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2016 Honda Civic revealed in patent drawings

Thanks to the sleuths at CivicX.com, we've now got our first glimpse at the production 2016 Honda Civic. The forum found these patent drawings from Honda, showing the next-generation Civic in both coupe and sedan body styles, and we're happy to report that the car seen here is very, very close to the concept we saw in New York earlier this month. Shortly after Honda debuted the Civic Coupe concept at the New York Auto Show, we spoke to the car's lead designer, Guy Melville-Brown, about how this bold two-door would transform into a production model. He told us the Civic should be "a halo product for Honda," and that the concept showed "elements of what we can expect from the production car." The showcar is "what a true Honda Civic should be," Melville-Brown said. Now that we see these patent drawings, a lot of that makes sense. Sure, it's all been toned down for production spec (as expected), but a lot of the bolder design cues are still present. We like the angular shape of the headlamps and front fascia, and we're glad the wraparound taillamps were left alone (on the coupe, anyway – the sedan uses a slightly different design). See all of the patent drawings in the slideshow above, and scroll down for photos and video of the showcar from New York. CivicX.com has more information, including side-by-side comparisons between the patent pictures and the bright green concept. Related Video:

Honda reveals updated rest-of-world Civic hatchback

The rest of the world's most recent Honda Civic was introduced for 2012, and it looks much the same as the 2014 model Honda will release in January to European and Asian markets. In fact, not much has changed, but a retuned power steering system, revised front and rear damping rates and rear wheel toe and camber adjustments are touted to make the hatchback drive better, World Car Fans reports.
There are some small visual changes, such as privacy glass for the lower rear window, a piano-black front bumper that previously was dark gray and piano-black trim replacing body-color pieces around the license plate area, tailgate and lower bumper. Inside, white stitching adorns the seats, steering wheel and knee pad along with aluminum and gloss-black accents placed around the center console area.
Of course, Honda won't be exporting this particular Civic to the US (or the recently unveiled Civic Tourer), so check out the photo gallery to see it in all its not-for-you glory.

Recharge Wrap-up: Ford announces e-bike project, Honda Accord Hybrid availability catches up

Supplies of the Honda Accord Hybrid have apparently caught up with demand. Honda originally launched the Accord Hybrid for the 2014 model year, but lack of availability plagued interested customers and eager dealers alike. Honda cited "component supply constraints" - likely batteries, electric motors and the like - for the lack of available vehicles. Now, "The supply of Accord Hybrids in general is in line with the supply of the regular Accord sedan," according to Honda's Angie Nucci. Read more at Green Car Reports. Apple is seeking a resolution to a lawsuit accusing the company of poaching employees from lithium-ion battery maker A123 Systems. A123 has requested a court order stopping a former employer from breaking an employment agreement, as well as keeping Apple from encouraging the person to do so. Apple has requested more time to respond to that court order. A123 has also filed a suit accusing five employees of breaking nondisclosure agreements and going or trying to go to work for Apple. Insiders say that Apple is developing an electric car that could go into production as early as 2020. Read more at Automotive News. South Dakota's Ethanol Infrastructure Incentive Program is helping retailers fund ethanol storage. The state government has set aside $300,000 as part of the program to fund ethanol storage tanks at gas stations. The program, which originally set out to reimburse retailers for building ethanol flex-pumps, is now helping them expand their ethanol capacities. Retailers can apply for funds for pumps and storage through June 30. Read more at Argus Leader. Ford is expanding its Global Mobility Plan with the Handle on Mobility electric bike experiment. The foldable MoDe:Me e-bike is for personal use and commuting, while the MoDe:Pro is built for commercial duty, with both powered by a 200-watt motor and 9-amp-hour battery. The bikes use an iPhone app called MoDe:Link, which provides various information and controls important bike functions. Through the app, the bikes offer navigation (with traffic data, available public transportation and charging locations included), with handlebar vibrations letting the rider know when and where to turn and automatically activating turn signals. The bike can sense and alert the rider to other vehicles on the roadway. Pedal assist is based on heart rate, allowing the rider to arrive at their destination comfortably. See the bikes in the video above, and read more from Ford.