1994 Acura Integra on 2040-cars

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Honda recalling 405K vehicles over airbag issue

Honda is in hot water due to an airbag glitch that is causing it to recall 405,400 vehicles. According to the campaign, the supplemental restraints might fire for no apparent reason. 342,000 of the affected vehicles are 2003 and 2004 Odyssey minivans, which gels with a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigation we reported on in June.
Joining the Odyssey in the recall is the Acura MDX, with 63,400 units covered from the 2003 model year. Unlike the van, though, the MDX's recall covers Japan and Australia, in addition to the US and Canada. Both vehicles are suffering from an airbag control unit that is prone to malfunction when exposed to electrical noise, a condition that can cause the airbags to deploy without warning. Although no crashes have been reported in such scenarios, there have been some injuries typical of airbag deployment - abrasions and such.
Honda will be mailing recall notices to owners near the end of October, asking them to bring their vehicles into the dealership for installation of an electrical noise filter. The repair will take about an hour and be free of charge. Scroll down for the official announcement from Honda.

Acura reveals Ludacris' restored Legend, Galpin ILX at SEMA

Acura gave us a hint couple of weeks ago at what it had in store for the SEMA show this year. The Japanese luxury marque has detailed the full extent of its presence at this year's tuner expo, but the main act under the Acura tent (oddly enough) isn't a new vehicle. The star of the show is a 1993 luxury sedan with celebrity provenance. The Legend belongs to rapper-turned-actor Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, of hip-hop and Fast & Furious fame. The automaker has thoroughly restored and modernized the vehicle that featured on the cover of his ninth studio album Ludaversal. At the end of a two-month project, the sedan has been refinished in a custom shade of Warm Cashmere with Ice Pearl. It now rides on 18-inch Rays alloys with Bridgestone Potenza rubber, fitted to a suspension lowered by two inches with H&R springs and Eibach camber kit. It has upgraded brakes with six-piston calipers up front and four-pots at back, and a Pioneer audio system with Alpine subwoofers and Apple CarPlay integration. To complement the Legend, Galpin worked up a 2016 Acura ILX. It has an aero kit, fog lights, custom exhaust, coilover suspension, Borla exhaust, and 19-inch wheels with Pirelli P Zero rubber. The body's been repainted in Sunburst Yellow with gray accents, and sports an interior with perforated leather and gold trim. There'll be another ILX on display with Acura Genuine Accessory parts as well. But the Japanese automaker won't miss the chance to display its new NSX. The supercar's being showcased in a new shade called Nouvelle Blue Pearl. Watch this space for live photos from the show floor, and scope out the details in the press release below in the meantime. Related Video: Acura Showcases Passion for Performance at 2015 SEMA Show Highlights include restored 1993 "Ludacris Legend", a sport-modified 2016 Acura ILX Sports Sedan, next-generation Acura NSX supercar and 2016 ILX with Acura Genuine Accessory package LAS VEGAS, NV. (Nov. 3, 2015) – Acura today thrilled the 2015 SEMA Show with multiple innovative expressions of the brand's performance-crafted DNA – past, present and future – including the debut of the meticulously restored 1993 "Ludacris Legend" sedan, a sport-modified 2016 Acura ILX by Galpin Auto Sports, and the next-generation Acura NSX supercar, slated for its U.S. launch next spring. The Acura exhibit also features a 2016 Acura ILX with the Acura Genuine Accessory Package in Slate Silver Metallic.

Honda signs on as Pikes Peak sponsor, race participant

Honda plans to storm the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on June 30, entering ten cars in nine classes at the race to the sky, and signing on as a corporate sponsor. Part of the company's return to grassroots racing - if that's what you can call factory-backed efforts - the banners of Honda R&D and Honda North America will fly on these entries: a first-gen Acura NSX, an Acura TL SH-AWD, Honda CR-Z, Honda Fit EV, one CRF450R and two CRF250R motorcycles, a CBR1000RR motorcycle and a TRX450 ATV.
One more entry, details of which are to be announced later, will be driven by IndyCar pilot Simon Pagenaud of Schmidt Hamilton HP Motorsports. LoveFab (pictured above during practice last year) will be there with its new, NSX-based Enviate, but as a privateer entry.
Honda's been to the mountain before, with high-powered gear in 2012 and record-setting EVs in 1994 and 1999, but it's never made noise like this. Have a read of the press release below for more info.