Honda Insight Concept: Hybrid DriveMotoring Channel Staff - 6/October/2008 | 
Honda Insight Concept
Honda's all-new Insight hybrid has twin motors
Honda Puts Pressure on PriusHonda is
confident its new hybrid car, the Insight MkII, will be a success and
there's no reason why it couldn't give Toyota's Prius a fright. Not
only does it look like a Prius, albeit with a few more LED lights, the
Honda Insight will be cheaper, more efficient, and probably more
practical as well, giving it every chance of usurping the Prius. Honda
predicts 200,000 sales annually for the Insight hybrid, with half of
this number made up by American sales. Along with the CR-Z hybrid,
planned to launch in 2010, Honda expects to sell 500,000 hybrids per
year in the near future. - Feann Torr, Editor
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The Honda Insight Concept, along with the CR-Z
and FCX Clarity green cars will be on show in Paris
Honda Insight Concept
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Paris, France —
The push to get green cars on the road at the turn of the decade
intensified in the past couple of years, and now we are beginning
to see the fruits of this low emission automobile rush. Honda's
new Insight concept is a preview of the new hybrid car that will go on
sale in Europe, Japan, and North America in the first half of 2009. The production version of the Insight will be very similar to the concept, albeit without as many LED lights. Along
with cars like the Chevrolet Volt, drivers will soon have a wide
choice of environmentally friendly(er) vehicles to choose from as
consumer trends right across the world shift towards fuel efficient
cars. This concept car from Honda is a preview of the new
model that will take on the Toyota Prius, and is powered by a 1.3-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine, the same unit used in the Honda Civic Hybrid. Using an IMA system (Integrated Motor Assist) which has
seen the result of many advancements that cut the cost of the hybrid
system, Honda says the result is "the most
affordable hybrid vehicle to date". The Japanese motor car company has not yet divulged fuel efficiency numbers for the upcoming model but it is expected to provide even
better fuel economy than the Prius. Honda has revealed that it's engineers "mounted the compact
control unit and battery beneath the boot space to give the Insight
both a low centre of gravity and the practicality of a conventionally
powered hatchback". Making
its debut at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, an extravagant automotive event
that happens once every two years, the Honda Insight "will open hybrid
technology to a new generation of customers" says the company. No pricing has been revealed, but Honda is confident it will undercut the Toyota Prius. "The original Honda Insight launched in 1999 was the pioneer of hybrid
technology in Europe and remains an iconic symbol of Honda's
environmental innovation," said Takeo Fukui, Honda's CEO. "This new Insight will also break new ground by providing an affordable
hybrid to an expanded number of customers craving great fuel economy
and great value," said Fukui. Honda's
Insight hybrid, like the concept, will be a 5-door hatchback with
five seats. It will also include a range of high tech equipment and
systems to increase it's appeal to technology savvy buyers. Joining the Insight Concept car on the Honda stand will be the Honda CR-Z hybrid sports car and FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell car. The new Insight hybrid will be built alongside the Civic Hybrid at Honda's Suzuka factory in Japan, which has been upgraded to manufacture more hybrid motors. Related Links:
- Honda Jazz (2008)
- Honda Accord Euro (2008)
- Honda Accord V6 (Road Test)
- Honda OSM Concept (2008)
- Honda
Civic Hybrid
(Road Test)
- Honda
Accord Euro (Road Test)
- Honda Crime Avoidance Sat Nav (2008)
- Mugen Honda Civic Type-RR (2008)
- Honda HF-S Concept
(2007)
- Honda
Civic Type R (Road Test)
- Honda
CR-V (Road Test)
- Honda
Civic Type R - sedan (2007)
- Honda
CR-V (2007)
- Honda
Legend
(Road Test)
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