Honda is looking to make big changes across its product lineup, and the first model to go under the microscope is the next generation of the award winning and incredibly popular Civic. The Japanese automaker wants to make all of its vehicles more fuel efficient and less expensive, which will require significant changes to the Civic, a car that is already well-along in the development process.

In an interview with Automotive News Company CEO Takanobu Ito said, “We are taking more time to rethink the civic and all our models.” COO Tsuneo Tanai elaborated on this saying that Civic engineers were specifically told to make the car smaller, lighter and more fuel efficient than it was originally designed to be. This could be problematic as the next Civic was set to be larger than the current car.

The worry is that this new stage of development could delay the car, which could also delay numerous other Civic-based vehicles, like the CR-V.

Honda believes this focus on fuel-economy is the way to go. “We perceived that U.S. customers are sensitive to the external environment, and their response is very direct,” said Tanai, referring to the rise in gasoline prices last year that caused the Civic to out-sell the Ford F-Series pickup.

If Honda intends to keep to a five year production cycle, the next Civic will have to arrive some time next year as as 2011 model.

[Source: Automotive News via AutoWeek]

Just last week Mitsubishi announced that it is planning to bring over a smaller Lancer-based crossover to North America and now comes word that the Japanese automaker has yet another new model to debut shortly thereafter. Based on a new global small car platform the car will be smaller than the Colt (shown above), which is currently on sale in both Japan and Europe. Fuel-economy for this new model is important and the engine size could be as large as 1.3-liters or as small as just 1.0-liters. It is not clear if this new model will replace the current Colt (which is in the same class as the Toyota Yaris, Hyundai Accent and Honda Fit) or if it will be more of a mini-car.

This new platform will also spawn an electric car and a plug-in hybrid. Mitsubishi is planning to bring one of the two green options to North America but has not yet decided which one.

Having suffered significantly in the recent recession, Mitsubishi is examining where it stands as a manufacturer and is aiming to grow its business in North America by offering extremely fuel-efficient models.

The company is also examining it’s U.S. dealer network and is looking to cut some loose while signing up others (in prime locations) that were let go by Chrysler and General Motors.

[Source: AutoWeek]

Having recently been awarded a $500 million loan by the U.S. government to build affordable pug-in hybrids, Fisker Automotive is expected to build those cars at a shuttered General Motors plant in Delaware. Vice President Joe Biden is expected to announce tomorrow that the California-based Fisker company will revive the Boxwood Road facility in Wilmington.

The plant, which built the Pontiac Solstice, Saturn Sky and their Opel variant, closed only recently as a result of GM’s decision to eliminate the Pontiac brand and sell-off Saturn.

The half billion dollar loan that Fisker recently received is part of the Department of Energy’s $25 billion Advanced Technologies Vehicle Manufacturing Loan Program. Fisker said it, “represents a significant step in America’s future.”

A portion of the loan will go towards final development of the luxurious and expensive Karma PHEV. The Karma uses a technology similar to the Chevy Volt, but is considerably more powerful, allowing the 403hp luxury car to hit 62 mph in six seconds while getting 67 mpg. It can drive on pure electric power for up to 50 miles, with a total extended range of 300 miles.

The majority of the loan will go towards building a new generation of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) that will cost $39,900 after tax credits.

Fisker says the project will create or save at least 5,000 jobs among U.S. auto suppliers and in manufacturing the hybrids.

[Source: DetroitFreePress]

Ford has once again reached out to resto-mod tuner shop Mobsteel to build a display car for the SEMA Show that kicks off next week. Specializing in rebuilding 1960s Lincoln Continentals, Ford noticed two of these cars at SEMA a few years back and had the Mobsteel crew build a custom Ford Flex for last year’s show. That car also won two awards at the show.

This year, Ford is (apparently) putting the focus on the high-powered Taurus and we can only hope Mobsteel’s SHO is as serious as the Lincolns they build.

The car will feature a modified body with a new front and rear end, as well as new side skirts. In addition, all the vehicle’s chrome has been removed and replaced with more subtle brushed aluminum. Shop owner Adam Genei says he liked the look of the new Taurus and that its design doesn’t require as much modification as the Flex did. Genei also said that once the vehicle is completed it will still have a, “certain level of sophistication,” which is rare for the often overdone SEMA show cars.

Along with the shop’s custom work, Mobsteel is working with several other companies (including Pirelli, MagnaFlow and Super Chips) to build the SHO.

We’ll be sure to bring you coverage of the car, as well as the other SEMA SHOw cars starting November 3rd.

See AutoGuide’s live SEMA Coverage here!

[Source: LivingstonDaily]

The rumors about the Toyota FT-86 Concept’s production name are as numerous as the theories, with reports pointing in all sorts of different directions. According to the folks at the U.K.’s AutoCar, the car is likely to be called the Celica. The name is apparently being considered because it has a long history and resonates with consumers. However, most younger buyers (at which the car is aimed) are more likely to remember the Celica as the front-drive model that never quite lived up to the Acura Integra/RSX competition. And if Toyota truly wants this car to represent a new direction for the company, it would be best to go with something original.

Another source, The Detroit Bureau, proposes the theory that the FT-86 will become the next Scion tC. The tC is desperately in need of a replacement and the target audience is right. And considering the FT’s resemblance to the new Lexus LFA supercar, it would create a continuity between Totyota’s brands. The problem with that theory is that the FT would be priced much higher and be more performance oriented than the current tC, meaning the brand would still need a mainstream, front-drive volume seller to compete against sporty rivals like the Honda Civic.

Still, we have to think it will remain a Toyota model and don’t have much faith (or love for) the Celica name.

GALLERY: Toyota TF-86 Concept

Get more FT-86 News Here

[Source: AutoCar and TheDetroitBureau]

Get out your old Whitesnake muscle shirt because the Trans Am is back… sort of. The Corvette and Chevy tuning experts at Lingenfelter have announced that they will bring a modern Trans Am to the SEMA Show in Las Vegas next week, taking inspiration from the 1971 second-gen TA. That means it will have a 445-cubic inch V8 engine under the hood making 655-hp.

The car will also get a duck-tail spoiler, fender vents, a twin-port front grille, 20-inch honeycomb wheels and the obligatory screamin’ chicken. Lingenfelter also promises a retr0-styled interior.

Called the Lingenfeler LTA (Lingenfelter Trans Am) Concept the car is a one-off, but there is cretain to be huge demand for the car – especially considering the popularity of the new Camaro – so a limited number of production models is a definite possibility

We’ll be sure to bring you full coverage of the Lingenfelter Trans Am from the SEMA Show starting November 3rd.

See AutoGuide’s live SEMA Coverage here!

GALLERY: Lingenfelter Trans Am

[Source: InsideLine]

The first ever Camaro to be built by Hurst Performance Vehicles has been sold for a sum of $61,900  at an eBay auction. The car makes 445-hp and is outfitted with a complete modification package including Hurst wheels, an Eibach suspension, a Magnaflow exhaust, as well as a selection of Hurst aerodynamic modifications and, of course, a Hurst shifter.

The winning bidder won’t be able to drive the car just yet, however, as it is first scheduled to appear at the SEMA Show next week. As the highest bidder, however, the new owner will be flown down to see his new car in Las Vegas at the SEMA Show, where he can drool all over it – as well as all over every other wild car there.

AutoGuide’s live coverage of the SEMA Show starts November 3rd.

See AutoGuide’s live SEMA Coverage here!

GALLERY: Hurst Camaro

More on the Hurst Camaro after the jump:

Continue Reading…

After launching the Krom edition of the Cube, Nissan has announced the Rogue crossover will get one too. Looking somewhat odd, with a tiny little grille and a great big GT-R-sized air dam, we can at least say that the Krom Edition adds a little flavor to the otherwise mild Rogue.

The Krom Edition is based on the Rogue S and gets 17-inch wheels with 225/60/17 Continental Conti 4×4 tires, the unique front end with integrated fog lights, a new rear bumper with integrated center-exit exhaust, a rear spoiler and paint-matched mirrors. Inside there’s a Krom emblem on the steering wheel, which also includes audio controls. The Krom Edition Rogue will be available in three colors: Venom Red, Wicked Black and Gotham Gray, starting in December.

“The new Krom edition expands Rogue’s already strong appeal, bringing its unmistakable sporty and active design to buyers seeking to stand out from the crowd of ordinary compact SUVs,” said Pat Steiner, director, Specialty Vehicles Group, NNA. “Just as our NISMO models add enhanced performance straight from the factory, the Krom lineup offers intriguing, customized design right off the showroom floor.”

That being said, we should probably expect more Krom Edition vehicles from Nissan in the future.

Official release after the jump:

Continue Reading…

Having just officially launched its Leaf electric car at the Tokyo Auto Show in Japan, Nissan has announced the potentially revolutionary new vehicle will start a U.S. tour. Set to begin on November 13th in Los Angeles, the Leaf will then travel to Northern California before crisscrossing the country. The Leaf will stop in 22 cities in 11 states, as well as the District of Columbia and one stop in Vancouver, Canada.

Nissan is hoping to use the tour to educate people on the Leaf and the benefits of zero-emissions driving.

The Leaf is powered by lithium-ion battery packs and is rated at 80kW/280Nm, (107-hp and 207 ft-lbs of torque), which should make this sub-compact a sporty little car.

Nissan says it will be able to drive 100 miles on a single charge. The batteries will be able to be charged up to 80 percent in less than 30 minutes with a special quick charger, or in roughly eight hours through a standard 200V outlet. Nissan says that through extensive research the 100 mile range will be suitable for 70 percent of car buyers.

Next year 5,000 vehicles will be available in five U.S. markets: the Phoenix-Tucson region of Arizona, Oregon, San Diego, Seattle and Tennessee. Fleet sales will also be offered in 2010, while full retails sales are planned for 2012.

GALLERY: Nissan Leaf

For a full list of stops on the Nissan Leaf Zero Emission tour, follow the jump:

Continue Reading…

Honda has just announced that due to a rule change for the 2010 Super GT Series, the NSX won’t be returning next year. The rules strictly state that all GT500 Class cars must be front-engine and rear-wheel drive. The NSX, of course, being mid-engined, does not qualify.

While the NSX hasn’t been built since 2005, the car’s racing days weren’t quite over yet, although it does appear as though the best was behind them. Still, Honda managed the Driver and Team Championships in 2007 (as well as back in 2000). In total, the NSX-GT was on pole 49 times and won 36 times.

Even this year five teams put their faith in the NSX as a winner. The list includes NSX racers from Rockstar Dome, Epson, Arta, Raybring and Keihin.

The final race for the year is at Motegi on November 7th. The car has been in the series for 13 years.

Honda says a replacement for the NSX-GT will be announced soon, although it’s really not clear what that vehicle could be.

There is also a possibility that the car will be permitted to run in the lower-level GT300 class, although changes would most certainly be required.

[Source: JonSibal]