Contents
Back to top
TOKYO, Japan, September 14, 2006
Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE) and
Honda R&D Co., Ltd., the Honda Motor Co., Ltd. subsidiary responsible for
research and development, today announced that their cooperative research
has resulted in ethanol production technology from soft-biomass*, a
renewable resource of plant-derived material.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) released by the combustion of bio-ethanol is
balanced by the CO2 captured by plants through photosynthesis and, thus,
does not increase the total amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. Bio-ethanol,
therefore, has attracted attention as a carbon-neutral fuel, an energy
source effective as countermeasure to global-warming.
Existing bio-ethanol production, however, faces supply limits, as it is
produced primarily from sugar and starch of sugarcane and corn feedstock,
which are also utilized as food.
 In its collaborative research, RITE and Honda have established the basic
technology to produce ethanol fuel from cellulose and hemicellulose*, both
found in soft-biomass*, including inedible leaves and stalks of plants,
such as rice straw. Until now, such soft-biomass represented a challenge
to convert to ethanol. Thus, the new process represents a large step
forward for practical application of soft-biomass as a fuel source.
The RITE-Honda process, newly developed as an integration of the
sophisticated bio-technology of RITE and the engineering technology of
Honda, paves the way to bio-ethanol production from cellulose and
hemi-cellulose, with the potential to significantly increase fuel
production.
The process consists of the following operations.
- Pretreatment to separate cellulose from
soft-biomass
- Saccharification of cellulose and hemicellulose
- Conversion of sugar into ethanol using
microorganisms
- Ethanol refinement
Current technology allows fermentation inhibitors, collaterally formed
primarily during the process of separating cellulose and hemicellulose from
soft-biomass, to interfere with the function of microorganisms that convert
sugar into alcohol, leading to extremely low ethanol yield. Up to now, an
appropriate solution has not been found to this the largest obstacle to alcohol
production from soft-biomass.
World renowned for its development of a bio-process for chemical commodities
production utilizing microorganisms, RITE established the RITE process
featuring remarkably high production efficiency, and has also reported a number
of other achievements, including bio-ethanol production related issues.
Now, RITE and Honda have successfully developed the RITE-Honda process,
which substantially reduces the harmful influence of fermentation inhibitors.
The RITE-Honda process succeeds through utilization of RITE strain, a
microorganism developed by RITE that converts sugar into alcohol, and by
application of engineering technology of Honda, enabling a significant increase
in alcohol conversion efficiency, in comparison to conventional cellulosic
bio-ethanol production processes.
The RITE-Honda process, resulting in a significant increase in production of
bio-ethanol, and expansion of biomass utilization, holds enormous potential as
a major step forward toward the realization of an energy sustainability
society.
The achievement solves the last remaining fundamental hurdle to ethanol
production from soft-biomass. Thus, RITE and Honda will pursue research for
mass production, including development of systems to integrate four operations,
currently operated independently, into a continuous flow within one plant,
recycling energy* to pursue energy conservation and cost reduction.
A demonstration project is envisioned within a pilot plant to assess the
social compatibility and economic efficiency of the new bio-alcohol production
system.
Based on the success of this collaborative research, RITE and Honda, will
pursue further advancement to establish a bio-refinery* for production of not
only ethanol, but various industrial commodities including automotive materials
from biomass. In this way, RITE and Honda will contribute to the prevention of
global-warming through the further reduction of CO2, with the goal of realizing
a sustainable society.
Source: Honda Worldwide
Back to top
The first winner of the Honda Stars competition
has been decided. The hot little civic known as “littlekilla” has been
voted into the top spot, creating history as the very first winner of the
competition. The competition, set up for low budget tuners, saw three
entrants in the initial stages of the competition.  However,
Littlekilla later joined the race and was soon shown to be the crowd
favourite as it quickly shot past the other entrants to cop the top prize
for this round.
The owner,
Mr Rory Hawthorne, will receive a $3,000 gift voucher and Littlekilla will be entered in the end of year competition where it could win the Honda of the Year top prize of $20,000.00. Littlekilla is a 1995 Honda Civic Hatchback with ZC SOHC Turbocharged, t3/to4e, wings west body kit, invader bonnet, z3 fender, GSR brake conversion, full apexi conversion and more …. No details on the horsepower though.
JamaicanSportHonda.com would like to thank all those who
entered as well as all those who voted. Remember that this is an
ongoing competition, so if you were not a winner in this round, you are
welcome to enter again. Also, tell your friends who also own Hondas so
they may have a chance too. Congratulations, Littlekilla! Good luck in the
Honda of the year Competition!
Back to top
The Honda Stars Competition, a main feature of the
Jamaicansporthonda.com website, is gearing up to select its first winner
in its inaugural prize drawing. The Honda Stars
Competition, which is open to all types of Honda (excepting generators),
will be drawn on a monthly basis, and will see the monthly winners walking
away with a gift voucher of J$3,000.00 and an entry into the grand draw at
end of the year for a prize of J$20,000.00. The public is asked to vote on
the entries and the winner will be the Honda with the highest number of
votes. The first winner will be chosen at the end of July.
The Honda Stars competition is aimed at bringing
to the fore, the pride that the ordinary Honda owner feels in his or her
car. Jamaicansporthonda.com knows that not everyone can afford the
showstopper upgrades on their cars and this is now an opportunity for
everyone to get a chance at some recognition for whatever they can afford
to do with their Honda. Though it is likely that persons will be drawn to
a “tricked out” ride, there is nothing to say that a standard (stock)
Honda cannot win a prize, or even the main prize, as it is in the hands of
the public to decide, and there are quite a few out there who just like to
see a clean ride.
Everyone should feel free to enter as there is no
cost to enter and, who knows, you just might win! Click on the “Enter the
Honda Stars Competition” link and submit your pictures today!
www.jamaicansporthonda.com
Pure drive… Pure fun…
Just HONDA
Back to top
The freshened Honda Accord retained its position as
Consumer Reports  top-rated family sedan following a showdown between the Accord and the redesigned Toyota Camry for the August issue. The Accord was named Consumer Reports' Top Pick in the family sedan category for 2006 in the magazine's Annual April Auto Issue. "The top-rated Accord is a refined and comfortable family sedan that offers a slightly sportier edge than its competitors," said David Champion, senior director of Consumer Reports' Auto Test Centre in East Haddam, Connecticut.
For the August issue, Consumer Reports pulled together a group of four family sedans: a V6 Honda Accord EX, and three versions of the new Camry - a 6-cylinder XLE, a Hybrid, and a 4-cylinder LE. Full tests and ratings of the family and large sedans appear in the August issue of Consumer Reports which goes on sale July 4th.
Source: www.tmcnet.com
Back to top
An urban-oriented counterpart to the  Honda
Element will debut this fall boasting an exclusive sport suspension,
larger wheels and tires, unique styling, and special features as
demonstrated the Element SC Concept Honda displayed at the 2006 New York
International Auto Show.
"The SC prototype is the city-dwelling, style-conscious brother of the
original Element," said Dick Colliver, executive vice president of
American Honda. Its performance-oriented attitude is supported by such
SC-exclusive features as projector beam headlights, custom front bumper,
lowered suspension, large alloy wheels, custom grille, and a lowered
roofline trim effect.
The 2007 Element SC prototype also benefits from a 10 horsepower
increase to 166, with standard 5-speed manual transmission. A new 5-speed
automatic transmission will also be available, replacing the 4-speed
previously offered. In addition, a revised seat belt system integrated
into the front seats will allow rear seat occupants to exit the vehicle
without requiring front occupants to disconnect their seatbelts.
Source: www.trucktrend.com
Back to top
 The newest player on the local
internet automotive scene has been officially launched. The website,
JamaicanSportHonda.com, is dubbed "the home for Honda lovers in
Jamaica". Though not primarily aimed at the buyers market,
JamaicanSportHonda (JSH) aims to become a major player on the local
scene. JSH seeks to provide an area, exclusive to Honda owners and
Honda enthusiasts where they can meet online and discuss issues
relating to Honda. The forum – Honda Chat – is where visitors can go
to share ideas on any type of Honda, from pick-ups and SUVs to Quads
and motorbikes. JSH also provides news on Honda happenings as well
as tips and tricks to making your Honda better.
 The toast of the site
however, is the Honda Stars competition. This competition asks Honda
owners and enthusiasts to post pictures of their Honda, whether car,
bike or truck, and the public will vote on the one they think is the
best. A prize will be awarded to the Honda with the highest number
of votes, and the first and second place winners will be
automatically entered in the Honda of the year competition at the
end of the year.
JSH boss, retiring JDF Officer Captain Markland Lloyd, says he
hopes that JSH will find acceptance, especially amongst the Honda
tuners island wide. “The website was created by a Honda lover for
Honda lovers. My first car over ten years ago was an ’85 Civic, and
since then I have always owned a Honda. Honda is both classy and
stylish, and can compete against any other vehicle in the showroom
or on the streets. People will say that tuning other “lesser brands”
will cost much less, but tune as they might, it still won’t make
their car a Honda. Honda owners should be proud of the legacy that
they have bought into and strive to make the best of it.” The Honda
Stars competition officially kicked off in March
2006.
Back to top
TOKYO (Reuters) - Honda Motor Co. unveiled on Thursday the world's first airbag system to be mounted on a production model motorcycle, with plans to offer it on the new Gold Wing touring bike to hit U.S. showrooms this spring.
The airbag module is built in between the bike's handles and activates when four crash sensors detect a severe frontal collision, creating a buffer as the rider is flung forward on impact.
Honda, Japan's third-biggest car maker and the world's top motorcycle supplier, said the airbag would be effective in significantly reducing fatalities and serious injuries, citing data which shows that most occur during frontal collisions.
Honda will eventually offer the airbag option in Europe and Japan, Operating Officer Suguru Kanazawa told a news conference. The company declined to say how much the add-on would cost.
The 1800cc Gold Wing is Honda's biggest motorcycle and starts at $18,600 (10,130 pounds) in the United States. It sold 12,000 units in North America last year, 1,600 in Europe and 270 in Japan.
Officials said Honda aimed to offer the airbag on more motorcycles in future, but acknowledged a number of hurdles.
Because the airbag works by absorbing kinetic energy from the forward-flying rider, the motorcycle itself needs to be heavy enough not to tip over, throwing the driver over and past the deployed airbag.
The airbag also needs enough space to blow up safely in front of the rider, meaning the system can't be mounted on a sporty bike where the driver leans forward into the handle.
Still, Chief Engineer Satoshi Iijima said having the airbag could mean the difference between life and death. While the system works best in a straight-angle frontal collision at up to 50 km (31 miles) an hour, the airbag can slow down the rider being thrown off at twice the speed, causing only a minor injury in an accident that would otherwise result in certain death.
Honda is at the forefront of vehicle safety technology, offering Japan's first airbag in 1987 on the Legend high-end sedan. It began research and development on motorcycle airbags in 1990.
As part of its safety drive, Honda has also developed technology to warn motorcyclists of oncoming cars that are hidden from the rider's view, and headlight designs that help others on the road better gauge the distance from the motorcycle.
Those technologies are not yet available on production models.
Source: Reuters • September 2005
Back to top
Honda Working on Hybrid for the Home
American Honda Co. which has been working on hybrid cars, is now collaborating on a hybrid of sorts for the home: a roughly $8,000 (U.S.) natural gas system that "co-generates" heat and electricity. For consumers willing to invest $3,000 to $4,000 more than the cost of a conventional heating system, there's a potential for savings when it comes to paying energy bills down the road, according to Climate Energy LLC of Medfield, one of Honda's partners.
With the new system, called a Micro-CHP System, natural gas that home owners buy to convert to heat creates electricity as a bonus byproduct. The two companies plan to unveil a combined heat-and-power appliance that Climate Energy claims can shave about $600 off a local consumer's annual electricity bill. A pilot program is set to begin in the fall, and some time next year US consumers should be able to buy these appliances, which combine a customized heating unit with a piece of equipment about the size of a file cabinet that includes a generator powered by a Honda engine. Wade Terry, vice-president of Honda Power Equipment, noted that Honda has placed roughly 15,000 similar units in Japanese homes over the last two years.
Back to top
Integra: End of an Era
 The RSX, replacement for the eight-year old Integra, is the last model in the Acura lineup to get the five-sided grille, integrated headlights and taillights, and prominent nose badge that marks the offerings from Honda’s premium division. Conversely, it is the first front-drive Honda vehicle to have its engine rotated to move the exhaust manifold closer to the catalyst, and the only Acura to adopt a MacPherson strut front suspension.
Body and Chassis
Let’s face it, the Integra was tired after eight years and two generations had passed it by. The RSX has a more modern structure that uses high-tensile steel to increase bending resistance by 35%, and torsional rigidity by 116%. Yet, on average, the more highly contented RSX is only 100 lb. or so heavier than its predecessor.
Dimensionally, not much has changed.
The RSX and Integra have the same 101.2-in. wheelbase, but the new car is 0.2-in. shorter, 0.6-in. wider, 4.5-in. taller, and has a touch more ground clearance. The result is a roomier cabin that doesn’t force taller passengers to recline the front seats to clear the headliner, and wider front and rear tracks for improved handling.
Source: www.autofieldguide.com by Christopher A. Sawyer
Back to top
Honda recalling minivans because of potentially faulty sensors
WASHINGTON -- The Honda Motor Co. will recall thousands of its Odyssey minivans amid concerns that potentially faulty sensors for the frontal air bag system could make a warning lamp on the instrument panel remain illuminated, the company said Wednesday.
 Honda said the recall involved 85,154 Odyssey minivans from the 2005 model year. The company said the two sensors near the front bumper may be susceptible to corrosion from road salt, leading the warning light to turn on.
The warning light indicates a malfunction and instructs the driver to have the vehicle repaired. The company said in a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that some of the sensors were insufficiently sealed during manufacturing.
Sara Pines, a Honda spokeswoman, said there have been no reports of the frontal air bags improperly deploying or failing to deploy and there have been no injuries associated with the sensors.
"Anything that's related to safety is important to us. We feel that the best thing to do is simply to have this voluntary recall," Pines said.
The potential defect was noticed based on warranty claims and owners coming into dealerships after their malfunction indicator light turned on.
Owners will be notified beginning in late August and dealers will replace the sensors at no additional cost to the consumers.
The Odyssey has been a popular minivan. Through July, the automaker had sold more than 105,000 in the United States, 15 percent more than in 2004, according to research firm Autodata Corp.
In July, Honda sold more than 17,000 of the minivans, making it the fourth-highest selling minivan behind the Dodge Caravan, Chrysler Town & Country and Toyota Sienna, Autodata Corp. reported.
Source: Associated Press (Ken Thomas) August 2005
Back to top
The 2005 Accord Hybrid is here!
Is it the most self-indulgent car ever built, or the least?
What happens when you add hybrid technology to one of America's best-loved vehicles? You get performance and fuel efficiency in a very stylish and dependable package. The revolutionary new Accord Hybrid is a 255-hp, V-6 rocket that gives you more low-end torque with increased fuel economy. We're talking 37 mpg highway, 29 mpg city*. Plus, you get it all in the same safety-conscious and luxurious package you expect from the Accord family of vehicles. So indulge yourself with the most powerful, most fuel-efficient Accord ever made.
*Based on 2005 EPA mileage estimates. Use for comparison purposes only. Actual mileage may vary.
Source: American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Back to top
The 2006 Honda Ridgeline PickUp
Discover Honda's Rugged New 4WD 4DR Truck
The new Honda Ridgeline is brimming over with truck essentials, like rough-road capability, durable, rigid construction and plenty of versatile cargo room. Whether you throw down big payloads or rough roads, this rig can handle it.
 The Ridgeline is built to take punishment. The 5,000-lb. towing capacity and 1,550-lb. payload makes small work of big jobs. Its strength comes from an integrated closed-box frame with unit-body construction and powerful, 255-hp, V-6 engine. The Ridgeline also lays claim to heavy-duty agility, efficiency and a big dose of durability. It's all truck, and all Honda.
Better clear out some space in the garage, the Ridgeline is moving in.
Engineering Highlights.
• 255-hp, 3.5-Liter, High-Output VTEC® V-6 Engine
• 1,550-lb. Total Payload Capacity
• Four-Wheel Independent Suspension
• VTM-4® 4-Wheel Drive System
• Fully-Integrated Closed-Box Frame with Unit-Body Construction
Surprising the GM/Ford/Daimler-Chrysler triumvirate is
news in the U.S. that the first ever four-door pickup truck to gain the
country's highest five-star crash test safety rating is the 2006 Honda Ridgeline.
The new truck earned a 5-star safety rating for both
frontal and side-impact crash test performance from the National Highway Transportation Safety
Administration (NHTSA).
The Ridgeline joins the Odyssey, Element, CR-V and Pilot in offering
the top NHTSA safety rating. Honda is the world's preeminent maker of
engines for automobiles, motorcycles and power equipment.
Source: American Honda Motor Co., Inc & www.honda.ca
Back to top
|