Honda Insight 2010 News

The first is the Insight, which Honda Australia CEO Satoshi Matsuzawa, said will be priced from $29,990 when it goes into showrooms on December 6 and $34,490 for  the top spec model.At a time when Australians have all but abandoned manuals, it is almost bizarre to see one billed as a new car’s main asset. But Honda is unapologetic about the six speed stick shift that drives the CR-Z.Mr Matsuzawa said the boy racer shaped coupe will “change your view of hybrids” with its sporting dynamics. He said it will be in showrooms by mid-2011.More whimsically, Honda also revealed its personal mobility device, a sort of automated unicycle that responds to the rider’s body movements.

Called the Insight, the car will be revealed weeks ahead of its official on-sale date early in December.  The Insight will feature on the Honda Stand alongside the company’s new sports hybrid, the CR-Z (see page XXX) features a lightweight compact hybrid system that combines exceptional fuel economy with low emissions in a practical, flexible five-door package. The Insight features a lighter, more durable and powerful hybrid system combining a 1.3-litre i-VTEC four-cylinder petrol engine and Honda’s proprietary Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) electric drive motor.The Insight is the culmination of over 20 years of hybrid development and more than 35 years of lower impact petrol engine development, which started with the CVCC engine in the Honda Civic in 1972.This is a car that encourages economical driving via its Ecological Drive Assist System (Eco Assist) system. Eco Assist has three functions – ‘Econ’ mode, ‘Guidance’ and ‘Scoring’ – and is activated by pushing the Econ button on the dash.In Econ mode, with the touch of a button, the Insight adjusts engine output, extends the duration of idle stop, increases regenerative recharging and achieves energy-saving control of the air conditioning. The result is even greater fuel efficiency.In Guidance mode, the Insight assesses acceleration and braking practices in real time, and changes the speedometer background colour to represent the level of fuel-efficiency of the driving style. Drivers can achieve greater fuel efficiency simply by watching the intuitive colour display.In Scoring mode, the Multi-Information Display scores the achieved economy graphically (by displaying a number of ‘leaves’ to indicate the level of fuel-efficient driving performance). When the ignition is turned off, a score for the latest trip (from start-up to shutdown) and a score for cumulative lifetime fuel efficiency are displayed.Since leaves appear and ‘grow’ as driving practices become more fuel efficient, the scoring function encourages drivers to take interest in fuel efficiency and develop more fuel-efficient driving habits over the long term.Honda has been building hybrid vehicles for a decade. In that time, a lot has been learnt about the production of electric motors and other key parts of the hybrid system. The past decade has seen Honda improve production techniques and reduce costs, making hybrid technology available to a wider range of consumers.Honda was motivated to build a more affordable hybrid to realise its global philosophy – to be “a company that society wants to exist”. Honda chose to bring low emission hybrid technology to the masses by using its engineering experience to reduce costs and therefore retail prices.When the new Honda Insight goes on sale in December it will be Australia’s most affordable new hybrid car.

The Toyota Prius is up against the Volkswagen Polo and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class in final voting for the world's most prestigious car prize. The three finalists are named today at the Geneva Motor Show in the second-last stage of WCOTY voting.The winner will be announced in New York on April 1.The WCOTY contest is decided by 59 jurors from 25 countries through two secret ballots. Apart from the main prize, there are awards for performance cars, green cars, and automotive design.The three final contenders for the 2010 World Performance Car award are the Audi R8 V10, Ferrari California and Porsche 911 GT3.The three finalists for the World Green Car award are the Honda Insight, Toyota Prius and the Volkswagen BlueMotion (Golf, Passat, Polo).

A widely varied field from the soft-roader Audi Q5 to the baby Volkswagen Polo is competing for the biggest prize in world motoring

That would give the green Honda a substantial $10,000 price advantage over the Toyota Prius, its only real competitor in the Australian market.

Green cars have scored maximum ratings in the latest European crash tests. The Euro NCAP gave seven out of the eight cars tested a full five stars, including the petrol-electric hybrid Honda Insight and Toyota Prius 3. The latest results show that good fuel economy need not stand in the way of a high level of safety performance.Euro NCAP also commended these hybrid vehicles for their pedestrian scores that not only fulfil Euro NCAP's current five star requirements, but already meet the organisation's challenging 2012 targets.Pedestrian protection has not been a big priority for carmakers. Last year only 25 per cent of the cars tested by NCAP achieved more than two stars for pedestrian protection.However with the introduction of a new regulation in Europe this year that is changing, according to Euro NCAP secretary general Michiel van Ratingen. "The technology and know-how is out there for carmakers to deliver vehicles with better pedestrian protection," he said. "Honda and Toyota are giving us a glimpse of the cars of the future that consider the natural and social environment in its entirety."Euro NCAP’s top scorers with five star results are the Honda Insight, Kia Sorento, Renault Grand Scenic, Skoda Yeti (compact off-roader arriving her in mid-2010), Subaru Legacy (called Liberty in Australia), Toyota Prius 3 and the Volkswagen Polo. The Citroen C3 scored four stars because electronic stability control is only available on some variants in the model range in Europe.The two French cars - Grand Scenic and the C3 have also introduced a driver-controlled speed limitation system as standard on some variants and as an option on others. These systems assist the driver to maintain the safest speed according to the driving environment.Some manufacturers have responded quickly to Euro NCAPs call for better whiplash protection. Insight, Sorento and Yeti have seats and head restraints that offer good whiplash protection. In contrast, the whiplash protection offered by the Citroen C3 was found to be poor.

The Chevrolet Camaro might be built and sold in the USA, but it was designed, developed, tested and approved down under as a spin-off from the VE Commodore. It is named this week among the 31 finalists for the World COTY (see gallery above for full shortlist), and will be judged by a global panel of 60 motoring journalists before the winner is named at the New York Auto Show in April next year.The finalists carry badges from Audi to Toyota and are as diverse as the latest green-power Honda Insight and Toyota Prius to the super luxury Porsche Panamera."The list came from the manufacturers, who sent us their eligible cars for the year. There may be one or two more yet, because a couple of companies might have some extra models before the end of the year," says WCOTY co-chairman, Peter Lyon. "For example, there is the Mercedes SLS Gullwing. We don't know yet when it will go on sale."Apart from the World COTY contest, the same judging panel also decides the World Performance Car of the Year (see gallery), World Green Car of the Year and World Car Design of the year.So far there are 18 potential winners in the performance category, from the Aston Martin V12 Vantage to the Renault Clio 3 Renault Sport. Judging on all fronts now advances to the semi-finals, three cars in each case, which will be named at the Geneva Motor Show at the start of March. Then it is over to the judges to drive, assess and vote."This year we have 60 judges altogether. We've capped at that number, after adding a couple of new judges this year," says Lyon. "Originally we had about 44 judges. But 60 is the basic number of the North American, European and Japanese COTY awards and that seemed like the right number.""We've got judges now for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. We've basically covered 25 or 26 countries, from Australia to Russia and everywhere between."Lyon says the basics of the award have not changed for the sixth judging and he makes no apologies for the list of contenders. "The German and Japanese cars are romping it in again. It's basically a reflection of the quality of car manufacturing today. The Japanese and Germans are making the best cars in the world, full stop," he says."But we think, of all the Car of the Year awards, this is the most natural. There is no pressure on any of the judges. They just vote for the best cars as they see them in their countries." 

Honda has pumped up the Insight as an affordable and frugal family car — and it looks like the major markets agree.It hasn't yet been on sale for a month in the UK and it has already outsold the Toyota Prius — 229 sales to 198 — while in the US, Japan and Europe it has a waiting list. Honda UK sold 79 Civic Hybrids in the same three-week period.Good news for Honda but it means supply can't match demand in its prime markets so Australia may have to wait.Honda Australia spokesperson Melissa Cross says "there's no timetable"."It will be launched in 2010 but we can't tell you if it's in the first or second half," she said.The Insight is cheaper than the Civic Hybrid with which it will share the Honda showrooms. Later, the CR-Z coupe will join the pair.Part of the success of the Insight in the UK is the government's pro-active 15 per cent annual road tax reduction.On top of its unofficial US fuel consumption of 5.2 litres/100km, it has a high forecast residual rate of 44 per cent and is exempt from London's Congestion Charge.Honda has indicated the US economy may be incorrect, stating that it will match the Civic Hybrid at 4.6 l/100km.Like the Civic version, the Insight has a 1.3-litre, four-cylinder engine mated to an electric motor to work together.Honda's system in the Insight is a smaller, lighter, more powerful yet more frugal version of the Civic Hybrid powertrain.Helping the fuel economy is the Insight's lightweight body that, with a drag coefficient of 0.28, is one of the most aerodynamic cars on the roads.The battery is 31 per cent smaller and 35 per cent lighter than the unit in the Civic Hybrid.Honda expects to sell about 7000 Insights in the UK this year.The annual global sales target is about 200,000 units.

There were a couple of late arrivals including the gorgeous new BMW Z4 sportster, as well as more details on everything from the fuel miser Suzuki Alto to the Honda Insight which was shown as a left-hand-drive concept but will soon be sold as a $30,000-something hybrid hero.One of the genuine surprises was on the GM Holden stand, but it was not the Cruze.The unexpected news was details of a couple of limited-edition showroom specials to keep the Commodore ticking along.The International pack for the Commodore sedan and Sportswagon was not a shock, because dollar deals on Australia's favourite car always go well, but the arrival of a limited-edition Senator from Holden Special Vehicles was completely unexpected.The car is priced from $69,990, which doesn't look like much of a bargain until you clock the regular Senator at $80,500.Stripping the price means dumping some stuff, including the excellent 'magnetic ride' suspension, but the mechanical package is based on the latest Clubsport and that will be more than enough for most people."Today's release of the E-Series Senator is designed to appeal to customers seeking the performance our company is renowned for in a subtle - yet identifiably HSV - package, with a very attractive price point," says the managing director of HSV, Phil Harding.Only 89 cars will be built and it still gets 317 kiloWatts and 19-inch alloy wheels. In the style of every limited-edition model the car comes with a special logo, in this case on the headrests."We think it's a good time to put some extra value into the range and the Senator should do well," says Harding.Find out more on the 2009 Melbourne Motor Show

Icy winds and snow are blowing across Motown, dumping on the auto capital of the world at a time when American politicians are applying relentless pressure for a major shift in the way that General M