zero2sixty

The all-new 2010 Honda Insight hybrid recently debuted at the North American International Auto Show and was presented to European journalists during a press event in Valencia.

The new Insight is a 5-door hatchback equipped with Honda’s petrol-electric IMA hybrid system that offers low emission and fuel efficient performance. It is designed to reach out to a wider market by making the hybrid technology more affordable.

The Insight is a culmination of 20 years of hybrid development and more than 35 years of lower impact petrol engine development which originated with the CVCC engine back in 1972.

In its quest to be a company that society wants to exist, Honda challenged its engineers in building a hybrid for everyone. To attain its plan to produce and sell more hybrid cars, a new electric motor production line has been added to the Suzuka factory in Japan in order to double its IMA motors production capacity per hour. Increase in the production and sales of hybrid cars then lead to economies of scale, thereby lowering final cost per unit.

Specific product developments are also carefully studied in keeping the costs down. 95% percent of the IMA unit is redesigned to reduce both size and cost. Meanwhile, its platform and chassis share many components with that of the new Jazz.

“Our engineers have shown great tenacity and skill in reducing the cost our IMA system to allow us to reduce the build costs of the Insight. By using so many components that are manufactured in-house, we have the ability in the market to continuously refine our processes in a way an outside supplier might not.” Yasunari Seki, Insight Large Project Leader said.

Honda expects the Insight to have a significant impact on the industry. Making cleaner cars accessible to a completely new group of car buyers helps increase sales volume of hybrid cars. This only results to a positive effect on over-all emission figures for the benefit of the environment. The Insight’s fuel economy (combined) is 4.41/100 km, while CO2 emissions are as low as 101 g/km. Indeed, Honda has concentrated in developing a car that will deliver better fuel economy in real world conditions and in everyday driving.

Globally, Honda aims to sell 200,000 Insights each year, with the US market taking 100,000 of these cars. As CEO and President, Mr. Takeo Fukui has announced, hybrids will make up 10% of Honda's total car sales by the middle of the next decade. In order to achieve this, Honda will also launch a sporty hybrid (based on CR-Z) and a Jazz Hybrid over the next few years. With its hybrid line-up, Honda aims to sell over 500,000 hybrids globally per year.

The Insight will be produced at Honda’s Suzuka factory in Japan where a new hybrid motor production line has been added. It will be launched at Honda dealers throughout the United Sales in the beginning of April 2009 and in European markets from Spring 2009.

|

LEXUS MANILA formally opened its state of the art showroom at the Fort Bonifacio Global City on January 14, 2009. The facilities and amenities foretell of a world class standard of luxury that the Lexus brand will offer to its customers.

Alfred Ty, Chairman of Lexus Manila beams with great pride at the 10,500 square meter structure that now changes the automotive luxury landscape in the Philippines, ”The architectural and interior designer firms of Lexus Manila, Nomura Co., Ltd. and Casas Architects, are masters of modern architecture whose works are regarded highly in terms of aesthetics and functionality”

The flow of design from the impressive exteriors seamlessly blends with the warm and relaxing interiors of the state-of-the-art showroom. The facilities are a first of its kind in the Philippines as exemplified by the indoor courtyard and unconventional furniture pieces, all originally designed.

These aesthetic touches and first class amenities, such as the air-conditioned service bays, only promise the luxurious comfort for customers and guests.

Danny Isla, President of Lexus Manila says “This is a place where every customer is treated as if he or she is a personal house guest. This is a place where the customer will experience a unique kind of luxury as we live by our guiding principle in our Pursuit of Perfection.”

Lexus Manila brings the LEXUS brand to the Philippines following its highly successful introduction to the world market. Lexus was first launched in the United States in 1989 and has since been consistently the top selling line in luxury motor vehicles.

LEXUS will initially be available in 5 models namely the LS460L, GS460, ES350, IS300, and LX570 . All these five models boast of superior engineering and the distinctive aesthetics that mark a different kind of luxurious appeal.

The LS460L is the flagship model of Lexus, a long wheel base luxury sedan which boasts of semi- aniline leather seats with ottoman and massage features. Following the LS460L model is the GS460. It is a 4.6L V8, eight-speed luxury sedan which bears a sporty elegance.

The higher models of Lexus sedans along with the LX570 SUV model are equipped with the world-renowned Mark Levinson audio system which boasts of superior sound quality heard from a total of 19 speakers.

The ES350 is a six-speed V6 luxury sedan catering to discriminating executives. On the other hand, the IS300 is expected to appeal to the performance purists younger set of affluent motoring enthusiasts.

See these models up close. Visit Lexus Manila today and experience a kind of luxury that you thought you could only dream about.

If you have been in Pursuit of Perfection, Lexus Manila is as close as you can get.

|