New Honda model - 'Urban SUV'

On display at the concluding NAIAS is Honda's latest new model, an SUV based on the popular Honda Fit/Jazz. Done as a global model, meaning to be sold in all countries in the world, Honda is finally and wisely capitalizing on the hugely popular Fit/Jazz platform. 

A SUV smaller than the CR-V but available worldwide is sorely needed by Honda and this new model meets that need. The car on display at the NAIAS is a concept but is indicative of the new model which Honda says will go on sale in Japan at the end of this year (2013), and then followed by 'sequential introductions' in other countries around the world.

Honda Gear Concept

While all attention and lots of excitement have been focussed on the updated 2G NSX Concept in the NAIAS, Honda quietly slipped in a new concept car, the Honda Gear in the Montreal Motor Show which was running concurrently with the NAIAS.

To many long-time Honda fans, this Honda Gear is no less as exciting as the updated NSX Concept and in some ways even better as it promises something all real-world Honda fans can actually look forward to owning - IF Honda is smart enough to listen to feedback and put it into production (without messing it up of course).

New NSX Concept at the 2013 NAIAS

Currently, all our attention are focussed on the NAIAS, the North American International Motor Show where three significant cars are on display from Honda and Acura. These are first and foremost the much anticipated updated new NSX concept car, this time with a full concept interior as told to us by our resident insider. Honda/Acura also put up the prototype of the new Acura MDX for the show. And on the Honda side, the new Urban SUV Concept, based on the Fit/Jazz platform, makes it world debut at this show. We have multiple, in depth coverage of these vehicles on our main site the Temple of VTEC. For the convenience of readers, the articles related to the new NSX concept car are below:

Honda PR for the new NSX concept

TOV proprietry photos of the new NSX concept

TOV exclusive video - interview with John Ikeda on the new NSX concept

The photo above is from our own collection. Our complete selection can be viewed at our relevant article in the 2nd link above.

Spy photo of new Honda Stream

 

It is in chinese but one can probably make it fairly readable by using something like Google translation. The chinese website 'sohu' has put up a photo of what seems to be a Honda Stream in the standard disguise colour scheme. The photo in question is above. The sohu page in question is http://auto.sohu.com/20130111/n363067470.shtml.

Update new NSX Concept for Detroit Motor Show ?

There are lots of talk about Honda (via Acura) putting out an updated version of the new NSX concept on this coming Detroit (2013) Motor Show. Claims are that the updates includes the interior as well. The photo above was put up by a TOV forumer in our TOV forums but is probably taken from another website. 

Our resident ex-Honda 'insider' told us that Honda/Acura wanted early feedback from 'respected car people' and dealers as they take this new NSX very seriously. According to him, the first Concept was just the Designers idea on the general layout Exterior of the project. This 2nd concept includes the designers general layout of the interior, which is where they are looking for early feedback on. So if feedback indicates the interior is wrong, its still early enough to change it. The shell or exterior will not change much on this Concept Mule but the dimensions will be more correct on this one.

Personally, I am very curious about what constitutes 'respected car people'...

Our TOV forum thread is question is http://www.vtec.net/forums/one-message?message_id=1125433&page_number=1#1125433.

Zengő Motorsport Selects Honda’s Civic for WTCC

The Hungarian-based private team Zengő Motorsport confirmed today that they will enter the next two seasons of the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) with the Honda Civic WTCC. The car will be driven by Hungarian driver Norbert Michelisz.

William De Braekeleer, Motorsport Manager Honda Motor Europe Ltd., said of the announcement:

Honda Malaysia (Sales and Marketing) moved office

Honda Malaysia's sales and marketing division has shifted from their old office to CP Tower along the Sprint Highway.