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Honda Civic Tourer Concept shows the shape of European things to come [w/video]

Honda will be expanding its European Civic range this year, and our first glimpse at the shape of things to come arrives in the form of this Tourer Concept at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. According to Honda, this swoopy concept provides a look at the upcoming Civic Tourer production model, which is set to be revealed in Frankfurt this September.
The Tourer Concept very obviously builds on the design groundwork set by the latest Civic hatchback when it first debuted in 2011. That means there are sharp, angular elements found up front and a sloping roofline that rakes down at the rear. Combine that with the large, concept-spec wheels and the funky front lighting elements, and what we have here is a really attractive little wagon - something that will no doubt battle the new Toyota Auris Touring Sports and Volkswagen Golf Variant that are also making their debut here in Switzerland.
It goes without saying, but don't expect to see this Euro Civic show up in the United States anytime soon. After all, we have the "there, I fixed it" 2013 sedan and coupe to keep us happy. Scroll down for all of the wagony details, including a video.

Check out Honda's sweet stop-motion 'Power of Dreams' ad

Television advertising doesn't just have to be the necessary evil that pays for the shows that you want to watch, and Honda is absolutely proving that with a new two-minute commercial titled Paper. Using stop-motion animation and a heap of illustrated cutouts, the spot showcases what the Power of Dreams motto really means. It runs through highlights like the success in racing, automotive development, Asimo, the HondaJet, and even lawnmowers. The result of all that hard work is spellbinding. The entire two-minute spot already aired during a few NFL games, and doing that was a serious investment. According to Ad Age, during the time that the ad ran the estimated cost per 30 seconds was $300,887. Honda is also prepping a minute-long version for TV, but you can enjoy the whole thing right now in the video, above. HONDA BRINGS 'THE POWER OF DREAMS' TO LIFE WITH TWO-MINUTE COMMERCIAL CREATED BY STOP-MOTION ARTIST AND INFLUENCER PES Elaborate Paper-Flipping Technique Artfully Tells the History of Honda Honda Brand Marketing Tone — Simple, Clever and Emotional — Will Carry Through Across Upcoming Advertising to Help Build a Long-Term Emotional Connection with Consumers Sep 21, 2015 - TORRANCE, Calif. -- Capitalizing on Honda's established, strong brand identity and its core belief in "The Power of Dreams," the company is launching a two-minute commercial, "Paper," during CBS Sunday NFL on Sunday, Sept. 20. After months in the making, thousands of hand-drawn and -colored illustrations from multiple artists provide the platform for an intricate paper-flipping journey to beautifully show Honda's history and range of mobility products. "The goal is for the marketing itself to become a demonstration of Honda thinking and all the people that touch our wide range of products along the way," said Tom Peyton, Assistant Vice President of Marketing for American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "This commercial stands for the courage and conviction to imagine and make dreams a reality and speaks to Honda's innovative nature and respect for personal achievement and contributions." "The Power of Dreams" philosophy speaks to Honda's belief that drives the company's R&D and diverse array of advanced-technology products, and to the determination to bring them to market. This rejuvenated approach to overall brand marketing is the sum of Honda's best thinking and could only come from the company's years of design and innovation.

Toyota raises Japanese base wages for first time since 2008

Toyota is on track for record profits, and in return, its Japanese workers are receiving their first increase in base wages since 2008, plus higher pay based on seniority and a larger bonus for 2014. The Japanese automaker predicts the average laborer will net a 2.9 percent income gain.
The average Toyota employee will earn 2,700 yen ($26.28) more each month, a 0.8 percent increase from last year. Workers will also receive about 7,300 yen ($71.09) more monthly based on seniority and promotions. Finally, the company's union pushed through a median bonus of 2.44 million yen ($23,768) for 2014, the highest in 6 years.
The pay boost comes as Toyota forecasts a record 1.9-trillion yen ($18.5 billion) profit for the fiscal year ending on March 31, according to Bloomberg. It has been helped by the Japanese government's efforts to weaken the yen on international markets and expand inflation. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been asking businesses to increase compensation to end years of deflation and offset upcoming higher sales taxes. Honda and Nissan have also raised their wages there in recent months.