September 1, 2005 -
Honda Motor Europe Ltd. announced today that Honda will
display an exciting quartet of new and reinvigorated
models at the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show (September 17th
– 25th; Press days September 13th & 14th).
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New Civic
Hybrid |
The highlight of Honda’s show will be the public debut
of the new Civic, just six months after the concept
version appeared at the Geneva Motor Show. Honda will
also be giving a world debut to the all-new Civic
Hybrid, which is expected to deliver a world leading
level of emissions performance with the improved Honda
hybrid system. With an enhanced Accord range and
reinvigorated Honda S2000 also due to be unveiled at the
show, Honda is expected to deliver a stunning display.
In addition to the quartet of new and revised models,
Honda will also be exhibiting the European Legend
Prototype, and a Technical Display showing Legend’s
advanced safety systems such as the Pop-up Hood designed
to reduce pedestrian head injury, Collision Mitigation
Brake System (CMBS), and Intelligent Night Vision
System.
A press conference is scheduled for September 13th from
11:15 (CEST), at the Honda booth.
The New Civic for Europe
This eighth generation of the vehicle promises to set
new standards in the highly competitive European
C-segment and particularly in its premium sector. The
new Civic is remarkable in that the transformation from
concept to production has seen little change to the
exterior design.
The new Civic combines striking styling with clever
packaging. A dynamic wedge-shaped cab-forward design is
key to the new model; however, flexibility and packaging
have not been compromised. The tandem distance*, which
is a key indicator of in-car roominess, is on a par with
some larger D-segment contenders. Utility is provided by
rear seats that have a one-motion, dive down feature
instantaneously creating a flat loading space, as well
as a unique cargo floor that can either conceal items
stored beneath it or be dropped down to reveal the
under-floor compartment.
The new range is available with a choice of three
engines, all making their debut in the Civic. The
1.8-liter is a completely new unit and benefits from
innovation in the i-VTEC system and promises fuel
economy on a par with that of a 1.5-liter engine but the
off-the-line acceleration equivalent to that of a
2.0-liter. The range will also feature Honda’s acclaimed
2.2 i-CTDi diesel engine, which will establish a new
benchmark in the segment, and a 1.4 i-DSI
(intelligent-Dual and Sequential Ignition) unit
producing no more than 143 g/km of CO2.
Honda has ensured that the new car will be one of the
safest in its class and the model benefits from standard
features such as ABS with Electronic Brake force
Distribution (EBD), Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) and
an innovative seat belt reminder system for the rear
passengers. The company expects that the new Civic will
achieve Euro NCAP ratings of 5 stars for front and side
impact safety, 3 stars for pedestrian safety and 4 stars
for child protection safety.
New Civic Hybrid
The all-new 4-door Civic Hybrid, which will make its
world debut at Frankfurt, promising world-leading
emissions performance and even more economical motoring
than its predecessor, in addition to its modern and
distinctive styling.
A new 1.3-liter 3-stage i-VTEC engine is employed with a
more efficient Integrated Motor Assist system (IMA),
which can improve the recovery of braking energy by 10%
compared to the current Civic IMA. In addition, the new
Honda Hybrid System achieves an approximately 20%
greater output over the current system – and its
performance is equal to that of a 1.8-liter engine –
while improving fuel economy by 5%.
New Accord for 2006
An enhanced version of Honda’s award-winning D-segment
contender will also have its first public outing at the
show. As well as receiving an interior and exterior
facelift, the Accord range will also benefit from the
first application in Europe of Honda’s ADAS (Advanced
Driving Assist Systems) technologies.
The innovative suite of systems is aimed at making the
driving experience relaxing and, above all, safer.
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), which regulates the speed
of the car and its distance to the vehicle in front,
will be equipped. In addition, the European first Lane
Keeping Assist System (LKAS), which detect lane markings
on motorways and applies the appropriate amount of
torque to the steering, will also be available (as a
factory-equipped option on right-hand drive models
only).
The Honda S2000
Frankfurt will also provide the first opportunity to see
the revitalized Honda S2000, Honda’s iconic two-seater
roadster. The driveability of the Honda S2000 has been
enhanced by fitting a DBW (drive-by-wire) system for
better throttle control and engine management. The
addition of VSA and an improved gear shift complete the
changes to the mechanical specification.
In addition to the new factory option hard top, a new
three-part speedster cover is available. The cover fits
over the folded hood and features a pair of raised domes
that sweep back from the two headrests/rollover bars to
provide a distinctive look reminiscent of many classic
sports cars.
The fresh look and feel is completed by the addition of
two new exterior colours; Deep Burgundy metallic and
Bermuda Blue pearlescent; a new interior combination;
brown (birch) and black; and a new audio system
featuring 60W speakers located within the two roll-over
hoops behind the head rests.
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