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Profit at Honda doubles on strong global sales of cars and motorcycles

TOKYO — Honda reported Wednesday that its April-June profit more than doubled on healthy sales of its motorcycles and cars, as the Japanese company also received a perk from favorable exchange rates. Honda Motor Co. said its fiscal first quarter profit totaled 363 billion yen ($2.5 billion), up from 149 billion yen. Quarterly sales jumped 21% to 4.6 trillion yen ($32 billion). HondaÂ’s financial service division also reported growing sales. Honda said its profitability improved, especially in North America, where production recovered. Automakers around the world were slammed by supply shortages because of production delays related to social restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. But such restrictions have eased, allowing production to pick up again. Auto sales were about the same in Japan in the latest quarter as in the previous year, while dropping significantly in China because of intense competition from makers of battery electric vehicles, Honda said. Honda is banking on growth in EVs in the U.S. market, where it recently announced it is joining six other companies in the creation of a high-powered charging network across North America. Worries about climate change have helped set off a dramatic shift in the auto industry toward battery electric vehicles, allowing for relative newcomers like Tesla and BYD to prosper, while catching some Japanese makers off guard with their hybrids and regular gasoline-powered models. Honda said a computer chip shortage crimped its motorcycle sales in India, while sales rebounded in Indonesia as production recovered. Honda said it sold 901,000 vehicles in the latest quarter, up from 815,000 a year earlier. It also sold more motorcycles worldwide at nearly 4.5 million, up from 4.2 million. Honda added 23 billion yen ($160 million) to its quarterly operating profit because of the impact of currency exchange rates. A weaker yen, trading lately at about 143 yen to the U.S. dollar, is a boon for Japanese exporters by boosting the amount of its overseas earnings when converted into yen. Honda stuck to its full year projection of an 800 billion yen ($5.6 billion) profit, up from 651 billion yen a year earlier. Honda shares slipped 0.9% on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Related video: Earnings/Financials Acura Honda

Honda is spending $124 million on a new wind tunnel facility in Ohio

Ford isn't the only company building a multi-million dollar wind tunnel this year. Honda is also getting in on the action. Its new facility will cost less than Ford's at $124 million, and construction begins this summer. It will be built at the Transportation Research Center in Ohio, which is where Honda's NSX proving grounds are located. Honda will install a five-belt rolling road in the tunnel for testing of more pedestrian vehicles, and a wide, high-speed, single belt version for testing of sports cars and race cars. However, it seems the Honda facility will only be capable of testing wind speeds of up to 192 mph, whereas Ford claims a top speed of 200 mph. Cameras and microphones will also be set up inside the testing area at the Honda tunnel to help find wind noise trouble spots. Honda won't necessarily be the only company using the new wind tunnel either. The facility will be available for other groups and companies to use. There are even secure bays those groups can use for their work. Related Video:

Acura Integras worked over by 3 popular tuners as SEMA custom builds

The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show is a chance for aftermarket manufacturers and automakers to come together with potential customers and the media to show off their custom rides. Honda and Acura are no strangers to the event, as people have been bringing hotted-up models from both automakers to the show for years. This year, three builders are bringing their interpretations of Acura’s newest car, the 2023 Integra. Acura gave the car to Daijiro Yoshihara, Sara Choi, and Coco Zurita, and each came up with a unique build for the car. YoshiharaÂ’s car features a Spoon air filter and exhaust, BBS REV7 wheels, EVS tuning exterior components, and a host of motorsport-ready interior upgrades. ChoiÂ’s Integra features a GReddy intercooler and oil cooler, Advan wheels, a wide body kit, and Battle Craft interior parts. Zarita installed several powertrain upgrades, including an AÂ’PEXI exhaust, an HPS cold air intake, a GReddy intercooler, and HPS turbo components. The cars made their debut at The Petersen Museum on October 23 and will head to SEMA from November 1-4. From there, Acura will take them to Radwood L.A. on November 19 and the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 14-16. The Integra is still relatively new, so the aftermarket doesnÂ’t offer the wealth of upgrades that older Honda Civics and other Japanese cars enjoy. Some companies have already released dedicated tunes and other car mods, so weÂ’re hopeful these SEMA rigs will help jumpstart development for the vehicle.