As the North American economy slowly turns towards the better, automotive manufacturers with plants within the United States looks to make some big changes in order to meet their new increased levels of demand. Honda is now looking to spend $84 million towards hiring 100 more workers and expanding the production of their light trucks and engines at a plant in Alabama.

Currently the Lincoln, Alabama plant produces around 300,000 vehicles and engines yearly, but Honda anticipates by 2013 that its production will be increased to 340,000. Currently the plant employs 4,000 people to help meet demands that have increased 10-percent this year through October.

The plant is currently responsible for making Odyssey minivans, Pilot sport-utility vehicles and Ridgeline pickups along with the six-cylinder engines they utilize under the hood. Honda is also looking to shift production of their Acura MDX SUV to this factory.

[Source: Automotive News]

Honda decided to give its Ridgeline a refresh for the 2012 model, and has announced pricing for the revamped pickup. The 2012 Ridgeline will be available in four different models: Ridgeline RT, the new Ridgeline Sport, Ridgeline RTS and Ridgeline RTL. The changes to the 2012 model include a new grille design, aerodynamic improvements, friction reduction measures in the engine and a new EPA fuel rating of 15/21/17 city/highway/combined mpg.

The Ridgeline RT will start at $29,250 while the Ridgeline Sport – which seems to give you the best bang for your back – will be priced at $29,995. The Ridgeline RTS comes in at $31,995 while the top-of-the-line Ridgeline RTL starts at $34,830 and $37,180 with navigation.

The Ridgeline Sport (pictured above) comes with several upgrades over the standard RT for a minimal price difference: 18-inch black alloy wheels, black honeycomb grille with black surround, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, auxiliary audio input jack, fog lights, rear privacy glass, all-weather floor mats and black headlight/brake light housings.

Powertrain wise, the Ridgeline still sports the 3.5L V6 with 250-hp and 247 lb-ft of torque. All 2012 Ridgelines will come with Honda’s 3 year, 36,000 mile new-car limited warranty and a 5 year, 60,000 mile powertrain limited warranty and a 5 year, unlimited mile corrosion limited warranty.

GALLERY: 2012 Honda Ridgeline Sport

While it hasn’t exactly caught on with mainstream truck buyers, it appears that rumors of the Honda Ridgeline’s imminent demise are nothing but hearsay.

American Honda has now gone officially on the record, stating that such statements are utterly false. On October 4th, 2011, Sage Marie, manager for Honda Truck Planning declared in a statement that  ”in no uncertain terms, the reports in the media that we have plans to discontinue the Ridgeline pick-up truck are false.

To the contrary, Ridgeline has a significant role in the Honda line-up and it is expected to continue in the foreseeable future. Ridgeline was developed to meet the needs of our customers. They have told us that it is important to offer a pick-up truck and Honda will remain committed to both the vehicle and the segment. Evidence to that fact is that we have announced the new 2012 Ridgeline will receive fresh styling cues, improved fuel efficiency, and even a new Sport model that promises to attract attention.”

Sage also went on to say that while it is still to early to talk about future plans “I can reassure that [the Ridgeline] will continue to build onto its fundamental strengths, and will remain an important part of the Honda product portfolio.”

For over to a decade, Stephan Papadakis rewrote pages and pages of the drag racing record books behind the wheel of several different Hondas. Looking for a new challenge, Papadakis took to drifting in a beautiful Chargespeed widebody S2000 before dedicating his time to running a very successful race and drift program that included back-to-back Formula Drift championships with Tanner Foust behind the wheel. Now Papadakis is back behind the wheel of a Honda, but this is not a sports car, nor is it a Civic.

For the 2011 season Papadakis is competing in the Pro Lite Truck Racing series, driving a highly-modified Honda Ridgeline off-road. But in true tuner fashion, this truck doesn’t have factory V6 under the hood, but a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder – the very same motor found in Honda’s new 2012 Civic Si.

This isn’t actually Papadakis’ first try at off-road truck racing, having campaigned a KA-powered Nissan in the Lucas Offroad Series last year in the Unlimited Pro Lite 2WD class. After the experience he was hooked but decided to go back to his Honda roots with this Ridgeline.

[Source: Wrecked Magazine]

Demand for Honda’s light trucks, like the CR-V, Pilot and Ridgeline, with the company posting a 33% sales increase for light trucks compared to 2009.

High demand and lower inventory levels mean that Honda has been able to stave off the barrage of incentives that rival Toyota has been promoting, due to a series of recent quality problems with their staple products like the Camry. Honda executive Vice President John Mendel warned dealers not to get overconfident despite a sharp rebound in sales last month.

“We’re saying don’t compare yourself to the last day you felt good, which was last year.,” Mendel said. “Try to compare yourself to where you were in April, May of 2007, 2006, and try to focus on that in terms of, if you’re coming back, where should you be.”

[Source: Automotive News]

Since it’s introduction, Honda’s truck/activity vehicle has often polarized opinion. Car like unibody construction and all independent suspension deliver good on road manners, but the 4WD system and lockable in-bed trunk space have drawn criticism from many quarters, as did the engine’s lack of low end torque. Sales have never really met Honda’s expectations of 50,000 per units a year and in 2009, just 16,464 were sold. It comes as little surprise then that company sources have told PickupTrucks.com that the truck won’t see a second generation.

Although Honda has yet to confirm the rumors, a spokesperson for the company did mention that no significant changes are planned for the Ridgeline through 2011. Based on past experiences with many other vehicles, such a strategy is often reserved for those products living on borrowed time.

[Source PickupTrucks.com]