Honda planning to invest big amount of cash into Pioneer

In our modern times, in-car technology is becoming to buyers as what’s under the skin. That’s why the Japanese carmaker Honda is planning to invest a sizeable amount of cash into Pioneer, one of the most popular giants in the world of electronics.

This was made public by Honda explaining that Pioneer is moving away from its television production operation to focus rather on car electronics. This is advantageous for Honda, as it expects to benefit from the know-how of Pioneer in this area. It has been reported that Honda plans to inject Pioneer with tens of millions of dollars, which should be sufficient to provide it with leverage in the automotive technology of the electronics giant, which consists of in-car navigation systems, stereos, entertainment units, with the more advanced next-generation Blu-ray players as a big possibility. Japanese industry analysts say that the planned investment of the carmaker makes sense because the amount to be invested is not significant in relation to the bottom line of the company but is sufficient to provide it with a partner in the production aspect of automotive electronics. Honda has not released the exact amount it will invest, but speculations see a several billion Yen cash out (between $30-$50 million in US currency). Struggling with the global crisis itself, this investment is very much welcomed by Pioneer!

Source;
http://www.4wheelsnews.com/honda-planning-to-invest-big-amount-of-cash-into-pioneer/

If buying American (and Canadian!) is your preference, check the first digit of the VIN

Cool info article from the LA Times (via carscoop) explaining where your car comes from as per VIN numbers.... BTW, most of Honda's product sold in Canada and the US comes from both Canada and US.
As we witness automotive history being made via corporate bankruptcies and government bailouts, the nation is polarized over whether to be supportive or critical of American car brands. We at Up to Speed see it in your comments, and results from a recent study by Gallup show a substantial jump in consumer interest for American car brands.

This is all well and good while the crisis continues, but the truth is that there are fewer American car brands in existence than ever before. History has recorded nearly 2,000 American brands since the industry's inception, but the recent loss of Pontiac, Saturn and Hummer leave only 10 truly American brands in the mix: Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac and GMC trucks.

So, if we purchase American cars, are we helping our own countrymen? What about foreign cars built in the U.S.? How do we know the difference? Kelley Blue Book's Classic Car Guide Editor Phil Skinner helped us ponder these questions and said that the answer lies right on your car's dashboard in the 17-digit number called the Vehicle Identification Number (or VIN). Actually, the truth lies in the very first number (or letter) of the VIN.

Phil explains, "A #1 represents the USA, but the #4 and #5 usually mean the car was made in another country. A #2 represents Canada, while #3 is from Mexico. Letters are also used to identify where the car is from, such as "J" for Japan, "K" for Korea, "W" for Germany, "S" for England and "Y" for Sweden."

"Many cars that you think were built in the USA might have come from our great northern neighbor, Canada, or down south in Mexico. While it might wear a badge that says Ford or Chevrolet, there is a chance the car came out of a USA-based assembly plant owned by a foreign company," Skinner says. "While the Ford Crown Victoria has been discontinued, its brother, the Mercury Grand Marquis, is still being produced, but not from a factory in Detroit -- it's made in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada."

Other current models with American brand names have actually been assembled in other countries:

Buick Lacrosse, Canada
Chevrolet HHR, Mexico
Chevrolet Aveo, Korea
Chevrolet Impala, Canada
Chrysler PT Cruiser, Mexico
Chrysler 300, Canada
Dodge Charger and Challenger,
Canada Ford Fusion, Mexico
Ford Flex, Canada
Lincoln MKX and Town Car, Canada
Mercury Grand Marquis, Canada
Mercury Milan, Mexico

As for cars with “foreign” brand names, Phil says many are actually built in the United States, including the Toyota Camry and Avalon, built in Georgetown, Ky.; BMW's Z4, built in Spartanburg, S.C.; and the Honda Element and Accord, built in East Liberty, Ill. (Odyssey is built in an assembly plant in Troy, Ohio).

"President Obama recently challenged the American public that if they were thinking 'about buying a new car, I hope it will be an American car,' ” Skinner says. "But sometimes we might think we are supporting our homeland when in fact we are contributing to the coffers of companies abroad."

Here's what the first digit in the VIN represents;

VIN Code Country of Origin
1: UNITED STATES
2: CANADA
3: MEXICO
4: UNITED STATES
5: UNITED STATES
6: AUSTRALIA
9: BRAZIL
J: JAPAN
K: KOREA
L: CHINA , TAIWAN
M: THAILAND
S: UNITED KINGDOM
T: HUNGARY
V: FRANCE
W: GERMANY
X: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Y: FINLAND, SWEDEN
Z: ITALY

Here's where Honda's Vehicles that are sold here in Canada and the US come from;
Honda Accord - US
Honda Civic - Canada and US
Honda CRV - US
Honda Odyssey - US now (Canada prev)
Honda Pilot - US now (Canada prev)
Honda S2000 - Japan
Honda Civic Hybrid - Japan
Honda Insight - Japan
Honda Ridgeline - US (Canada prev)

Source;
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/uptospeed/2009/04/if-buying-american-is-your-choice-check-the-first-digit-first.html

Documents reveal Chrysler tried to sell parts to Chinese, tie-up with almost every automaker

An interesting bit of information....
According to an affidavit filed in the New York U.S. Bankruptcy Court where Chrysler filed for Chapter 11, the automaker's Co-President and Vice Chairman Tom LaSorda is quoted as saying "Chrysler has attempted in recent weeks to sell product lines and other units to a number of Chinese companies, but these efforts ... have been unsuccessful." The now bankrupt automaker offered the Chinese firms – including the Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co. and Chery – engines, transmissions, vehicle lines, intellectual property rights, distribution channels and its brands during a five-day summit in February. But nothing came to fruition.

Even more interesting/disturbing is the revelation that for the last two years, Chrysler has attempted to forge an alliance with nearly every automaker on the planet, including GAZ, Honda, Hyundai, Magna, Nissan and Tata, along with General Motors and even Toyota.

The document reveals:

Chrysler and GM were in discussions in June and August of 2008, then later in November, with a last-ditch attempt in January which died shortly thereafter.

A plan was proposed to Toyota, in which Chrysler would provide the Japanese automaker with its excess capacity or work with Toyota to develop new products, including (laughably) hybrids.

Talks with Nissan failed in July, started again in September, then again in January and were eventually shot down.

And finally, Honda received a proposal from Chrysler – then promptly rejected it the next day.

According to LaSorda, potential mergers, "have been determined and undertaken in good faith, but have met uniformly without success." And with that, Chrysler determined the best alliance would be with Fiat – not that it had many options remaining.

Source;
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/01/documents-reveal-chrysler-tried-to-sell-parts-to-chinese-tie-up/

Lamborghini LP670-4 SV at Cars and Coffee part 2 [1280X853]..

this is the only LP670-4S present in the states!

Lamborghini LP670-4 SV at Cars and Coffee part 1 [1280X853]..

Honda Automobiles- One of The Best On The Market

Believe it or not, but Honda makes some of the best automobiles in the world. Consumers reward that by making Honda autos the most purchased automobiles in many classes. These automobiles have some of the best engineering in the world, along with some of the best manufacturing standards. That’s even compared to more expensive automobiles in the same class. Honda can be described with the phrases well built and great reliability.

The Civic is one of Honda’s excellent vehicles. This model comes in highly popular sedan, coupe and even hybrid versions. The Civic ranges in price from around $15K to the mid 20’s. The Civic is also tops in gas mileage. 36 MPG highway for the coupe and sedan is only surpassed by the hybrids 46 MPG. The hybrid ends up being more expensive over time because the battery must be replaced after a few years.

This car also has one of the best resale values around. People who buy them new are often pleasantly surprised when it comes time to sell or trade in for a new model. When the maintenance schedule is followed someone could sell the old Civic every few years and buy a new one for only a few thousand more. For people who like driving new automobiles all the time, that’s a great deal.

Many people like to hold onto their car. The same features that make resale value so high also make this car a good candidate for long term service. Following the maintenance schedule is important. The Civic can run for 20 or more years if it’s well cared for. That’s a long time. It gets to be your friend, not only your car. And there are a lot of other things to do with money other than buying or repairing vehicles.

Another nice Honda car is the Element. This small sized SUV is a real bargain. Adventurous people find this car a perfect fit. It has rubber throughout the interior. This isn’t just done to save costs. Easy cleaning was the goal. Feel free to let the kids get in when they’re muddy, you can wash it down with a hose. Yes, a hose, inside the car. That can’t be done if the dash is fancy wood.

The popularity of Honda automobiles is well placed. It comes from quality. Think about a Honda for your next car.

Source;
http://www.icar.nl/honda-automobiles-one-of-the-best-on-the-market-1162

UK Honda Insight 'a hit'

The Honda Insight is outselling its competitors in the green car market, according to its makers.

The vehicle went on sale earlier this month and has shifted 229 units in Britain.

Meanwhile, in the same time, Toyota has sold 198 of its Prius models, while Honda’s Civic Hybrid has been snapped up by 79 buyers.

John Kingston, the company’s environmental and government affairs manager, comments that the car is "a hit with cost-savvy consumers looking for a cleaner car that’s more affordable".

He adds: "More and more people want a car that makes sound financial sense, especially in the current economic climate, and the Insight offers numerous running cost savings."

Mr Kingston explains that these benefits include reduced road tax and greater fuel economy.

Source;
http://www.eta.co.uk/node/12061