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Honda builds up new Civic Type R ahead of Geneva debut

It's been a long time coming, but it's almost here. Or almost there, we should say, because it sadly won't be coming (at least in this form) to the United States. We're talking, of course, about the new Honda Civic Type R – a hot hatch we've been anticipating for about a year and a half now through a series of prototypes and concept cars. It's finally set to bow just weeks from now, in final production form, at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. But before it does, Honda is giving us yet another taste of what to expect with a trio of teaser images and some juicy details. That Honda's new hot hatch would be powered by its new 2.0-liter turbo four we already knew, but now the Japanese automaker is telling us that it'll produce enough juice to propel the Euro-spec pocket rocket up to a top speed of 167 miles per hour. In a hatchback. That feat will be enabled in large part by its advanced aerodynamics, elements of which we can begin to see from the teaser images – including a big front splitter, deep side skirts, a giant rear wing and an almost completely flat underbody. It'll also be kept in check by a set of Brembo brakes with 13.8-inch drilled discs clamped by four-piston calipers up front and packed into a unique set of 19-inch alloys. It'll all be wrapped for the show stand in classic Japanese racing white, and we're even given a glimpse inside the cabin, where we can see red-glowing instruments, a red center marker at the top of the steering rim and that +R button we were promised. It's all shaping up to be a rather tempting package indeed, but will have to fend off the likes of the new Ford Focus RS and ever-improving challengers from the likes of Renault and Seat to dominate the European hot hatch scene. Hopefully we won't have to wait too long to see in what form Honda brings the fight to America, too.

How Seinfeld hopes he'll help industry make better car commercials [w/video]

Bloomberg has a fascinating look into a web series that continues to be a favorite around the Autoblog offices - Jerry Seinfeld's Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. The series, which is in its second season, sees the affable comedian picking up fellow comedians in a range of interesting cars, and having conversations with them over the drive and a cup of joe.
The piece by Bloomberg dives into the development of the series, as well as Seinfeld's tie-up with Acura, which saw the Honda-owned brand begin sponsorship this season. That relationship started not with his web series, though, but with a Super Bowl ad, alongside fellow funnyman and car enthusiast Jay Leno, that saw them competing over a new Acura NSX. Have a click over to Bloomberg for an entertaining piece that looks beyond the YouTube series. We've also wrangled Seinfeld's original Super Bowl ad for the Acura NSX, which you can see below.

Honda Accord Hybrid sales capacity constrained

Honda might be selling more hybrids if it could just get them to dealers. While the second-generation Insight never lived up to sales expectations and production is ending, the Japanese automaker is seeing strong demand for the Accord Hybrid here and abroad. However, there is so much global consumer desire that it can't keep them in US showrooms.
The problem limiting the sales of the Accord Hybrid is its battery pack and its popularity in Japan. "There's a waiting list for the product," said Jeff Conrad, Honda general manager, to Ward's Auto about the sedan's US popularity. While the American Accord is built in Marysville, OH, the batteries are imported from Japan, where the model is quite popular. According to Ward's data, the automaker sold 2,414 examples of the hybrid version from October 2013 to February 2014 in the US, but it shifted 6,000 units in Japan in its first three months on sale. Conrad also admitted that the constrained supply is limiting the amount of marketing the automaker can do for the hybrid.
Honda spokesperson Chris Martin told Autoblog the company is working on a solution to increase production for the near future. "We are going to resolve the battery issue," he said.