Unfortunately the near 100-year tradition of Aston Martin will have to take a step back: Ulrich Bez, desginated administrator of the British company, has announced that the production of the Aston Martin Rapide will occur outside the United Kingdom’s borders. Manufacturing will be trusted to Magna Steyr, who will assmeble the berlina-coupè at its facility in Graz, Austria.

Bez has also suggested that the production (estimated at over 2000 units a year) will start sometime in the next year with quality standards similar to Gaydon. Gaydon, Aston Martin’s historic locus amoenus in Warwickshire, has in fact reached saturation point, with 8,000 cars produced annually. And it’s not capable of quickly accommodating the annual production of the 2000 Rapide that Aston Martin is expecting to sell. Obviously, Bez also reinforced that he believes in the capability of Magna Steyr to offer levels of construction quality equal to those of Gaydon.

Via | Caradvice (Thanks Reggiani)

0 comments

Honda unveils the new Accord for Europe, with a sportier design, a whole slew of new safety systems and three new engines, all Euro 5 compliant. The new Accord is both wider and slower than the current model, with sharp edges and a wider stance.

The engine line up includes a 2.0-liter i-VTEC gasoline engine (156 ps). Power output is unchanged compared to the current model but fuel economy and emissions are much improved. The 2.4 i-VTEC engine gains 10 ps (200 ps now), as does the new 2.2 i-DTEC diesel engine compared to the i-CTDi engine of the current Accord. The i-DTEC engine outputs 150 ps with 350 Nm of torque. All engines are matched to a 6 speed manual gearbox, Automatic transmissions are an optional for the gasoline engines. Below you can find the full text of the Honda EU press release.

Continue reading: Honda Accord 2008

0 comments

Another Honda concept in Detroit: after the Acura Advanced Sports Concept, it’s time for the Accord Coupè Concept.

The prototype shown in Detroit doesn’t have an engine or a transmission, but Automobile Magazine surmises that the next Accord (both coupè and saloon) should get plenty more muscle with its V6 engines, as signaled by the quadruple exhaust tubes peeking from the rear apron. More power should be coupled with more fuel efficiency thanks to the usual VTEC magic and to the Honda Variable Cylinder Management system (selective cylinder disactivation).

Don’t expect the Accord coupè in Europe: it seems that Honda Europe is bent on selling only saloons, MPVs and SUVs.

Continue reading: Honda Accord Coupè Concept

0 comments

Honda is showing in Detroit the Acura Advanced Sports Concept, a concept car that, according to the press release, “provides a preview of the design direction for the successor to the Acura NSX.”

The Advanced Sports Concept is a 2-door, 2-seater sports car, with a front mounted V10 engine and the Super Handling All Wheel Drive system. No word yet on performance and engine specs. The full text of the press release follows below the fold.

Continue reading: Acura Advanced Sports Concept

0 comments

Honda has announced the Civic Type-S: that’s the name for the 3-door version of the new Civic which will be shown at the British International Motor Show on the 18th of July.

The Civic Type-S will be available from the beginning of 2007 with two engines (1.8 i-VTEC and 2.2 i-CTDi, both with 140 ps) in two different model grades, Type-S (already with with pretty rich specifications) and Type-S Plus.

The silhoutte and external size is unvaried, compared to the 5-door Civic, but the Type-S will have a 20 mm wider rear track and different suspension settings, to give it a sportire character.

Below the fold you can find more images and the complete Honda press release. Now the wait is on for the Paris motor show, where Honda will show the production version of the Civic Type-R.

Continue reading: Honda Civic Type-S

0 comments

Edmunds’ Inside Line has some spy-shots of the new Honda Civic Type-R, that should arrive in a few months. The outside is almost identical to the Type-R Concept shown in Geneva.

The only changes are the colour (a dark grey, way less gaudy than the concept’s yellow) and the fake rear doors, that can’t do much to hide the shorter wheelbase and the much longer front doors, compared to the 5-door version.

The engine should be pretty much the same as the previous Type-R (a 2.0 liters i-VTEC with 200 ps), while there’s talk of un upgrade to the suspensions. If anyone wants more, one can only hope that the gossip about a Civic Type-RR turns out true …

0 comments

While waiting for the live premiere at the Geneva Motor Show, here are some more photos of the Honda Civic Type-R Concept, via Supercars.net. To know how the production CTR will differ from the concept we’ll have to wait untile early 2007 (more photos here).

Continue reading: More photos of the Honda Civic Type-R Concept

0 comments

Here it is, the eagerly awaited Honda Civic Type-R Concept that will be presented next week in Geneva. This Concept should be very similar to the production 3-door version. In the Type-R and in this yellow livery it resembles a bad-ass car out the Mugen shop more than a “factory” Honda.

I guess this version will put to rest once and for all Top Gear’s saying that only old people buy Hondas in Europa, nowadays.

The concept has the 200 ps 2.0 liters i-VTEC engine of the previous Type-R. We still don’t know it the production Type-R will have the same engine.

Continue reading: Honda Civic Type-R Concept - first pics

0 comments

From the english magazine Autocar, a picture of the next Honda Civic Type-R (real or photoshop ?), together with some news about a possible Type-RR.

Both would get 2.2 liters i-VTEC engine, in two power steps: 200 hp for the Type-R, at least 225 hp for the Type-RR. There’s talk of mods to lighten the car, and of a revised chassis (will the torsion-bars that so disappointend honda purists remain ?).

In less than a month Honda should dissipate all remaining doubts about the looks of the Civic Type-R with the concept version it will show in Geneva.

0 comments

The german magazine Auto Motor und Sport has big news about Honda’ future projects.

According to the germans, the new Honda NSX will be a GT with front-middle engin and 4 wheel drive. So, no more a mid-engined sports car, but a Gran Turismo, which might have aspirations as a Maserati, or even Aston Martin, fighter. This should not be a problem from an engine standpoint, with its rumoured V10 VTEC engine, which might be followed by a V8. Might be interesting to see a show off between this rumoured NSX and the upcoming Lexus LF-A, which has similar specifications (apart from being RWD).

Another interesting gossip from AMS: the return of the CRX, a “sportcoupè” version of the new Civic. Last but not least, there’s talk of a city-car which, like the Suzuki Swift, might take an inspiration from the Mini-format.

0 comments