Get the latest information about all new/future Honda and Acura cars, motorcycles, jets. News, reviews, photos, videos. Auto Blog for all Honda/Acura fans.
In one of the Japanese magazine was published information about a new model in the line of Honda, which will be released to the market of Japan. It is a Honda Freed Minivan, in a model which will replace a number of car company Honda Mobilio.
Built on a platform of the Honda Civic, minivan will be equipped with 1.5 - liter 118 - powerful engine, which is also installed on the Honda Fit. To manage the transmission in the Honda Freed is variator.
The dimensions of this vehicle (4 215 mm in length, 1 695 mm in width and height of 1 515) allow it to deploy 8 passengers. Also, there will be 5 - and 7 - bundling local minivan.
The official premiere Honda Freed expected within a month.
Honda's ASIMO humanoid robot will focus attention on the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's (DSO) nationally acclaimed music programs for young people in Detroit by conducting the orchestra as it performs "Impossible Dream" to open a special concert performance with renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma at 8 p.m, Tuesday, May 13. Honda hopes ASIMO's appearance will draw attention to the DSO's nationally acclaimed youth music programs, and particularly DSO's effort to encourage and support involvement of children in Detroit.
In addition, ASIMO will demonstrate its unique capabilities for hundreds of area school children at 10:45 a.m, May 14 prior to a specially arranged master class at the DSO, where a select group of music students will receive personal music instruction from Yo-Yo Ma. Students from the Detroit School of Arts (DSA) will participate in the master class on-stage in front of the audience of area children, which will include a group of young students from neighboring Windsor, Canada. ASIMO, which stands for Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility, is designed to help people and will someday assist the elderly and disabled in their homes. But while Honda continues to develop and enhance ASIMO's capabilities, the robot is being used today to encourage and inspire young students to consider studies in math and science. The addition of music education to ASIMO's repertoire is a natural extension of these efforts.
As recently announced, Honda is providing the DSO with a gift of more than $1 million to create The Power of Dreams Music Education Fund. With the Detroit Public Schools drastically reducing or eliminating music programs due to financial constraints, many students are denied the opportunity to learn to play instruments, read music, and participate in bands or orchestras. Honda has partnered with the DSO to develop an innovative, multi-faceted program to promote and support music education as well as to promote diversity in the field of classical music. In addition to sponsorship of the YoYo Ma performance and Master's Class for students in May, over the next five years the Honda partnership with DSO will include:
- Launch of a new initiative called The Power of Dreams String Project to provide introductory music education/string training to children in metro-Detroit communities where opportunities are non-existent or unaffordable.
- Establishment of The Power of Dreams Music Scholar program to provide private lessons to aspiring students with financial need in the String Project, DSO Civic Ensembles and/or DSA, enabling them to fully develop their musical capabilities.
- Support of DSO Civic Youth Ensemble performances; the DSO's educational partnership activities with the DSA; and the DSO's spring Educational Concert Series for metro area school children in Orchestra Hall at the Max M. Fisher Music Center.
- Support of the 2008 Classical Roots Gala which raises funds for programs such as the DSO's African-American Fellowship Program.
As part of this initiative, Honda is working with the DSO to solicit contributions from donors. More information on this initiative, including how to participate, can be found online at http://ww.detroitsymphony.com/.
About ASIMO
Honda engineers began developing a humanoid robot in 1986 for the purpose of someday helping people in need. After years of research and development, they created an advanced humanoid robot able to function in real-world environments. ASIMO made its U.S. debut February 14, 2002, when it rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange and the latest version of ASIMO, which includes the ability to run, debuted in North America at the Consumer Electronics Show, January 2007, in Las Vegas. ASIMO is permanently installed in Disneyland's Innoventions attraction where the live 15-minute Say 'Hello' to Honda's ASIMO demonstration take places several times daily in the Honda ASIMO Theatre. The program gives visitors a glimpse into a not-too-distant future when humanoid robots, such as ASIMO, will assist humans in their homes. ASIMO also stars in "Step to Safety with ASIMO," a pedestrian safety program that teaches children safe ways to cross the street. This DVD video program is available free of charge to educators, police officers and safety advocates across the nation through ASIMO's Web site at asimo.honda.com.
Honda officials said that the company will launch a new brand in China, Li Nian in collaboration with the Guangzhou Honda Automobile unit. Li Nian Launch is scheduled for 2010, but Honda has already submitted the first of this brand concept to the showroom in Beijing. This Hatchback built on the platform model Honda Fit (Jazz), and equipped with a 1.8 - litre petrol engine.
The first serial car Li Nian set up research and development department of Guangzhou Honda Automobile Company. And, despite the fact that the head office in Japan, Honda controls the whole process, cars produced under the new brand will be sold only in China.
Honda Aircraft Company, Inc., today announced plans to expand sales of HondaJet to Europe, beginning in May at the annual EBACE (European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition) conference in Geneva, Switzerland. The sales expansion comes as Honda Aircraft Company today finalized its U.S. distribution network with the selection of Albany, New York, as the final location among its five sales and service facilities being established across the country. Honda's decision to expand sales of its advanced light jet to the rapidly growing European market is in response to strong demand for the aircraft from customers throughout the region. Offering class-leading performance, fuel efficiency, interior cabin space and cargo capacity, HondaJet is well suited to meet the needs of European business and personal light jet owners and operators.
"We are excited to initiate sales in Europe, where we have received a steady stream of inquiries from interested customers who will now have the opportunity to reserve delivery of a HondaJet," said Michimasa Fujino, Honda Aircraft Company president and CEO. "We are committed to providing our customers with both a class-leading product and a sales and service support system that exceed their expectations for private jet ownership and travel." Honda recently expanded HondaJet sales throughout North America, announcing the establishment of a sales and service strategy for Mexico and Canada. "The expansion of HondaJet sales to Europe is an important step in the continued evolution of our business strategy, which seeks to address the extensive worldwide demand for HondaJet," said Fujino. Further details regarding the HondaJet European sales and service support strategy and delivery timing will be released by Honda on May 20, 2008, at EBACE.
With the selection of Albany, N.Y., as the location for its HondaJet East sales and service facility, Honda has completed the establishment of a nationwide U.S. sales and service infrastructure for HondaJet. Tallahassee, Fla. (HondaJet Southeast), Aurora, Ill. (HondaJet Midwest), Phoenix, Ariz. (HondaJet Southwest), and Salt Lake City, Utah (HondaJet Northwest) previously have been announced as HondaJet sales and service locations. Honda has established its U.S. sales and service network to provide unparalleled quality and convenience to HondaJet customers, with flight times for all customers to their nearest facility limited to 90 minutes or less.
Construction on all of the U.S. HondaJet sales and service facilities will begin in the near future, and completion is scheduled to coincide with the anticipated certification and first deliveries of HondaJet in 2010.
About HondaJet
Honda Aircraft Company began U.S. sales of the HondaJet in October 2006 and quickly amassed orders for well over 100 units. HondaJet is Honda's first-ever commercial aircraft and lives up to the company's reputation for dynamic performance together with superior efficiency, delivering class-topping cruise speed and fuel efficiency, greater luggage capacity and a more spacious cabin with seating for up to eight people, compared to other similarly sized jet aircraft. All major assembly and testing of the prototype HondaJet has been conducted at the company's existing Greensboro, N.C., facility, which opened in 2001 as an extension of Honda's global R&D operations.
Working closely with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Honda Aircraft Company anticipates its first test flight of a conforming model in early 2009, with the overall timetable calling for the achievement of type certification in 2010. The company is scheduled to begin deliveries of HondaJet to U.S. customers in 2010. European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification is being pursued concurrently with FAA certification.
All HondaJet customer deliveries will take place at Honda Aircraft Company's new world delivery center, currently under construction along with its new world headquarters, R&D facility, and production plant at the Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina. The world headquarters and R& facility are scheduled for completion in summer 2008, with the production plant and delivery center scheduled for completion in late 2009.
Worldwide HondaJet pilot training will be conducted in partnership with Flight Safety International, which will include the development of a Level-D full-motion flight simulator for HondaJet. The first simulator will be installed at Honda Aircraft Company's new headquarters facility. Additional training facilities will be established in the future as HondaJet sales continue to grow.
