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Honda, Subaru airlifting parts to bypass port labor diputes

It should be abundantly obvious that a vital element in building cars is actually having the components on hand to assemble them. A labor dispute on the West Coast between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and management is not making that quite so easy for some Japanese automakers. Work slowdowns at the ports have pushed Honda and Subaru parent Fuji Heavy Industries into flying some parts into the country. The two automakers began shipping by airplane late last month to avoid production delays, according to Bloomberg, but it has been an expensive solution. Subaru's chief financial officer said the decision cost around $60 million more per month than sending components by cargo ship. They aren't the only companies dealing with the problem, either. Toyota reportedly stopped overtime assembly at some of its factories here because of the delays in getting parts, according to Bloomberg. The dockworkers have been negotiating on a new contract since May 2014, and the current offer on the table to them has offered a 3 percent raise, according to Bloomberg. Although, the union is reportedly considering another slowdown at 29 ports along the West Coast in the coming days. News Source: BloombergImage Credit: Nick Ut / AP Photo Auto News UAW/Unions Honda Subaru Toyota shipping port labor dispute

Honda Fit EV lease drops to $199 a month, but there's a catch

The Honda Fit EV just became a much better deal. When it first launched, Honda offered the car (in California and Oregon only) in 2012, the monthly price was $399. In 2013, the official lease price dropped to $259. Today, Honda announced that the fun little runabout will cost you just $199. The catch? For new customers, this price is only good on used Fit EVs. You can also take advantage of this deal If you're a current Fit EV lessee by extending your time with your car by two years for the new, lower $199-a-month price. The other limitations of the Fit EV lease – the fact that there's no purchase option at the end of the lease and that the car itself is still only available in "designated market regions" – remain, which means that getting this particular electric car is a better deal than it used to be, but it's still not a good Fit for everyone. Related Video: Honda Introduces New Lease Options for Existing and Prospective Fit EV Lessees Mar 23, 2015 - TORRANCE, Calif. Two-year Fit EV lease extension offered to existing lessees New, two-year used Fit EV lease offered to prospective customers Price reduced to $199 a month; no down payment and unlimited mileage, routine maintenance and collision coverage included Honda is extending the reach of its efficient and fun-to-drive all-electric Fit EV (http://automobiles.honda.com/fit-ev/) through new lease programs for both existing and prospective Fit EV customers. For current, eligible Fit EV customers, Honda is offering a two-year lease extension that includes a lower $199 monthly payment1 (previously $259) and extends the unlimited mileage, routine maintenance and collision coverage1 that were included in the original lease. The reduced lease price and matching two-year terms1 will also be available to new customers interested in driving a used Honda Fit EV. Honda shared the news to a group of Fit EV drivers at an event hosted at the Honda Smart Home US (http://www.hondasmarthome.com/) in Davis, CA on Saturday, March 21. "Most Fit EV drivers tell us they love their vehicles, and many have requested lease extensions and this extended lease program is intended to meet their needs," said Steve Center, vice president of the Environmental Business Development Office, American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

Honda reveals Mobilio MPV, Brio Satya hatchback for Asian markets

Sometimes, vehicles developed for mainstream markets don't work as well in emerging markets due to a lack of infrastructure for which they were originally designed. Indonesia is one of those environs where vehicles that are low, long and wide struggle cover the country's often rough terrain, let alone fit into the nation's compact parking spaces. Taking this into account, Honda has been developing the Mobilio multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), which it teased in July, based on research conducted on the country's roads and weather conditions. Today the Japanese automaker unveiled a prototype of the MPV at the Indonesia International Motor Show.
The Mobilio has three rows of seating for seven occupants, is compact enough to fit into the country's parking spaces, which are often less than 14.4 feet in length, and has a sports utility vehicle-like ground clearance of 7.3 inches to handle most road conditions. It's equipped with a 1.5-liter i-VTEC four-cylinder engine, which should give the MPV good fuel economy.
On September 11, Honda also introduced the Brio Satya five-door hatchback (shown at right) for the Indonesian market, which features an i-VTEC four-cylinder engine that Honda says will help the car net a fuel economy rating of 20 kilometers per liter of gasoline (equivalent to 47 miles per gallon). The model is closely related to the Brio budget hatchback, which was first revealed back in 2011.