2003 - Honda S2000 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Honda rolls out various oddities for 2015 Tokyo Auto Salon

On January 9 the doors at the Makuhari Messe in Chiba will open for the 2015 Tokyo Auto Salon. and you know what that means, boys and girls: that's right, all sorts of strange mod jobs. Not to be confused with the Tokyo Motor Show that's Japan's main automotive expo, the Tokyo Auto Salon is the Nipponese equivalent of SEMA. Honda is among the first to announce its lineup for the show, and, well... let's just say they're not all hideous and leave it at that. The H brand has got a whole array of customized machinery in store for the tuner expo, starting with the new N-Box Slash that just went on sale in Japan as the company's latest Kei car. One version of the tall wagon on the tiny wheelbase is obviously inspired by America, or at least a Japanese impression of what American car culture is like: it's decked out in red with racing stripes, flame graphics, a highway road sign and strange checkerboard wheels. Another N-Box Slash dubbed the Cyber Code:89 concept looks like something from anime, all decked out in futuristic graphics and glowing lights. A third example is rather more tastefully done up in teal with yellow accents. Of course Honda hasn't put all its eggs in the Slash basket, turning its attention as it has to other models in the JDM lineup. There's a retro N-One concept with a low-key grey and white exterior but with a zany multicolor interior, a tasteful white N-WGN with Modulo accessories, an Odyssey Absolute 20th Anniversary edition minivan, a take on the NM4 cruiser bike that'd look right at home in Akira and – one of our favorites from the lot – a Mugen take on the Honda Legend that we know as the Acura RLX. Whether your plans will take you to Tokyo for the show or not, you can scope 'em all out in the high-res image gallery for a closer look.

Honda Vision XS-1 Concept looks like a sportier Vezel [w/video]

We've talked a lot about the Honda Vezel over the past few months, as the Autoblog staff is looking forward to the Fit-based CUV. It's a handsome little vehicle, that we think will do quite well when it finally arrives in the US market. That said, it's not a particularly exciting vehicle to look at.
Along with the appearance of the Mugen-tuned Vezel at the Tokyo Auto Salon, though, a new concept that's being shown by Honda today at India's Delhi Auto Expo has us hopeful for a Vezel that looks a bit more assertive. It's called the Vision XS-1 Concept, and it's a seven-passenger (yes, seven) crossover that features minivan-style sliding doors. It sports Honda's "Exciting H Design," which is the same design philosophy used by the stylists that penned the new Fit. Unfortunately, at the moment, Honda has provided exactly zero details about what powers its new concept.
As a concept for the Indian market, which is home to some of the tightest, most congested roads on the planet, the stylish XS-1 is meant to demonstrate that Honda knows a thing or six about building compact vehicles. In that regard, we think it's a spot-on piece of work. Let us know what you think of it in Comments, but first, have a look up top for a gallery of images and then scroll down for a brief video and the official press release from Honda.

2013 Honda Civic

Lather, Rinse, Repeat
On some level, it's hard to blame Honda for the strategy it took with its new-for-2012 Civic. Executives looked at the key players on the market as the model was being developed, soaked in the growing global economic malaise, and decided that if they wanted to make decent money on their small car, they'd have to find creative ways to take cost out of its build. In light of the financial crisis, consumers and critics would surely understand some belt-tightening in order to secure the company's legendary reliability, resale value and ease-of-use, right?
So Honda took a pass on expensive new technology - more complex transmissions, forced induction, active aero, and so on. And it also substituted in some cheaper interior materials, skimped on sound deadening, creature comforts and found lots of little ways to save money. Surely in a segment where the frankly ancient and moth-eaten Toyota Corolla has consistently ranked among the sales leaders, nobody would care, eh?