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2016 Honda Accord Coupe V6 Quick Spin

Popular opinion is that Honda has not been a friend to enthusiasts in recent years. The company killed the awesome S2000, got away from building low-cost driver's cars like the CRX, ruined the Civic Si (on multiple occasions, most notably in 2002 and again in 2012), and kind of neutered Acura into a listless near-premium brand devoid of its original charm. But there are bright spots: We're finally going to get a Civic Type R in the US, and while the new NSX is a long way from the lightweight original, it's still an extremely impressive specimen. And then there's the Accord Coupe, which doesn't necessarily look like a typical performance Honda on first glance. Honda has been building the two-door Accord for decades, even as virtually every other mainstream brand has abandoned the segment. What's even more interesting, is that Honda makes one for the car guys. The company builds a V6-powered, two-door coupe with a six-speed manual transmission that probably accounts for maybe half a percent of the Accord's overall volume. Such a blatant disregard for things like economies of scale could only be achieved by a brand with a real passion for performance. Now that the Accord has been fully refreshed for 2016, we set out to revisit our V6/manual hero. Driving Notes This naturally aspirated V6 produces 278 horsepower and 251 pound-feet of torque, which admittedly isn't as much as you'd get from the slightly larger V6 engines you'd find in the likes of the Dodge Challenger, Chevrolet Camaro, or Ford Mustang. But the Honda is extremely willing to rev. That, combined with a startlingly smooth, linear torque curve, means the 3.5-liter Earth Dreams V6 is remarkably composed in both normal and aggressive driving. Low-end grunt is easy to access, despite the 6,200-rpm torque peak, while the throttle response is relatively sharp for what you might expect in an Accord. It sounds spectacular too, with a howly, Civic Si-worthy exhaust note and a notable lack of any piped-in induction silliness. It simply sounds like, you know, an engine – and a very good one at that. The buttery smooth, six-speed manual transmission has a light action, making this a true case where all you need to shift is a flick of the wrist. The clutch pedal is light and the catch point is almost too broad, meaning it's easy to ride the clutch until you get used to this setup. Once you adjust, heel-and-toeing this front-drive coupe actually becomes an entertaining activity.

Online Find Of The Day: 1998 Honda Accord Dually shows a melange of influences

The vehicles that we choose to drive make a statement about who we are, and this insanely styled, custom 1998 Honda Accord is certainly going to say something about the next owner. The seller in this Craigslist ad claims this "is something that you will never see again," and there's no arguing about that. If you're looking for attention and notoriety, then this Honda is more effective than driving around in any Ferrari or Porsche. First, everyone can see you coming in this thing. With two banks of LEDs on the hood, a 44-inch light bar on the roof and cab lights, this Accord must look like a meteorite burning up in the atmosphere with all of its illumination on at night. In addition, the boat air horns, PA speaker, backup beeper and the unholy noise from the Bosozoku-influenced exhaust stack should make stealth an impossibility. Making friends isn't a problem, either, because with eight CB whip antennas positioned around the car, you're sure to hear every trucker in a tri-state area. Despite the Accord being front-wheel drive, the builder finished this masterpiece off with a dually rear end and fender flares. Don't worry about seeing the utter shock on people's faces when they notice, because the Dodge tow mirrors should provide plenty of rear visibility. The seller claims there's nothing wrong with the car, and he's accepting trades or reasonable offers. Autoblog has called to see how much the owner wants for it and to see what inspired them to go to such extremes. We'll update this story if we hear back.

Texas teen is 10th Takata airbag victim

A 17-year-old high school senior from Richmond, Texas, died in a 2002 Honda Civic on March 31 after the Takata-supplied airbag inflator ruptured. This is the 10th fatality linked to the faulty parts in the US. Honda and US regulators confirmed that the airbag exploded, according to Reuters. The fatal incident occurred when the Civic's driver rear-ended a Honda CR-V. The teen was wearing a seatbelt and wasn't speeding. "Everybody should have walked away from this," Fort Bend County Sheriff's Deputy Danny Beckwith told Reuters. However, a piece of shrapnel from the inflator cut the driver's carotid artery, and the person died. With this latest fatality, there have been 10 deaths and over 100 injuries in the US from exploding airbag inflators. Nine of the deaths have happened in Honda vehicles. The other was in a Ford Ranger pickup. Investigators at the Independent Testing Coalition placed the cause of the explosions on a combination of the inflator's chemical, design, and the weather. The ammonium nitrate propellant can explode with additional force when exposed to moisture, like in high humidity areas. The part's construction is also part of the problem because it allows this humidity to access the chemical. Takata has recalled roughly 24 million airbags in 19 million vehicles in the US. The latest tally from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration showed that as of March 11, 2016, about 7.5 million inflators have been replaced. All the parts with ammonium nitrate inflators may need replacing someday, which could affect 100 million vehicles. Related Video: Statement from Honda Concerning Confirmed Texas Rupture Statement from American Honda Motor Co., Inc. Re: Confirmed Rupture of Takata Airbag Inflator in Fort Bend County, Texas Statement date: April 6, 2016 During an inspection today, accompanied by representatives of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Sherriff's Department of Fort Bend County, Texas, and Takata, American Honda confirmed that the Takata driver's airbag inflator ruptured in the crash of a 2002 Honda Civic on March 31, 2016, in Fort Bend County, Texas, resulting in the tragic death of the driver. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the family of the driver during this difficult time. Honda has shared all available vehicle history information collected to date with NHTSA and will continue to cooperate with NHTSA throughout the process of investigating this crash.