Tokyo 2009: Should Honda bring the Freed MPV to America?
Oct 24, 2009 Object
Filed under: Minivan/Van, Tokyo Motor Show, Honda
2009 Honda Freed - Click above for high-res image gallery
Here in Tokyo, we were hanging around with some American Honda Motor Co. officials when they got their first up-close look at the Freed. The Freed is a compact minivan/MPV based on Honda’s Fit architecture. For reference, the six-seat, three-row Freed is about 15 inches shorter than a Mazda5 and about 4 inches longer than a U.S.-spec Fit.
Freed’s third row seats fold up against the sides of its body, leaving a completely flat load floor. At least two U.S. Honda PR people checking out the model loved the idea of offering it Stateside, although they’d be inclined to see two changes. Because of the micro-van’s short length, they would drop the third row and move the second row back for more legroom. Additionally, the 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine (the same one used in the U.S. Fit) would also likely be replaced by something a bit larger for the our market - possibly a 1.8-liter or even a 2.0-liter.
The Freed is a certainly an attractive package and could make a good competitor in the burgeoning small MPV segment against the likes of the Mazda5 and the forthcoming Chevrolet Orlando and Ford C-Max. What do you think? Have your say in the poll we’re running after the jump. Honda’s looking for feedback and would like to hear from you.
Gallery: Tokyo 2009: Honda Freed
[Source: Honda]
Photos Copyright (C)2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
Continue reading Tokyo 2009: Should Honda bring the Freed MPV to America?
Tokyo 2009: Should Honda bring the Freed MPV to America? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 09:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: a-bring-the, a-friend-via, chevrolet, copyright, honda, hondampv, tokyo motor show, tokyoautoshow, tokyomotorshow
Tokyo 2009: Makuhari Messe no Jyosei ha Bijin desu*
Oct 22, 2009 Object
Filed under: Tokyo Motor Show
The beautiful women of Tokyo 2009 - Click above for a high-res image gallery
As far as cars went, the Frankfurt Motor Show was the proverbial glut of riches, and the Tokyo Motor Show proved that you can’t live life at the top all the time. Tokyo did, however, still provide plenty of aesthetic beauty, much of which had nothing to do with the automobiles. We won’t call it a consolation prize, but it’s certainly not something we’re upset about. Have a look at what arguably might have been the finest aspects of the Tokyo Motor Show in the gallery below - and the woman with the stuffed car on her head (it is still Tokyo, after all…). (*Translation: The beautiful women of Makuhari Messe)
Gallery: The beautiful women of Tokyo 2009
Photos copyright (C)2009 Jonathon Ramsey / Weblogs, Inc.
Tokyo 2009: Makuhari Messe no Jyosei ha Bijin desu* originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: a-friend-via, automobiles, frankfurt-motor, high-res-image, jonathon-ramsey, makuhari, motor, tokyo, tokyo models, tokyo motor show, tokyo women, tokyo2009
Tokyo 2009: Autoblog samples quirky Honda U3-X unicycle and other assist devices
Filed under: Japan, Technology, Tokyo Motor Show, Honda
Jim Kenzie of the Toronto Star tries out the U3-X - Click above for high-res image gallery
If there is one thing humans love, it’s personal mobility. After all, what other species regularly harness other creatures for the sole purpose of getting around. The auto industry is all about personal mobility. Since the dawn of the car in the late 19th century, it has been adopted world-wide as one of the preferred means of getting around.
Mobility, of course, is about a lot more than just driving. Just moving around is important and when people find themselves unable to move or having difficulty, it plays havoc with the psyche. A number of automakers are researching ways to expand mobility beyond the automobile and the result is projects like the GM Puma and Toyota Winglet. Honda, too, is studying the problem and while we were in Japan for the Tokyo Motor Show, Honda took us to their R&D center to check out a few recent projects, including the quirky U3-X (shown above). Read on for a first hand account of what we saw and sat on.
Gallery: Honda mobility devices
Photos Copyright (C)2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
Continue reading Tokyo 2009: Autoblog samples quirky Honda U3-X unicycle and other assist devices
Tokyo 2009: Autoblog samples quirky Honda U3-X unicycle and other assist devices originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: a-friend-via, assist, bodyweight, copyright, entry, honda, hondau3x, makuhari, since-the-dawn, tokyo motor show, tokyo2009, toronto, toyota-winglet, with-the-psyche
Tokyo 2009: Subaru Legacy B4 GT300 is pure JDM awesomeness
Oct 22, 2009 Object
Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Japan, Tokyo Motor Show, Subaru
Subaru Legacy B4 GT300 - Click above for high-res image gallery
Our jaws literally dropped when we spotted this car in the Subaru booth here at the Tokyo Motor Show. The concoction of carbon fiber spoilers, wings and widened fenders seen here is the Legacy B4 GT300 racecar that is set to compete in Japan’s Super GT series next year. The car actually made its racing debut at Fuji Speedway last month, and even though previous driveline problems prevented this racer from making an even earlier debut, the B4 GT300 managed 300 trouble-free kilometers to finish a respectable 18th place.
As for specs, the Legacy B4 GT300 features a 2.0-liter turbocharged boxer-four that pumps out more than 300 horsepower. With all-wheel drive, a six-speed sequential transmission, and a curb weight of just over 2800 pounds, we imagine it’s an absolute blast to pilot around the track. You can see the car in detail in our high-res gallery below.
Gallery: Tokyo 2009: Subaru Legacy B4 GT300
Photos copyright (C)2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.
Tokyo 2009: Subaru Legacy B4 GT300 is pure JDM awesomeness originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: 2009 tokyo motor show, a-coupe-quick, a-curb-weight, a-week-off, legacy, lexus lf-a, pumps-out-more, subaru, subaru legacy b4, subarulegacy, subarulegacyb4, tokyo motor show, tokyo2009, touring car, widened-fenders
Tokyo 2009: Cool As Ice: Japanese architect builds full-size transparent Lexus LFA
Oct 22, 2009 Object
Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Tokyo Motor Show, Lexus, Design/Style
Transparent Lexus LFA - Click above for high-res image gallery
Next to the Lexus LFA display at this week’s Tokyo Motor Show is a separate room displaying brand-themed art. At first, we didn’t bother going in, but we went back here on day two, and we’re sure glad we did.
Inside, we found this amazing full-size transparent sculpture of Lexus’ new $375,000 LFA supercar that was constructed by Scu Fujimoto, a noted Japanese architect. The sculpture was first displayed at the Milan Design Week earlier this year and is simply stunning to look at. What’s most impressive is that details like the seats, instrument panel, engine, suspension, and transaxle can all be seen.
According to Lexus, the sculpture is constructed from transparent acrylic boards that have been sanded and polished. You can learn more about this unique piece of automotive art at Lexus’ L-Finesse web site, but make sure to check out its stunning icy hotness in our high-res gallery below.
Gallery: Tokyo 2009: Transparent Lexus LFA
Gallery: Tokyo 2009: 2011 Lexus LFA
Photos copyright (C)2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.
Tokyo 2009: Cool As Ice: Japanese architect builds full-size transparent Lexus LFA originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: 2009 tokyo motor show, 2011lexuslfa, a-coupe-quick, a-friend-via, automotiveart, car art, japanese, pumps-out-more, scu fujimoto, sculpture, subarulegacyb4, tokyo 2009, tokyo motor show, tokyo2009, transparentlexuslfa
Tokyo Show as Wacky and Whimsical as Ever
Oct 21, 2009 Object
Do automobiles really need steering wheels? Who needs an accelerator pedal - or a brake pedal, for that matter? Does a vehicle really need four wheels, or is one enough?
More:
Tokyo Show as Wacky and Whimsical as Ever
Tags: a-vehicle-really, brake-pedal, img-alt, need-four, one-enough, really-need, steering-wheels, technology, tokyo motor show, vehicle-really
Tokyo 2009: Alpina B7 Bi-Turbo LWB is longer, and therefore better
Oct 21, 2009 Object
Filed under: Aftermarket, Sedan, Performance, Tokyo Motor Show, BMW, Luxury
Alpina B7 Bi-Turbo Long Wheelbase - Click above for high-res image gallery
The Alpina B7 Bi-Turbo long wheelbase revealed at the Tokyo Motor Show today doesn’t add anything to the less well-endowed Alpina B7 we saw at Geneva except length, but isn’t that enough? The double-turbo’d 4.4-liter V8 brings 507 romping horsepower and 516 lb-ft. of torque - all of which is enough to get the white whale to sixty in 4.8 seconds.
Alpina’s custom 21-inchers support an interior package touched up with the tuner’s logo throughout. Our only cause for pause: the much larger steering wheel; the smaller diameter unit in the regular BMW helps to make the execu-barge a hoot to throw around a track. See it all for yourself in the gallery of high-res images below.
Gallery: Tokyo 2009: Alpina B7 Long Wheelbase
Photos copyright (C)2009 Jonathon Ramsey / Weblogs, Inc.
Tokyo 2009: Alpina B7 Bi-Turbo LWB is longer, and therefore better originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: a-friend-via, aftermarket, alpina b7, alpinab7bi-turbo, bmw, dogfish, entry, long wheelbase, luxury, tokyo motor show, with-the-tuner
Rattner recounts auto bailout, was "shocked" and "stunned" at condition of GM, Chrysler
Filed under: Government/Legal, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Chrysler, GM
Steve Rattner is a man we admire but do not envy. Rattner, a former Wall Street banking type with zero experience in the automotive or manufacturing world, was tasked by President Obama with guiding General Motors and Chrysler through their restructuring efforts. Not a small job, by any means. Or one we would wish on our worst enemies. That said, it was a HUGE job, and huge jobs typically make for great stories. Rattner, in an article he penned himself for CNN’s Money doesn’t disappoint. At all. Allow us to tantalize you with some quotes:
When the Obama administration took office on Jan. 20, it inherited nothing in the auto area: no staff, no stacks of analyses, no plans of any kind. The Bush administration had decided in late December that GM and Chrysler were not going to go bankrupt on its watch and had shoveled $17.4 billion of TARP money into the companies to keep them afloat, but without any meaningful stab at restructuring them.
Oh snap! But really, that’s not even the tip of the juicy iceberg. How about this apple, er, lack of apple:
When I asked our energetic young chief of staff, Haley Stevens, what we were going to give our visitors for lunch, she replied, “Nothing. Treasury has no budget for even bottles of water.” It seemed harsh to expect our guests to go many hours without eating, so I gave Haley $100 and told her to go to a sandwich shop. That became our hospitality protocol.
Hungry for more? We haven’t even scratched the surface, as our man Rattner is just getting warmed up. Here’s one more for you about Rattner and friends first trip to Detroit:
What we didn’t prepare for was the intense public interest in our visit to these hard-hit communities. Throngs of reporters awaited us at every stop while a news helicopter buzzed overhead. More peculiarly, the ensuing press coverage seemed wildly over-focused on our test drive of the Chevy Volt, as if the company’s salvation rested on this one vehicle.
Don’t tell Lutz. And hey, speaking of Maximum Bob and his pals, here’s what Ratner has to say about Detroit Management:
Everyone knew Detroit’s reputation for insular, slow-moving cultures. Even by that low standard, I was shocked by the stunningly poor management that we found, particularly at GM, where we encountered, among other things, perhaps the weakest finance operation any of us had ever seen in a major company.
And Mr. Rattner is just getting warmed up. Just wait ’till he gets to Wagoner. We implore you all to jump over to CNN to read the rest. Hat tip to chemistrusaz!
[Source: CNN Money | Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty]
Rattner recounts auto bailout, was “shocked” and “stunned” at condition of GM, Chrysler originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: alpinab7bi-turbo, apple, automotive, detroit, haley-stevens, hirings-firings, hospitality, luxury, obama, photo, rattner, restructuring, rick wagoner, tokyo motor show, with-the-tuner
Tokyo 2009: Daihatsu e:S plays small ball
Oct 21, 2009 Object
Filed under: Budget, Japan, Tokyo Motor Show, Hatchback
Daihatsu e:S - Click above for high-res image gallery
Daihatsu didn’t just bring out its big little guns, it had a couple of tiny guns there as well, such as this, the Volvo C30-esque e:S. Called “a new eco-car that reveals the future role of mini vehicles,” it focuses earnestly on environmental impact and “embodies the roles that mini vehicles should play.” We aren’t sure what that means, but it has a 660-cc engine, a total length of just over seven feet, is claimed to be able to “accommodate four adult passengers,” and the whole shebang weighs 1,540 pounds. That combination will yield 70.5 mpg. Whether you wish to pay the price for that economy, well, that’s for you and your bones and joints to decide. You can have a look at it in the gallery of high-res photos below — it shouldn’t take long…
Gallery: Tokyo 2009: Daihatsu e:S
Photos copyright (C)2009 Jonathon Ramsey / Weblogs, Inc.
Tokyo 2009: Daihatsu e:S plays small ball originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: a-new-eco-car, check-out-three, chinese, daihatsu, e:s, high-res-image, high-res-photos, kei, mini calendar, olivierfrancois, tokyo motor show, tokyomotorshow
Tokyo 2009: Mitsubishi i-MiEV Cargo is bigger, o-kei!
Oct 21, 2009 Object
Filed under: Concept Cars, Minivan/Van, Tokyo Motor Show, Mitsubishi, Alternative Fuel
Mitsubishi i-MiEV Cargo concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
You can make anything bigger and better if you just add a hump, and that’s what Mitsubishi has done to its i-MiEV to create the i-MiEV Cargo.
For those who find Ford’s Transit Connect simply too monstrous and don’t want to pay for gas - like, oh, a commercial concern in Tokyo - Mitsu’s battery-powered i-MiEV could be the perfect solution. Growing only in height compared to its hatchback sibling, the thing is tiny but still packs 62 cubic feet of cargo space in its Quasimodo back end - that’s a little less than half the Transit Connect’s space. That said, we have to wonder how much a full cargo load will negatively effect the i-MiEV’s range and overall performance.
Read all about the Cargo’s big smallness in the press release after the jump, and have a gander at it in the gallery of high-res photos below.
Gallery: Tokyo 2009: Mitsubishi i-MiEV Cargo
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Photos copyright (C)2009 Jonathon Ramsey / Weblogs, Inc.
Continue reading Tokyo 2009: Mitsubishi i-MiEV Cargo is bigger, o-kei!
Tokyo 2009: Mitsubishi i-MiEV Cargo is bigger, o-kei! originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: about-the-cargo, after-the-break, better-if-you, entry, koenigsegg, marketing, saabs-united, tokyo motor show, van
