2009 Honda Civic Ex Coupe 2-door 1.8l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Honda Gear concept explored at Montreal Auto Show

Our friends at Autoblog Canada have just come away with a closer look at Honda's surprise Gear Concept at the Montreal Auto Show. The little three-door hatchback is arguably the automaker's first real shot at the North American city car market (the Gear is much smaller than the Fit) and may be an indication that Honda is getting serious about going after Scion on this side of the world after the CR-Z hybrid failed to deliver. Honda says the Gear Concept takes its inspiration from the fixed-gear bicycle scene, and should allow buyers an unprecedented level of customization. Designers also wanted to show that a car can be both fun and practical.
We're all for a compact stylish three door with functional room inside, but given Honda's propensity for draining the personality from its concepts on the way to production (at least the ones that don't look showroom ready), we don't hold much hope for the Gear. You can check out the full press release below for more information.

2015 Honda Civic Type R to sire next-gen CR-Z?

Salt shakers at the ready, boys and girls. There's a rumor out of Australia claiming the next Honda CR-Z will be based on the forthcoming 276-horsepower, turbocharged Civic Type R. Apparently Honda's research and development bigwigs have been unnerved by the reception of the Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ twins and are eager to return fire.
Now, don't get too excited - Honda isn't following the Volkswagen model of offering virtually unchanged mechanicals in a different bodyshell (Beetle Turbo and GTI, for example). Instead, the report says the future CR-Z will retain its hybrid powertrain, albeit with a serious kick in the pants. A prototype is said to already be zipping around Japan with a turbocharged, direct-injected, 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine and the current CR-Z's electric motor and battery pack. With a reported 221 horsepower mated up to a seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission (say buh-bye to the CVT and six-speed manual) and the next-gen Civic platform underneath, the rumored CR-Z has all the makings of a hot hatch riot.
Of course, this all sounds wonderful. This is also the point where you should be enjoying that salt. We really like the idea of a properly hot CR-Z that can compete with John Cooper Works Mini models and the new Ford Fiesta ST, but the three-door hybrid has been such a slow seller for Honda in the US that it might not field a second generation here, no matter how improved it might be. Let us know what you think of an amped-up CR-Z in the comments. Is it a good idea, or is this one Honda model that's just too far gone?

1997 Acura Integra Type R sells for $82,000 on Bring a Trailer

Acura Integra Type R prices are getting ridiculous. The car is absolutely superb, but the latest one to sell on Bring a Trailer went for a cool $82,000. You could likely pick up two old Acura NSXs in average condition for a similar price as the single Integra Type R. But hey, nobody ever said the value of cars made sense. Why did this particular Type R reach unrivaled heights then? A few factors are obvious. It’s a one-owner, 6,000-mile, completely original 1997 ITR (what the cool kids call the Integra Type R for short). WeÂ’re still rather flabbergasted and slightly upset the original buyer only managed 6,000 miles over the approximately 22 years of ownership, but the new owner could fix that quickly. Then again, this could be a purely speculative buy, aiding heavily in the final gavel price. Wait a few months to a year, and the value of this unmolested Type R could increase another $10,000, or more if you donÂ’t add miles. It was only a year ago to date that we wrote in near-shock about a Type R with even fewer miles (1,200) going for $63,800 at Barrett-Jackson. This car blows that previous record straight out of the water. As of now, thereÂ’s no end in sight to the increasing prices of these now-slightly-old hot Hondas. Another clean Acura Integra Type R is listed on Bring a Trailer right now, and the bid is already up to $34,567 with four days left. That car has 19,000 miles on it, and is reportedly being offered by the carÂ’s second owner, who bought it two years ago. A Honda CRX Si recently went for $33,600 on the same website. The NSXÂ’s value jump hit hard a few years ago, but now its successors are following in its footsteps again. Will there come a day when an Integra Type R hits the six-digit mark? At this rate it doesnÂ’t look far away. If you want a whole lot of what the Type R offers, without the eye-watering markup, take a long, hard look at the Integra GS-R. That trim is a great step up in performance over a base Integra, and a few easy mods gets it close to the Type R from a performance standpoint. You wonÂ’t have the cache and bragging rights that come with the R, but you also wonÂ’t be afraid to put miles on it for fear of entirely ruining the carÂ’s value. Happy Honda hunting.