Thursday, March 26, 2009

The All-New 2009 Honda Insight - Green and ready to be seen

The long-awaited, all-new 2010 Honda Insight has made its debut on America's streets. Affordable and efficient* hybrid technology has become a reality for all by virtue of an affordable price and 41 mpg* combined fuel economy. Naturally, Honda increased the green factor with a sophisticated new system called Eco Assist™†. Stop by your local Honda dealer and experience the new Insight in person. For more information visit the new Insight section of the Honda Web site, or become a fan of the new Insight on Facebook.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Ever since Honda announced the revived Insight hybrid for 2010, rumors have swirled that the new model would undercut its chief rival, the Toyota Prius, in price by a few thousand dollars. Now, it's official. Honda's hot new hybrid will start at $19,800 (*plus $670 in destination charges) in base LX trim, meaning that for as little as $20,470, you can get your hands on an Insight with such standard features as power windows, automatic climate control, tilt and telescopic wheel and a sound system with CD player and auxiliary input jack for iPods.

One rung up the pricing ladder lands you an EX model for $21,300 (plus $670 in destination charges) and nets you stability control, alloy wheels, cruise control, paddle shifters for the CVT gearbox, and the ability to opt for GPS navigation. Of course, all models come with Honda's Integrated Motor Assist hybrid drivetrain with a 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine and the ability to travel 40 miles on a single gallon of gas in the city or 43 on the highway.

[Source: Honda]

PRESS RELEASE:
All-new Honda Insight Starts Under $20,000; Becomes Most Affordable New Hybrid Available in the U.S.Insight targets entry segment as gateway to hybrid technologyThe all-new 2010 Honda Insight goes on-sale March 24 with a manufacturer's suggested retail price1 (MSRP) of $19,800 for the Insight LX, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today.

The distinctively styled, five-passenger, five-door dedicated hybrid vehicle is powered by an Integrated Motor Assist™ (IMA™) system comprised of a 1.3-liter i-VTEC® gasoline engine and a 10-kilowatt electric motor that together contribute to an EPA-estimated city/highway fuel economy rating of 40/43 miles per gallonn2. The Insight features the Ecological Drive Assist System (Eco Assist™), an innovation that can further enhance efficient vehicle operation while providing feedback related to individual driving styles.

"The all-new Honda Insight brings the cost of entry for hybrid technology within closer reach of an entirely new car-shopping audience," said Dick Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda. "In addition to making good environmental sense, hybrid technology is now entering a new era where it can also make financial sense for a broader range of customers."

A sleek exterior blends design elements from the original 2000 Insight's highly aerodynamic side profile with a front-end design similar to the hydrogen-powered FCX Clarity, a marquee environmental product for Honda. The interior offers a roomy passenger environment with a configurable rear seating and cargo area that benefits from 60/40 split fold-down seats.

Major features standard to the Insight LX include front, front-side and side-curtain airbags; an anti-lock braking system; a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT); Eco Assist; automatic climate control; tilt and telescope steering column; manual driver's seat height adjustment; power windows; a four-speaker AM/FM audio system with CD player and auxiliary audio input for external digital music players; and much more.

A more premium version of the Insight is also available. The Insight EX, with a MSRP of $21,300, adds to the Insight LX features with Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®); alloy wheels; cruise control; steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters; an upgraded audio system with six speakers; USB audio interface3; a center console with armrest and storage compartment; heated side mirrors with integrated turn signals; and much more. Exclusively available on the Insight EX, the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System4 (6.5-inch screen) with voice recognition provides routing and guidance to individual addresses and more than 7 million points of interest within the continental United States. Models equipped with the navigation system also include Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink® for hands-free operation of compatible mobile telephones, along with related steering wheel-mounted controls for voice activation of navigation and hands-free telephone systems.

A 4-cylinder engine with intelligent variable valve timing and a DC brushless electric motor forms the foundation of the IMA hybrid system. The electric motor, positioned in-line between the engine and the transmission, adds power during acceleration and in certain cruising situations, and recaptures energy from the vehicle's forward momentum during braking (regenerative braking).

The Insight's IMA system has the capability to operate exclusively on electric power in certain low- to mid-speed cruising conditions. It can also provide cylinder deactivation during deceleration and an idle-stop feature when the vehicle is stationary. With a 10.6-gallon fuel tank, the Insight delivers an estimated maximum driving range exceeding 400 miles. Models for sale in California and states that have adopted the California Air Resources Board (CARB) ZEV standards receive an Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV) emissions rating.

The Insight introduces Eco Assist to help drivers achieve improved real-world fuel economy. Eco Assist is a feature designed to help drivers optimize fuel efficiency for their given set of driving conditions. Pressing the ECON button can further enhance the efficiency of multiple vehicle systems: throttle control, CVT operation, idle-stop duration, air conditioning and cruise-control operation (EX only). Eco Assist also provides feedback about driving style via a 3D-appearing background within the speedometer. The background changes colors from green to blue to reflect how efficiently or inefficiently the driver is accelerating or braking (green = efficient). The driver's results are continuously tracked as fuel-economy ratings are shown per drive cycle and on a lifetime basis in the form of plant-leaf graphics that appear in the Multi-Information Display (MID). Up to five leaves can be 'earned' as the driver demonstrates a fuel-efficient driving style. A real-time score is shown in the Eco Guide MID screen.

Standard safety features on all Insights include dual-stage, dual-threshold front airbags; front-side airbags with a passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS); side-curtain airbag system; anti-lock brakes with electronic brake distribution (EBD); driver's and front-passenger's active head restraints and a front body designed to mitigate pedestrian injuries. All new Insights also feature Honda's Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure, which provides improved frontal-crash compatibility between vehicles of different size and ride height.

Honda is a leader in developing cleaner, more fuel-efficient vehicle technologies, including the original Honda Insight, introduced as America's first mass-produced hybrid car in December 1999. Honda is also a leader in the development of advanced alternatives to gasoline, including the zero-emission, hydrogen-powered FCX Clarity fuel-cell car, the world's most advanced production fuel-cell automobile.

2010 Honda Insight Pricing and EPA Data

Model MSRP1 EPA City/Hwy/Combined
Insight LX $19,800 40/43/41
Insight EX $21,300 40/43/41
Insight EX with Navi $23,100 40/43/41

smart USA is planting trees!

In celebration of the smart fortwo’s first year anniversary in the United States, smart USA will plant a tree in honor of every vehicle sold in 2008. In partnership with American Forests and Daimler Financial Services, smart USA will plant approximately 25,000 trees in the Cache River State Natural Area, located in southern Illinois, about 150 miles southeast of St. Louis, Missouri. smart USA plans to continue this initiative for every vehicle sold in 2009 as well. This partnership not only celebrates the smart fortwo owner, but also helps the environment, much like the environmentally friendly smart fortwo.

Simply by purchasing this vehicle, smart fortwo owners have already played an active role in supporting the environment. In addition to great fuel economy, the smart fortwo is up to 95% recyclable, and is certified as a SmartWay vehicle for its low air pollutant and greenhouse gas scores by the Environmental Protection Agency. The smart fortwo leaves a small carbon footprint on the American landscape.

smart fortwo owners, as well as the general public, will be able to visit the Cache River State Natural Area, or camp overnight at Fern Cliff State Park, located across from the tree planting site*. In addition, when owners reach the one year anniversary of taking delivery of their vehicle, they can download a certificate recognizing this environmental contribution.

American Forests, the country’s oldest non-profit citizens’ conservation organization, is a world leader in planting trees for environmental restoration, a pioneer in the science and practice of urban forestry, and a primary communicator of the benefits of trees and forests. Since 1875, American Forests has been working to create healthy forest ecosystems for every community. smart USA will be planting the trees as part of the American Forests' Global ReLeaf campaign, which is dedicated to planting native trees in rural and urban ecosystem restoration projects across the United States and around the world. The Cache River State Natural Area project will create large blocks of historic hardwood bottomlands that support neotropical migratory birds. It will provide high-quality swamp and wetland habitats for more than 100 species listed as threatened or endangered, such as river otters, little blue herons, and the Indiana bat.
Click here to visit the American Forests website.

If you are a smart fortwo owner, you can download an official certificate recognizing the tree planted in honor of each smart fortwo sold in the United States. Please enter the last 6 digits of your VIN# and the state in which you purchased your smart fortwo.
Go to http://www.smartusa.com/smart-fortwo-plant-a-tree.asp

Note: Only smart fortwo owners who have reached or passed their one year anniversary will be able to download the electronic certificate.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

MINI Performance Group - Tech Talk

Hello Mini Enthusiasts! March 14th MPG (the Mini Performance Group) will gather at the Albany Pump Station at 9:00am for a Tech Talk with Kyle, head technician, from Keeler MINI. Bring your MINI questions and pick up a few tips to keep your MINI running beautifully. There will be raffles, door prizes, and bagels/coffee to boot (and bonnet)! All Mini owners and their friends are welcome. Come and find out what we're all about! Hope to see you there!
Jamie & Dan
PS You can email your Mini questions ahead (so Kyle can get a jump on them) to mpgminis@hotmail.com.
Thanks!

Best and Worst Depreciating Vehicles

The MINI Cooper is one of the best investments in the automotive world. After three years, the mighty MINI retains 67 percent of its value.


Next to purchasing a home, buying a car is one of the toughest financial decisions a person will ever have to make. And today's topsy-turvy economic climate, which has caused a double-digit dip in new car sales over the past year, makes that decision even more complicated. Regardless, people are still in the market for quality, well-built automobiles to get them to work, the grocery store and the kids' soccer practice. But their buying criteria have changed.

According to Automotive Lease Guide's most recent Automobile Consumer Attitudes Study (ACAS Fall/Winter 2008), 64 percent of respondents intend to buy a vehicle in the next three years. However, consumers want to spend less and test the pre-owned, or used, market more.
As a result, choosing a ride that will maintain a greater amount of its value over the average car ownership period (5 years) is more important than ever.

What Is Depreciation?
The biggest cost of car ownership isn't gas, repairs or that 20-speaker, 1,000-watt sound system installed by the dealer. No, it's depreciation — or a car's decrease in value over time. Depreciation should not only be a crucial factor in a purchase decision but also a determinant of whether you have made a good buying choice these days. It therefore helps to know which vehicles have the best (lowest) depreciation and which have the worst (highest).

With the help of the folks at ALG, experts in gauging depreciation for the automobile industry, we've compiled this list of vehicles with the best and worst resale values based on their original manufacturer's suggested retail price. The percentage shown represents how much of the original sticker price the vehicle has retained over the last three years.

Best 5 Models in Value Retention
Rank Brand Model 3-Year Retention

1. MINI Cooper 67%
2. Toyota Camry 62%
3. Toyota RAV4 62%
4. Scion xB 61%
5. Honda CR-V 60%

Worst 5 Models in Value Retention
Rank Brand Model 3-Year Retention

1. Ford Freestar 27%
2. Ford **Taurus 28%
3. Chrysler Sebring convertible 28%
4. Chevrolet Uplander 28%
5. Pontiac Montana 30%

**This does not include the new 2010 Ford Taurus

How Is a Car Valuated?
So what makes one car worth nearly 60 percent of its initial purchase price after three years, while another could have fallen to 20 percent of its original sticker price? "There are a number of tangible and some intangible factors that affect valuations," says Eric Ibara, director of market valuation for Kelley Blue Book. "The most obvious is supply versus demand."

If a car is in low supply and high demand, it will probably retain value, and vice versa. "For example, the high fleet penetration of the Ford Taurus has created a huge supply relative to its demand, driving its price down," says Fernando Ubeda, manager of custom modeling and analytics for ALG. Generally, cars that depreciate fastest are sold in large numbers at big discounts to rental-car or corporate fleets, like the aforementioned Taurus. Those flood the used-car market when the fleets replace their vehicles.

To read more go to:

http://editorial.autos.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=900726&page=2