Inside Line: IL Track Tested: 2012 Honda Civic Si Coupe

No, your eyes aren't playing tricks on you. This is not the last gen, but rather the all-new 2012 Honda Civic Si.

For 2012 Honda expanded the stroke and bore of the old 2.0 so now the Civic Si displaces 2.4 liters and produces 201 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 170 pound-feet of torque at "only" 4,300 rpm. That's 22 percent more torque than the outgoing car, arriving nearly 2,000 rpm sooner.

We walked away from a first drive of the 2012 Honda Civic Si pleased with the additional torque, and the handling was exactly what we expected from the Si. But that was on a Honda-prepped autocross course under careful supervision.

Now that we've got one on home turf, it's time to see what the 2012 Honda Civic Si will do in our performance tests...

Vehicle: 2012 Honda Civic SI Coupe
Date Tested: 5-3-2011
Driver: Chris Walton

Specifications:
Drive Type: Transverse, front-engine, front-wheel drive
Transmission Type: Six-speed manual
Displacement (cc/cu-in): 2,354
Redline (rpm): 7,100
Horsepower (hp @ rpm): 201 @ 7,000
Torque (lb-ft @ rpm): 170 @ 4,300
Steering System: Electric-assist rack-and-pinion power steering
Suspension Type (front): Independent MacPherson struts, coil springs, stabilizer barSuspension Type (rear): Independent multilink, coil springs, lateral links, stabilizer bar
Tire Size (front): 215/45ZR17 (91W)
Tire Size (rear): 215/45ZR17 (91W)
Tire Brand: Michelin Tire Model: Pilot Exalto PE2
Tire Type: Summer performance
Wheel size: 17-by-7 inches front and rear
Wheel material (front/rear): Cast aluminum
As tested Curb Weight (lb): 2,845

Test Results:
Acceleration
0-30 (sec): 2.6 (2.9 with T/C on)
0-45 (sec): 4.6 (4.8 with T/C on)
0-60 (sec): 6.9 (7.1 with T/C on)
0-60 with 1-ft Rollout (sec): 6.6 (6.9 with T/C on)
0-75 (sec): 10.1 (10.2 with T/C on)
1/4-Mile (sec @ mph): 15.1 @ 93.1 (15.3 @ 93.1 with T/C on)

Braking
30-0 (ft): 29
60-0 (ft): 120

Handling
Slalom (mph): 67.3 (62.8 with T/C ON)
Skid Pad Lateral acceleration (g): 0.86 (0.84 with T/C ON)

Sound
Db @ Idle: 43.1
Db @ Full Throttle: 80.4
Db @ 70 mph Cruise: 67.4
RPM @ 70: 3,000

Comments
Acceleration: Power delivery is far more linear than previous 2.0L Si engine, but i-VTEC is still evident -- more audible than palpable, though. With trac off, it's tricky to launch with just-right wheelspin, but it can be done and subtracts about a half-second from time. It's difficult to hang revs at a desired rpm because the throttle is so sensitive and revs climb and drop with a millimeter of throttle travel. Shifter is still very good, but feels ike it has a longer throw than previous Si's.

Braking: Some initial pedal travel, then very firm thereafter. Not much initial bite. Zero ABS buzz, little tire squeal, but rear end gets light and wiggles side-to-side.

Handling: Skid pad: With ESC off, gently understeers all the way around. "Steering" with the throttle doesn't work -- no rotation possible. With ESC on, the system grabs a brake and keeps it just inside understeer. Steering weight is good -- not too heavy or light or electric-feeling.

Slalom: With ESC off, the car is sensitive to entry speed and likes to rotate off-throttle. Best run was entry at just barely sub-limit, then barely adjust throttle for a tiny bit of rotation at each cone, then MASH the throttle at exit. It's a delicate technique, and there's probably +1 mph left, but this would be a "perfect" run. With ESC on, it's punishing to the slightest bit of tire howl or sliding -- hence slow.





Source;
http://blogs.insideline.com/straightline/2011/05/il-track-tested-2012-honda-civic-si-coupe.html

Inside Line: 2011 Dodge Charger vs. The General Lee Track Video

Shear awesomeness....

Inside Line: 2011 Honda Odyssey Touring Long-Term Test

By Mark Takahashi, Associate Editor Published Feb 28, 2011

Our staff is growing up. We've got two new babies and a new hire with a 5-year-old, so it seems fitting that our long-term test fleet should add a little bulk. In the spirit of baby announcements, please join us in welcoming the 2011 Honda Odyssey Touring to our growing family. This rather large delivery took place on February 1, weighing in at 4,541 pounds and measuring 202.9 inches.

What We Got
There are five Honda Odyssey trim levels, with our Touring model ranking second only to the Touring Elite. Included with our Topaz Metallic minivan are 18-inch alloy wheels, dual power-sliding doors, a power liftgate, a sunroof, foglights, front and rear parking sensors, leather upholstery, memory settings for the driver, retractable third-row sunshades — deep breath — a fold-down armrest for third-row passengers and both the navigation and rear-seat entertainment systems. Opting for the range-topping Touring Elite would've added xenon headlights, a blind-spot warning system, an upgraded rear-seat entertainment system with a 16-inch HD widescreen video monitor (with HDMI input) and a premium 650-watt, 12-speaker surround-sound audio system.

Like all 2011 Odysseys, ours is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 that makes 248 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque. Touring and Touring Elite models get a six-speed automatic, while lower trims make do with a five-speed. The EPA estimates fuel economy at 19 city/28 highway mpg and 22 mpg in combined driving.

The 2011 Honda Odyssey Touring is priced at $41,535 with no notable options to kick that figure higher. That makes our latest addition the second most expensive minivan on the market — $2,495 less than the Odyssey Touring Elite. Fortunately, Honda provided the car to us for 12 months, so those children of Edmunds still have a college fund.

Why We Got It
The entire minivan segment has seen significant revisions or complete redesigns for the 2011 model year, and the new Honda Odyssey benefits from a roomier interior, better fuel economy and a longer list of features.

In our most recent minivan comparison test, the Odyssey (in midrange EX trim) tied for 2nd with the new Nissan Quest. The 1st-place Toyota Sienna SE is already in our long-term fleet. Before the Sienna, the 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan was the last minivan in our lot. While the new DGC is a vast improvement, it still finished last in the comparison test.

This latest long-termer addition is almost $10,000 more than the Odyssey EX from the comparison, with plenty of other bells and whistles to evaluate. Are these added features worth it? Do they function as advertised? These are questions that we hope to answer in the next year.
In our reviews, we list the Odyssey's agile handling, fuel economy, quiet cabin, configurable second-row seat and easy-to-fold third-row seat among its strengths. On the other end of the spectrum, we count the high sticker price and button-heavy dash among its drawbacks. We'll see how these hold up during the next 12 months and 20,000 miles.

Follow the long-term road test blog for updates about our 2011 Honda Odyssey.

Current Odometer: 1,373
Best Fuel Economy: 23.8 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 19.6 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 20.8 mpg
The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.

Source;
http://www.insideline.com/honda/odyssey/2011/2011-honda-odyssey-touring-long-term-test.html

Inside Line: 1987 Buick Regal Grand National vs. 2011 Buick Regal CXL Turbo

What a awesome car the Grand National was.... That 3.8L kicked a$$!

Source via Autoblog!

Honda Customers Affected By E-Mail Hack

Honda doesn't request personal information online, so, DO NOT supply any if you recieve a email from Honda recently.
Just the Facts:

American Honda says thieves have hacked 2.2 million customers' personal data.

Names, e-mail addresses and VINs are among the data, but no financial information.

A second list of 2.7 million Acura owners was also stolen but included e-mail addresses only.

TORRANCE, California — It sounds bad, but perhaps it's not as bad as it could have been: American Honda has notified 2.2 million customers that a list including e-mail addresses, VINs and login information has been stolen by unknown hackers. Company officials say the list didn't include Social Security numbers, birthdates, bank information or other data that would leave people vulnerable to identity theft.

The Columbus, Ohio, Dispatch reported that the list belonged to an outside vendor who was using it to send "welcome" e-mail messages to customers with OwnerLink or MyAcura accounts. Reportedly, 2.7 million Acura owners were on a separate list that was also stolen, but that one had only e-mail addresses on it.

American Honda contacted its customers to apologize and remind them about the possibility that bogus e-mail could come to them asking for private information. Owners can get more information on this FAQ page.

Source;
http://www.insideline.com/honda/hackers-hit-honda-steal-millions-of-customers-data.html