2008 Honda Accord Ex-l Sedan 4-door 3.5l on 2040-cars

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2016 Honda Odyssey Special Edition bundles entertainment system, vacuum for $34,255

The crossover may have supplanted the minivan's popularity, but few vehicles match the capabilities provided by two big, sliding doors and a huge cabin for larger families. With that fact in mind, Honda has updated its highly popular Odyssey with a new Special Edition trim for 2016. Here's what you need to know. The Odyssey SE builds on the $33,305 EX trim by adding a rear-seat entertainment system with a 115-volt rear outlet, the HondaVAC vacuum cleaner, and satellite radio. Total cost for this family friendly tech? An agreeable $34,255, or less than $1,000. That price is extremely favorable compared to the 2015 Odyssey, where an entertainment-equipped Odyssey required the EX-L trim and retailed for $38,255, and a HondaVAC demanded the top-of-the-line Touring Elite trim and a check for $45,480. Bringing the entertainment system and HondaVAC into lower trim levels isn't going to impact the rest of the Odyssey lineup, though. The EX-L with rear-seat entertainment will still be offered, and its price has only jumped $550, while the Touring Elite's price has only jumped $150. And while it might seem like Honda is giving away the farm with the new SE, it's still worth noting that the EX-L adds a lot to the EX package, including a number of safety features, as well as heated leather seats and a power liftgate. Related Video: 2016 Honda Odyssey Poised to Clean Up and Entertain with HondaVAC™ and Rear Seat Entertainment Now Applied to New Special Edition Model High-value Special Edition includes premium features such as Rear Entertainment System, SiriusXM® Radio and HondaVAC™ to offer families even more choice of Honda's award-winning minivan Aug 3, 2015 - TORRANCE, Calif. The 2016 Honda Odyssey goes on sale August 4 with a trim lineup expanded to eight models and a starting Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP)1 of $29,275. Slotted between EX and EX-L trims, the MSRP for the new Special Edition (SE) is $33,375 With the acclaimed HondaVAC® and a comprehensive selection of premium features available lower in the trim lineup, along with class-leading EPA fuel-economy ratings of 19/28/22 mpg2 city/highway/combined, the 2016 Odyssey is designed to comfortably and efficiently accommodate the lifestyles of American families.

Fire up your 3D printer! Honda releases data for several of its past concepts [w/video]

Futurists have been treating 3D printing like it is the second coming of the Industrial Revolution for years. Everyone will have a 3D printer in their garage and be able make practically anything at home before you know it, right? Well... not quite.
While we can imagine a piece of trim breaking on our car and being able to download the file to print a new one at home, the reality is that 3D printing is still in its earliest stages as a consumer device. Still, Honda is capitalizing on the technology by allowing people to make models of its concept cars at home.
The Honda 3D Design Archive currently consists of five models based on the Fuya-Jo, FSR, Kiwami, Puyo, and NSX concepts. The printer files can be downloaded from the web and carry Creative Commons 4.0 licenses, which allow them to be freely shared. Honda promises that more files will be added to the archive soon.

Japan carmakers vouch for safety of some Kobe Steel parts

TOKYO — Four Japanese automakers on Thursday said they found no safety issues with aluminum parts supplied by Kobe Steel Ltd, allaying some concerns that falsified quality data on products from the steelmaker had compromised their vehicles. Kobe Steel shares surged after the car makers' statements, but the steelmaker still has to contend with a U.S. Justice Department probe, while checks continue at hundreds of companies involved in complex supply chains spanning the globe. Japan's third-biggest steelmaker admitted earlier this month it falsified specifications on the strength and durability of aluminum, copper and steel products, along with materials for optical disks. The falsifications stretch back for more than 10 years, a senior executive told Reuters this week. Since then, global automakers, aircraft companies and other manufacturers have scrambled to identify potential hazards in their products. Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mazda said that hoods and other exterior parts used in their cars which were made from aluminum directly supplied by Kobe Steel were safe. Kobe Steel shares ended the day nearly 7 percent higher but are still down by more than a third since it announced the data falsification. Automakers are still making checks on other parts, including those that they received through their parts suppliers. "We confirmed that the materials satisfy applicable statutory standards, and our own internal standard, for key safety and durability requirements for vehicles," Toyota said in a statement. Toyota, one of the world's largest automakers, identified aluminum plates supplied by Kobe Steel for the hoods and rear hatches of Toyota and Lexus brand vehicles. Though outside the automaker's specifications, they were still safe to use. While Subaru and other carmakers said they were still investigating the issue, the announcements by Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mazda suggest that Kobe Steel's cheating scandal may have a limited impact on product safety."SERIOUS SITUATION" Nonetheless, the company's fate hangs in the balance while checks are being carried out. It must report to Japan's industry ministry by around the end of next week on any safety concerns and provide a more extensive account of the problems a fortnight later. Industry leaders have reached a consensus that Kobe Steel is in a "serious situation," a senior Japanese manufacturing executive told Reuters.