Repairable Rebuildable Wrecked Salvage Project E Z Fix Auto Sedan 1.8 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Honda launches new JDM Odyssey, Mugen chips in [w/video]

Honda has just released its new Odyssey minivan for the Japanese Domestic Market, and it has plenty of style and room for up to eight people. Honda factory tuning company Mugen will also offer performance and styling parts for the fifth-generation minivan.
The Odyssey is offered in B and G trim with a 173-horsepower, 2.4-liter I-VTEC four-cylinder mated to a continuously variable transmission with optional paddle shifters and seven 'speeds.' The more upscale Odyssey Absolute features sportier styling, and but all models are available in either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.
The interior follows a "modern suite" design concept inspired by luxury hotels, with wood trim and comfortable-looking seats. Additionally, customers can choose between models with a lift-up second-row seat or a lift-up front passenger seat. Honda highlights the Odyssey's low floor height and high ceiling, which accentuates the spacious interior. The low floor also endows the minivan with a step height of 30 centimeters (11.8 inches) at the rear sliding door to afford easy entry.

Which car companies are creating new jobs in America?

Since January, automakers have announced investments totaling $9.5 billion in U.S. plants, creating or retaining more than 12,000 jobs. Some of those companies have yet to announce just how many jobs will be created given their investments, with the location of many of those jobs still to be determined. Specifically, the 4,000-job Toyota-Mazda joint venture plant still hasn't announced its location, with numerous states jockeying for it. Hyundai has plans to invest $1 billion but has not announced a jobs number yet. And likewise Ford is investing $1.2 billion in Michigan without specifying a number of jobs. Volvo this week announced plans to add a second line to its factory under construction in South Carolina, spending another $500 million and adding 2,500 jobs to the 2,000 it was already trying to fill. Then Thursday, Daimler announced a $1 billion expansion to its facility in Tuscaloosa, Ala., to produce EV batteries and electric SUVs, a move that will add 600 jobs to its hiring this year. Above, we've created a handy pie chart showing you which companies have announced new jobs and how many there will be. Reporting by Paul Lienert in Detroit News Source: Reuters Plants/Manufacturing BMW Chrysler Ford GM Honda Hyundai Mazda Mercedes-Benz Toyota Volvo jobs

Toyota tops Kelley Blue Book's Resale Value Awards

Kelley Blue Book announced its annual Best Resale Value Award winners, and we weren't too surprised to see the list dominated by Japanese automakers - mainly Toyota and Honda. KBB hands out the awards based on the projected residual value of mostly all 2013 model year vehicles, and Toyota skated home with a number of awards including 10 of the 22 overall categories and having five of its products in the top 10 for models with best resale value. KBB's Best Resale Value Awards were announced in the same week as the ALG Residual Value Awards, and there were many similarities between both lists, especially when it came to Toyota.
To come up with its winners, KBB measures depreciation over the first five years of ownership, and looks for the cars it expects to hold its value the best after this time; on average, the report says the 2013 model year vehicles will lose 61.8 percent of its value in five years. Of the 22 categories, 15 slots were filled by Toyota, Honda and Nissan products, while the Camaro and Porsche (Cayenne and Panamera) each took home a pair of awards. If Toyota has anything to be upset about in this list of cars, it's that categories for Hybrid/Alternative Energy Car and Electric Vehicle went to the Ford Fusion and Chevrolet Volt, respectively.
The overall top 10 models for the best resale value in 2013 are, in alphabetical order: