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Japanese automakers ramping production for renewed American sales

The 2011 earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan took quite the toll on the automotive industry in that nation. Not content to lean on that tragedy as excuse for slagging sales, the Japanese automakers are planning on a major production expansion in North America. The aim is to reclaim the market share lost from the Tsunami-based dip, and overcome a dollar/yen exchange rate that makes exporting to America unprofitable.
Following the Tsunami, Japanese automakers ramped up production in their North American facilities to compensate, but according to Automotive News, Nissan, Honda and others have all reported plans for still-further increased production in the year ahead. As part of this ramp-up, Mazda will open a facility in Salamnca, Mexico before March of 2014. Part of that increase in output is 50,000 units of a Toyota-badged compact car, which Mazda will produce.
Other Mexican production facilities opening include a Honda plant, which will open in Spring 2014 in Celaya, and a Nissan plant, set to open later this year in Aguascalientes. Nissan also said that it will need another plant in North America within the next five years. According to Nissan Boss Carlos Ghosn, the company aims to raise its stake in the US market from 8 percent to 10, and adding production will help achieve that goal. Even Mitsubishi is aiming to boost production at its Normal, Illinois plant. Production of the Outlander Sport is currently at 50,000, which Mitsubishi wants to raise to 70,000.

Honda issues stop sale on 2016 Civic with 2.0-liter engine

Honda has issued a stop sale on the 2016 Civic with the 2.0-liter four-cylinder for a problem that might allegedly lead to engine failure. The company also plans to recall and inspect the examples already with customers. Honda spokesperson Chris Martin tells Autoblog that the issue doesn't affect any Civics with the 1.5-liter turbocharged engine. "While the specific details of this action are still being determined, American Honda has provided preliminary information to the NHTSA and intends to provide more details in a formal notification to NHTSA on Friday, February 5," Martin said. After the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration acknowledges the details, Honda will issue an official statement about the problem. A post on the CivicX forum purports to have a Honda document detailing the fault. Some of the 2.0-liter engines may have missing or miss-set piston pin snap rings, which could cause damage to the pistons and other internal parts. The issue reportedly affects roughly 34,000 examples of the 2016 Civic. If the document from the CivicX forum are accurate, dealers will use a borescope to inspect the pin snap rings on the potentially affected engines. According to the forum, replacement parts are not yet available, and Honda expects to notify customers about the recall in March. Autoblog drove the turbocharged version of the 2016 Civic late in 2015 and came away fairly impressed. We loved the new engine and quiet interior but weren't so enamored with the CVT. In any case, if you're in the market for a new Civic, you may now have one more reason to consider the new turbo mill. Related Video:

Honda Ridgeline to take two-year dirt nap before resurrection

Three years ago, Honda said there would be no new-generation Honda Ridgeline coming in 2011. In late 2011, when there was still no word on a replacement for the little truck that's been carrying on pretty much the same since 2006, within the space of a month both Honda's US truck planner and the CEO of American Honda said the Ridgeline would continue and that it was an integral part of the lineup.
But that doesn't mean it can't take a two-year timeout. A report in Ward's Auto says that the Lincoln, AL plant that builds the Ridgeline will cease its production in September, 2014 and a new one won't arrive until 2016. That's a walk-back from when the plan was to have the current truck run until a week before the next-generation truck went into production. Even so, Honda still says the Ridgeline isn't going away forever, a company spokesman telling Ward's, "Ridgeline continues to be an important part of our lineup."
2016 is a long way away, though, and we all know how quickly a product line put into a coma can end up suffering fatal consequences. Even though we keep talking about the Ridgeline, perhaps what Honda is actually saying is that the small pickup market is important to them, and they're working on a way to take better advantage of it than the Ridgeline was doing. We'll find out one way or the other in three years.