2005 Honda Accord Ex-l Fwd Power Sunroof Heated Seats on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Acura NSX bodywork to be sheathed in zirconium e-coat, fewer paint layers

Automakers make halo cars to drum up excitement and show off what they can do, but there's more to it than that. Advanced platforms allow a company's engineers to experiment with all sorts of technologies. And in the case of the upcoming new Acura NSX, that includes new paint processes.
Speaking with Autoline in this video interview, Honda's North American Senior VP Jon Minto talked about an innovative zirconium e-coat which it's applying to the new NSX. Unlike some experimental paints developed for Formula One, however, this coating is not designed to minimize drag or enhance cooling: it's designed to be more environmentally friendly.
It's one of a few measures which Honda is implementing on the NSX before expanding it to more accessible models, along with another process that uses fewer coats to reduce energy consumption by 40 percent. Watch the interview with Autoline host John McElroy right here.

Honda CR-V spied looking curvy and sophisticated

The Honda CR-V is well into its lifecycle, and today we're getting a close look at a prototype that previews the crossover's new styling. The CR-V could be revealed this year ahead of a market launch in 2017, perhaps putting it as a 2018 model. We expect the new generation to increase in size and offer a third row, while drawing power from an updated engine lineup that uses the company's Earth Dreams suite of technologies. A hybrid model is likely, too. The front and rear of this camouflaged prototype have fairly evolutionary changes to Honda's current design, and the vehicle has a stronger, more chiseled appearance than today's CR-V. We can't see the interior, but we expect it to get new safety and tech features in keeping with current trends. Honda updated the CR-V for the 2015 model year, and it's soldiered on as a stalwart of the company's lineup. Still, the vehicle is showing signs of age. In a crossover-friendly marketplace, the CR-V's sales have declined 2.7 percent this year to 71,188 units through March. The CR-V has been around since 1997, and as these shots illustrate, Honda is aggressively trying to keep its long-running nameplate relevant. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2018 Honda CR-V View 16 Photos Image Credit: KGP Photography Design/Style Spy Photos Honda Crossover SUV

Honda sending two NSX racers and new EV concept to Pikes Peak

Honda is always good for a few interesting Pikes Peak entries. In 2015, Acura supplied a 2017 NSX prototype for pace-car duty. This time around, two NSXes will compete alongside a reconfigured version of the company's four-motor electric racecar. Those aren't the 2016 entries above. The one on the right is last year's pace car and the one on the left is a first-gen NSX that did the hillclimb the past few years. The 2016 cars haven't been unveiled yet, but we know that one will be in the Time Attack 2 Production class, which is mostly stock with the addition of items like a roll cage, and the other will be in Time Attack 1. TA 1 allows modifications to the powertrain, additional aero aids, suspension changes, and other tweaks, so expect to see a lot more power and a big wing on the back. The cars will be driven by James and Nick Robinson, brothers who work for Honda R&D in Ohio. Honda will use a version of the four-motor electric powertrain from its 2015 CR-Z Exhibition class entry in a new EV. (We got to drive a non-race tune of this setup in Japan last year.) The 2016 version, which will wear a different body, moves to the Electric - Electric Modified class of last year's frontrunners. We're told this car is aiming for an overall win at the 2016 race; the CR-Z took 11th place overall in 2015. The EV will again be driven by Tetsuya Yamano, a Japanese Super GT driver. Oh, and there will of course be a factory entry or two from Honda's Powersports division. Honda engineer Keith Steidl will ride a 2015 TRX1000 ATV in the Pikes Peak Challenge - Exhibition Powersport class. In the past, Honda has fielded plenty of other neat stuff in the Race to the Clouds. In 2012, it ran an NSX fitted with a twin-turbo V6 from an LMP2 car, and the 2013 race saw the very practical 532-horsepower turbocharged Odyssey minivan join the Exhibition class. The 2016 race marks the Pikes Peak hillclimb's 100th anniversary (but not the 101st running since competition took some breaks back in wartime). We're looking forward to June already. Related Video: Image Credit: Honda Green Motorsports Acura Honda Electric Hybrid Racing Vehicles pikes peak exclusive