda-powered Atom, or a reliable and socially acceptable Civic, with Honda engines one can never go wrong!

 Posted by lcironii at 3:03 pm

Honda rolls out 2012 model of bestselling Civic

 Cars  2 Responses »
Jun 082011
 

The auto critics were well aware that it was in Detroit that Honda rolled out the new 2012 Civic concept.
Now as we enter the hot summer months, Honda’s ninth-generation Civic should had already arrived to the dealerships, following a somewhat delayed schedule, comparing to the timetable of the rest of the automakers.

But Civic’s appearance at the Detroit auto gives us a quick preview of what will eventually land in the showrooms. Following the traditional Honda fashion, the concept looks practically identical to car, which will go in production, though it comes equipped with a bit more aggressive wheel and headlights treatments.

The concept shown in Detroit is nothing, but a styling mule – there are no signs of an interior or the engine. Honda purposefully chose not to announce any engine details for the new model, but one could safely conclude that if will be a four-cylinder engine line, which will definitely include a base version and a higher-charged option for the sportier Si trim. The current Civic in production uses a 1.8-liter, 140-hp I4, while the Si comes equipped with a 2.0-liter, 197-hp I4.

Much discussion has been devoted to Honda’s decision to postpone the introduction of the new Civic, giving birth to rumors of Honda scrapping its work and choosing to get back to the drawing board and the basics. However, as a Honda spokesman confirmed, this was not the case. The spokesman attested to the fact that the delay held up the introduction of the new Civic only by three or four months, and the changes were introduced in response to market demand.

The concept shown in Detroit is nothing, but a styling mule – there are no signs of an interior or the engine. Honda purposefully chose not to announce any engine details for the new model, but one could safely conclude that if will be a four-cylinder engine line, which will definitely include a base version and a higher-charged option for the sportier Si trim. The current Civic in production uses a 1.8-liter, 140-hp I4, while the Si comes equipped with a 2.0-liter, 197-hp I4.

Much discussion has been devoted to Honda’s decision to postpone the introduction of the new Civic, giving birth to rumors of Honda scrapping its work and choosing to get back to the drawing board and the basics. However, as a Honda spokesman confirmed, this was not the case. The spokesman attested to the fact that the delay held up the introduction of the new Civic only by three or four months, and the changes were introduced in response to market demand.

The result that we see is a car that is evolutionary, rather than evolutionary. But is the bad at all? I reminded of the success of the American classic 18 wheelers or the Harley Davidson motorcycles, which continue to stay on their path, perfecting what they already know is the best in its class. Dimensions are close to those of the vehicle currently in production. The suspension retains the familiar MacPherson struts in the front and a multilink setup for the rear.

And finally, the answer that is of interest to all the prospective buyers of the new Civics. The base pricing should be match closely with the current car’s price of $16,355 for the coupe and $16,555 for the sedan. So, whose will it be?

 

 Posted by lcironii at 1:18 pm

The 2010 Civic Hybrid Stays True to Itself

 Cars, Photo's  6 Responses »
Apr 172010
 

As the New Year unravels before us we are lucky to find that some of the things remain true and worthy of our trust. So does the 2010 Honda Civic Hybrid – it delivers what it promises – taking you any place with superb fuel efficiency. As you probably know, the four-door Hybrid takes advantage of the blend of gasoline and electric power to give you an unbeatable 45 mpg, not only to save your money, but to truly take care of the environment. At a price starting from $23,800, the Hybrid enters the ring to compete with the VW Jetta TDI, the Civic GX running on natural gas, and of course the new Toyota Prius hybrid.

The system used in the 2010 Hybrid boasts 5 various modes to let the electrics and gas engine co-work. Theoretically the Hybrid is capable of running on electric power alone, but you would be surprised to see it for any noticeable time span. The engine is a 93-horsepower 1.3-liter powertrain especially suitable for working together with the hybrid system. It is assisted in its task by a 20-horsepower electric motor.

Some of the expert reviewers have already tried the new 2010 Civic Hybrid on the road. Like all the other Civics, it behaves extremely well in the domain of handling, making relaxed driving a dream. But some of the complaints were that the steering felt somewhat numb and not overly responsive, and that the gasoline engine has to rev at high speeds when the situation calls for it. However cruising around town at moderate speeds is pleasurable, with only electric power engaged at times.

To sum it all up, the 2010 Honda Civic Hybrid presents a real and tried way to reduce your fuel expenses, in the same time not showing off your green credentials to everyone. And as a tip for potential buyers, the all new 2010 Honda Civic Hybrid sedan is virtually unchanged from the previous year model, so you may as well save your money on a lightly used model from 2009.

 Posted by admin at 8:41 am  Tagged with: , , ,

The All New Type R Euro

 Cars, Photo's  10 Responses »
Jan 192010
 

The last days of the passing year 2009 have been marked by the announcement of the Honda Motor Co., Ltd of the beginning of sales of a limited series of the Civic Type R Euro to Japan where it will have to compete against the Japanese Type R. The Euro version is a premium sports model forged in England by Honda of the UK Manufacturing Ltd. This vehicle is known for its distinctive appeal, its sci-fi style body shapes and performance perfectly suited for European roads. Out of the total number only 2,010 units will make it to the Japanese market.

The fans don’t cease comparing the actual Type R to Type R Euro wondering whether “European made” necessarily means better. The major difference is the use of a twist-beam rear suspension on Euro Type R vs. a fully independent suspension on the Japanese made Type-R. But regardless of the individual preferences both of the modification are fine rides with a top speed of around 146 miles/hour capable of reaching 60 miles in just 6.5 seconds.

The new Civic Type R Euro comes equipped with a 2.0 L naturally aspirated engine able to put out a maximum of 201hp/ 7,800rpm that works in pair with a 6-speed manual transmission. It is the DOHC i-VTEC known for its higher compression, secondary balancer serving to reduce vibration, but most notable for high revs and high output.

And unlike some of the Japanese makes which often times got criticism for inexpressive design Type R Euro has the style to match its capabilities. It comes with a lighter drop dead gorgeous body on 18-inch wheels. And beyond any doubt Type R Euro has all the add-ons such as custom aerodynamic spoilers, smaller three-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel, and aluminum ball knob of a shift lever à la Ferrari.

And besides giving one unparalleled satisfaction of superior performance on the road, it also looks out for its driver and the environment. All the R Euros come equipped with ABS with electronic brake assist, TCS, and sideslip control and due to the high use of recyclable materials the overall recyclability of the vehicle is now well over 90%. So, meet the new Type R Euro!

 Posted by admin at 2:13 pm  Tagged with: , , , , , ,
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