2011 USDM Honda Odyssey named best redesigned vehicle

Well, I wasn't aware that such a title exists, but apparently it does. To be honest, the most difficult thing is to replace an already successful model and it seems that Honda has managed to do it with the new Odyssey. So, Kelly Blue Book has named the 2011 Honda Odyssey its Best Redesigned Vehicle for 2011.

“The 2011 Honda Odyssey improves on its predecessor in every way imaginable, offering a better-looking, more contemporary exterior design, a sumptuous interior stuffed with innovative features, and class-leading fuel economy,” said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com.  ”Its safety, refinement, resale value and trouble-free nature are combined with a surprising level of fun-to-drive, so it is not difficult to see why Honda refers to the 2011 Odyssey as the ‘ultimate in family transportation.’”

Although the USDM version looks good, I would rather have the JDM one pictured below.

[Source: egmCarTech]

Next-gen Honda Fit Hybrid coming in 2013 with bigger engine

The next-gen Fit (aka Jazz) Hybrid is expected to be launched in September 2013 and the main targets are improved profitability and environmental performance. Development of compact cars for emerging markets will help automakers in the development of next-gen small cars in order to reduce costs.

The new Fit Hybrid will get a new engine with a displacement of 1.5 L, from the 1.3 L of the current one, which will operate using the Atkinson cycle. The new engine is expected to power also the normal model as well. The assist of the IMA system will be increased from 10 kW to 24 kW.

[Source: Mag-X via CarSensor]

Honda starts lease sales of EV scooter in Japan

Honda announced today that it will start lease sales of the EV-neo electric scooter on December 24. According to Honda's plans, 100 EV-neo scooters will be delivered between December 2010 and March 2011 to cooperating businesses in the monitoring program for collecting riding data and other useful information and to start lease sales of the EV-neo to general businesses and individual business owners in April 2011. The annual target lease sales in Japan is 1,000 units and the base price (with quick charger) is 574,350 ¥.

The EV-neo uses the new SCiB lithium-ion battery from Toshiba and can achieve 34 km vehicle range per charge. An optional audible pedestrian alert system to warn pedestrians of an approaching vehicle when riding at 28 km/h or lower will be available.

Hamster VTEC Miss-Shift

Infiniti EX (EUDM) to get blind spot warning system

Infiniti's sporting coupe crossover, the EX (aka Nissan Skyline Crossover), is getting a new Blind Spot Warning (BSW) system for 2011. This safety feature, which uses both audible and visual signals to alert the driver for an adjacent vehicle in the blind spot area, is a very helpful safety system and it will be fitted as standard to the top-selling EX GT Premium versions of both V6 petrol and V6 diesel models.

Well, it is not a new technology since Volvo offers it the last few years, but having owned a Volvo with BLIS (this is how Volvo calls it), I have to admit that it's an impressive safety feature and extremely useful for motorcycles approaching the car.

In the case of the EX, each time a vehicle enters the blind spot area, amber lights at the base of the door mirrors start to blink. If the driver activates the indicator, showing an intention to change lanes, the lights are supplemented by a warning sound – further indication of a potentially dangerous situation.

Blind Spot Warning is not the only innovative technology, as EX is offered with other intelligent systems such as Intelligent Cruise Control, Intelligent Brake Assist, Forward Collision Warning and Lane Departure Prevention.

New Suzuki MR Wagon to achieve fuel efficiency of 26.5 km/L

The new Suzuki MR Wagon will not continue the rounded design of the current model, but it will adopt a box-shaped exterior design instead and it is expected to be launched on 20 January.

Suzuki has revealed that it will have a fuel efficiency of 26.5 km/L under the 10-15 test cycle (Daihatsu's new Move achieves 27.0 km/L and Toyota's new Vitz 26.5 km/L), which will come equipped with a CVT gearbox and a stop/start system. 

[Source: Response]

Daihatsu cuts cost of stop/start system by 70%

Daihatsu has managed to reduced the cost of its stop/start system by 70%. The new system is installed in the new Move (earlier post), called "eco IDLE", and its mass has been reduced as well from about 10kg to 4kg.

"In order to achieve the reduction in cost and mass, the number of parts had to be reduced. The old system, as used as in the Mira, consisted of a battery, starter, dedicated ECU (electronic control unit), hydraulic brake holding system, electric hydraulic pump for its CVT, electric double layer capacitor that prevents the instantaneous drop of voltage at start-up and so forth.

The new one, uses the same battery and starter, but Daihatsu eliminated the electric hydraulic pump, replaced the capacitor with a DC-DC converter integrated with the ECU, embedded the hydraulic brake holding system in the ABS (antilock brake system) in place of a dedicated solenoid valve.

Bridgestone Potenza S001 to be fitted on Lexus LFA

Not really what you would call breaking news, but Lexus will fit Bridgestone Potenza S001 tyres on the LFA. 265/35ZR20 (95Y) tyres will be fitted at the front and 305/30ZR20 (99Y) at the rear.