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Honda to show off conceptual new Ridgeline truck at SEMA

The SEMA show is coming up fast, and Honda is not about to miss out on the festivities. To that end, the Japanese automaker has announced a raft of customized vehicles it's bringing to the tuner expo in Vegas early next month. Potentially one of the most enticing debuts will be the Ridgeline Desert Race Truck. Following the preview sketch (seen above) of the next-gen pickup released at the Chicago Auto Show earlier this year, the new concept is set to give us an even better glimpse at the 2017 model of the four-door, short-bed crossover pickup to come. The vehicle's debut will also mark the factory's return to off-road competition, which ought to come as a welcome development for racing fans. The Ridgeline won't be Honda's only debut at the SEMA show this year, however. There'll also be four modified versions of the HR-V compact crossover, each customized by a different American aftermarket firm, and custom takes on the CR-Z hybrid, Civic sedan, and Pilot crossover. Look for the Powersports and HPD divisions to showcase their latest at the event as well, while the Acura division does its own thing. Honda to Showcase Ridgeline Desert Race Truck Concept, HR-V Tuner Project Program, Refreshed 2016 CR-Z and more at 2015 SEMA Show Oct 23, 2015 - TORRANCE, Calif. - Honda Ridgeline Desert Race Truck to showcase design direction for all-new Ridgeline pickup debuting next year - HR-V project vehicles will bring extreme performance and personality to the compact crossover segment - Updated 2016 Honda CR-Z sport hybrid coupe to make first appearance on North American soil - Honda Powersports hits show floor, including Moto GP Race Replica RC213V-S, Pioneer 1000 and more - Honda to once again host the Honda Soiree at Hakkasan Nightclub Honda will ignite the floor at the 2015 SEMA Show with a full portfolio of performance products, including race bikes, HR-V project vehicles, and the debut of the Ridgeline Desert Race Truck. The Ridgeline Desert Race Truck will offer a first look at the styling direction of the highly anticipated 2017 Honda Ridgeline pickup. The "racing Ridgeline" also marks Honda's re-entry into Honda Performance Development (HPD)-powered factory off-road racing. Also within the Honda display will be four Honda HR-V project vehicles, built in partnership with several highly creative U.S.-based automotive tuning houses.

2016 Honda Pilot, Acura RDX confirmed for Chicago Auto Show debut

The Chicago Auto Show this year is going to be chock-full of Honda crossovers. Not only has Japanese automaker announced that it will be revealing the all-new Pilot at the Windy City expo, but that it will also preview the styling of the next Ridgeline pickup, while its luxury counterpart Acura takes the wraps off the new RDX. Developed and built in America, the new Pilot will be entering its third generation, after the first arrived in 2002 and the second in 2008. The new model previewed in the teaser image above will include eight seats across three rows, "with new technology, advanced safety, class-leading fuel economy and enhanced family utility and versatility," all wrapped in what Honda promises will be a "dramatic shift in design." The arrival of the third-generation model follows the recent introductions of the new CR-V and HR-V that slot below the Pilot. Honda's not saying much about the Ridgeline at this point, but given its close association with the Pilot, it's not surprising to see the automaker grouping the two together. The four-door, short-bed pickup was introduced in 2005 and was discontinued with the end of last year. The second-generation model is expected to reach production in 2016. While it's at it, Honda's luxury division will reveal the new 2016 Acura RDX at the Chicago show. Not to be confused with the Pilot-based MDX, the RDX is the smaller model based on the CR-V and introduced in 2006. The second-gen RDX was just introduced in 2013, but an updated version is already being rolled out, promising to deliver "a long list of styling and performance improvements plus desirable new luxury and safety features" and encompassing "important improvements to performance, dynamics, comfort and NVH." ALL-NEW 2016 HONDA PILOT SUV TO MAKE GLOBAL DEBUT AT 2015 CHICAGO AUTO SHOW Honda to fortify light-truck leadership on Feb. 12 by debuting all-new Pilot three-row SUV, and revealing the styling direction for future Ridgeline pickup Jan 21, 2015 - TORRANCE, Calif. -- A completely reengineered and redesigned Honda Pilot SUV will make its world debut at the 2015 Chicago Auto Show on February 12 at 9:30 a.m. The all-new, eight-passenger Pilot SUV – completely designed, developed and manufactured in America -- will raise the stakes in the mainstream three-row SUV segment with new technology, advanced safety, class-leading fuel economy and enhanced family utility and versatility.

Is your new-car warranty good at the race track?

We've all heard the horror stories. Your buddy knows a girl that was dating a guy whose best friend's brother once broke his brand-new, recently purchased performance car while making runs at a drag strip or laps at a track day, and the manufacturer wouldn't cover the repair under warranty. True story? Urban legend? Complete crap? Yes, no, maybe. One thing's for sure: Automotive warranties have always come with caveats. In 1908, an ad in the Trenton Evening Times clearly stated: "All Ford Cars Guaranteed for One Year." Although it changed over time, by 1925 the Ford New Car Guarantee only covered 90 days on material and 30 days on labor, and it clearly stated that that there was "No guarantee whatever on Fan Belts, Glass, Bulbs, Wiring, Transmission, Bands, Hose Connections, Commutator Shells, Rollers, Spark Plugs or Gaskets." Whether or not Ol' Henry would pay to fix your Model T if you broke it shaving a tenth off your lap time at the local board track seems to be lost to history. We're guessing no. But what about today? Do new-car warranties in 2017 cover cars when they are driven on race tracks? We researched the warranties of 14 auto brands to find out, and the answer is yes, no, maybe, depending on the brand, in some cases the model, and whether or not your car is modified from stock. Acura has been out of the high-performance car game for a number of years, but jumps back into the party in 2017 with its hybrid-powered $173,000 NSX supercar. And Acura's warranty, as well as Honda's, clearly states that it does not cover "the use of the vehicle in competition or racing events." View 33 Photos So we asked Sage Marie, Senior Manager of Public Relations for Honda and Acura. "If the car is stock, the warranty covers it on a track just as it does on the street. No question," he told us. "However, if the car is modified, say with slick tires or other components that would put higher stresses on the vehicle's parts and systems, then we would have to investigate the circumstances further." Marie went on to say the same would be true for any Acura model or Honda vehicle, including the new 2017 Honda Civic Si. This became a common theme. Chevrolet actually started this practice with the fifth-generation Camaro on the high-performance ZL1 and Z/28 models.