The facelifted Honda Civic is now in Malaysia, first in Honda Civic Hybrid form. Honda Malaysia Sdn Bhd has finally announced the new pricing for the Honda Civic Hybrid. It now retails for RM 129,980, a small premium of RM1,180 over the Honda Civic 2.0S.
It’s now also available in two colours - Premium White Pearl and Neutron Blue Metallic (new colors shown above), while the pre-facelift version only had one bluish-silverish metallic colour. For those waiting for the facelifted regular Civic, according to Honda Malaysia it will be coming in mid-March 2009.
New vehicles are expected to set records for average gas mileage in 2007, driven by improved technology and demand for fuel-efficient vehicles, the US government reported.
Vehicles from the 2007 model year are projected to average 26.4 miles per gallon overall (11.2km per litre; 1 US gallon being equal to 3.79l), a gain of 1mpg over the previous year and above the previous record of 26.2mpg in 1987.
The increases are attributed to higher demand for hybrids and more fuel-efficient vehicles with gas prices hovering around US$3 for much of the year.
Sales of hybrid vehicles and small cars are expected to set new sales records this year despite a sluggish US auto market. Sales of pickup trucks and SUVs have largely declined due to high gasoline prices and the slump in the homebuilding industry.
Honda Motor Co was estimated to lead the way, averaging 39.9mpg for its imported vehicles and 33.7mpg for vehicles built in the United States. Toyota Motor Corp is second with 38.5mpg for imported vehicles and 31.7mpg for cars and trucks produced in North America.
David Friedman, a researcher with the Union of Concerned Scientists, called the estimates for Toyota discouraging. Toyota's domestic vehicles are projected to fall 3mpg in 2007 and the Japanese company is the only large automaker expected to decline in truck fuel economy.
"At the same time Toyota's producing ads with hybrids driving through green fields, it's making less fuel-efficient vehicles," Friedman said.
Toyota spokesman Bill Kwong said the automaker did not have an immediate comment.
The data, based on a Transportation Department analysis of sales estimates released earlier this month, was first reported in last Friday's editions of the Detroit Free Press. The projections will be updated once automakers and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration receive sales data for 2007 vehicles.
The difference in mileage between continents comes from the different models that are produced at each location.
Detroit-based automakers are all projected to make progress. General Motors Corp and Ford Motor Co improved to 29.6mpg and 28.8mpg, respectively, in domestic production.
DaimlerChrysler AG also showed gains. The automaker, which sold an 80.1% stake in Chrysler - now called Chrysler LLC - to Cerberus Capital Management LP, climbed about 3mpg to 28.6mpg in its domestic production.
Nissan Motor Co's domestically-produced vehicles averaged 33.4mpg while its imported vehicles were estimated at 25.9mpg.
Overall, passenger cars are expected to average 31mpg, an increase of 1.2mpg, while pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles and vans are expected to increase to 22.9mpg, up 0.7mpg from 2006.
Charles Territo, a spokesman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, said the data reflected the industry's push to develop more fuel-efficient models, but much of the progress was dependent upon what consumers buy.
"While we're pleased that fuel economy has increased, we also are well aware that shifts in the marketplace could very easily negate those gains," he said.
In June, the Senate approved legislation requiring the auto industry to produce more fuel-efficient vehicles and negotiators in the House and Senate are expected to consider the upgrades.
Under the Senate bill, the industry would need to meet fuel economy requirements of 35mpg by 2020, up from the current standards of 27.5mpg for cars and 22.2mpg for SUVs and pickup trucks.
Automakers have pushed more modest standards, contending the Senate bill would be extremely costly and limit the consumer's choice of vehicles. - AP
Honda Malaysia today unveiled the much-awaited Civic Type R and Civic Hybrid, bringing the current 8th Generation Civic line-up in Malaysia in line with that offered for the Japanese domestic market.
The 3rd generation Civic Type R that has made its way here is the JDM four-door FD2 sedan variant, which was launched in Japan at the end of March this year. Interestingly enough, Malaysia is the only country in Asia outside of Japan which is getting this version of the Type R.
Available here only in a single colour, Championship White, the new Civic Type R is powered by a 2.0l K20A DOHC i-VTEC engine offering 222bhp at 8,000rpm and 215Nm of torque at 6,100rpm, mated to a six-speed close ratio manual transmission equipped with a torque-sensitive, helical limited slip differential system.
A number of new power-enhancing features make their way onto the Type R’s powertrain, among them a straightened, short, single-tract and equal length intake manifold, a large diameter drive-by-wire throttle body, narrow angle exhaust manifold collector and full-length straightened dual exhaust pipe.
With a number of lightweight conversions, including a front bumper beam now made up of aluminium, the vehicle’s body measures in 11.6kg lighter than the Integra Type R. It is also 50% more rigid than the latter, courtesy of the use of additional adhesive and increased board thickness across key areas in the bulkhead and floor. The car also features extensive use of high tensile steel sheets in its construction.
Naturally, the suspension has also been reworked, and the Type R dampers have higher damping rates (1.25 times in front, 1.6 for the rear) than the previous Integra Type R, as well as an increased valve size and load capacity. The spring rates - and ground clearance over the standard Civic - have also been revised, and the stabiliser bars for both front and rear are thicker and stiffer.
The 1270kg Civic Type R sits on white, multi-spoke 18-inch alloy wheels, fitted with 225/40 series Bridgestone Potenza RE070 tyres. As for the braking system, that’s also uprated - four-piston Brembo aluminium calipers and 320mm ventilated discs for the front, and 282mm discs for the rear ensure a shortened stopping distance and improved resistance to fade. A Type R aero kit, with a large tail spoiler in tow, rounds off the outside detail.
Inside, you get the trademark Type R dual-tone black and red trim on seats and door cards; the Type R front bucket seats feature the use of urethane in its construction, and are finished in Luxx Suede, an artificial suede material that is also used for the rear seats and door lining. A unique instrument panel and lots of aluminium bits and bobs - pedals, footrest, side step garnish, gear shift knob, serial number plate (located on the gear console) - help define the unique further.
Meanwhile, the Civic Hybrid plays the green card on the opposite end of the spectrum. This one is hoping to play its appeal to a group of customers who are not just environmentally conscious but also value efficiency and fuel economy.
At the heart of the petrol hybrid sedan, which comes in a colour called Fluorite Silver Metallic, is the Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) technology system, first seen in 1999 and then extended to the Civic family in 2003.
The Civic Hybrid draws its power from a 1.3l i-DSI engine equipped with 3-stage i-VTEC variable valve timing, assisted by a secondary power source in the form of a fourth generation IMA system to offer improved power output, better fuel efficiency and lower emissions.
The IMA system consists of an ultra-thin DC brushless electric motor mounted between the engine and the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) drivetrain; this provides additional torque and power by engaging during vehicle acceleration. At low speed cruising (about 40kmh), the motor solely powers the vehicle.
All the electric power created by the motor is stored in a compact battery box called the Intelligent Power Unit (IPU) - consisting of a rear-mounted compact nickel metal hydride battery and power control unit - which controls the flow of electricity to and from the electric motor. Recharging takes place when braking, slowing down or traveling downhill; battery life is claimed to be about five to seven years.
Yes, prices. The Civic Type R is priced at RM199,800, while the Civic Hybrid is going for RM162,800 (both on-the-road, inclusive of road tax and insurance). Honda Malaysia is targeting an annual sales figure of 60 units each of the new Civic variants, and if you’re thinking of a Type R, well, be prepared for a bit of a wait - the quota for 2007 has been sold out.
A factory-prepared 2008 Honda Civic MUGEN Si Sedan will debut in mid-October, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today.
“Honda enthusiasts have long been asking for factory-installed MUGEN performance products similar to what the company offers in Japan,” said John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda. “We’re enthusiasts, too, and the ultra-premium Civic MUGEN Si Sedan offers exclusive style and elevated handling performance with legendary Honda refinement.”
The sport exhaust system reduces back pressure from the catalytic converter back. The Civic MUGEN Si Sedan will be available exclusively in Fiji Blue Pearl and include front and rear MUGEN emblems. Inside, a MUGEN Limited Edition placard is located on the center console along with a spherical 50 mm MUGEN aluminum shift knob.
Believe it or not, this is what it will look like on our roads. The new model, soon to be dubbed the Lancer EX, will be launched by Cycle and Carriage on the 10th of August. Of course, we brought it out for a short spin prior to the launch. What’s even more startling, is that the new EX has its roots set deep in the platform of the Mitsubishi Outlander. A whole lot bigger and terribly spacious by Lancer standards, the new car is greatly refined to almost European standards.
The GT we sampled featured wonderfully precise and well weighted gear shift mechanisms. Even the steering was nicely weighted, totally eliminating any of that “Japanese lightness” that previous Lancers, or even Toyotas for that matter, are known for.
Honda Civic, Honda Civic Hybrid and Honda Civic Type R. This is the line up of Honda Civic Sedans in Japan. The 8th Gen Honda Civic is the icon of revolution in engineering technology. And, the Type R and Hybrid took it a step further.
The Hybrid is a result of Honda’s “Environmentology” philosophy. Environmentology is Honda’s ongoing commitment to environmentally responsible technology. The results include world-changing advances in fuel economy, low emissions and alternate sources for the future. It is all part of Honda’s environmental thinking in action through advanced technology.
