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The new Honda Ridgeline will debut in Detroit

Hey, remember the Ridgeline? Honda's unibody midsize truck is coming back, and you'll see it at the Detroit Auto Show next month. I actually already saw it at a private event, but I can't tell you anything about it. Let's just say that this is one debut you won't want to miss at NAIAS in January. There's not much to go on with regard to the accompanying teaser image and press release (below). All I can say is that it's a truck, it's a Honda, and it's called Ridgeline. Expect it to offer all the usual Honda interior packaging magic, as well as a ton of onboard tech and safety equipment. The midsize truck segment is booming right now. General Motors launched the new Colorado and Canyon twins, Toyota is now selling the updated Tacoma, and now Honda's getting back into the game with a similarly sized truck. But given its unibody construction, I'm interested to see how the Ridgeline will stack up against its literally tough competition. Stay tuned for more, next month. Honda Accelerates Sweeping Light Truck Makeover with New Ridgeline Pickup Set for Global Debut at the 2016 North American International Auto Show Honda will challenge conventional thinking in the midsize pickup segment with the return of the Honda Ridgeline truck, set to make its world debut at the 2016 North American International Auto Show in Detroit on Monday, January 11 at 1:15 p.m. EST. Designed, developed and manufactured in America, the all-new Ridgeline is the fourth new or significantly refreshed light truck model introduced by Honda in the past 18 months and will hit roads nationwide in the first half of next year. "We developed this new Honda Ridgeline to offer something new and fundamentally better suited to the way many buyers use their truck," said Jeff Conrad, senior vice president and general manager of the Honda Division. "Ridgeline will deliver everything you'd expect in a Honda from incredible packaging and fuel-efficiency to top safety technologies and innovative, segment-first features. We're honored to once again debut the Ridgeline in Detroit at the North American International Auto Show." Honda began the complete remake of its light-truck lineup in the fall of 2014 with the freshened 2015 Honda CR-V, America's best selling SUV. Earlier this year, Honda launched the all-new HR-V crossover, gateway to the Honda truck lineup, and the third generation of its popular Pilot three-row SUV.

Bisimoto 2014 Honda Odyssey packs 1,029 hp plus the kids

You know, the last time I drove a Honda Odyssey, I thought, "Man, this thing could really use another 781 horsepower." Thank goodness for the folks at Bisimoto, then, who have brought this "Power-Van" to the 2013 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. It's your standard seven-passenger Honda Odyssey with massive powertrain tuning to deliver a full 1,029 horsepower. Honda has not listed the torque output, but we imagine it's roughly eleventy billion foot-pounds.
That crazy power bump has been achieved through the use of - *deep breath* - an Infinity ECU, Arias pistons, ARP headstuds and bolts, Bisimoto's own 360-degree oil cap, a cat-back exhaust system, stainless mufflers, an improved fuel pump, new spark plugs, custom headwork, R&R custom steel rods, Turbonetics BTZ7265 twin turbochargers, a wastegate, blowoff valve, VP racing fuels and a whole lot more. Honda says the only chassis/suspension modifications come in the way of Fifteen52 wheels, 225/30-series Toyo T1 Sport tires and Young Guns performance exhaust coatings. So as far as we can tell, this thing still uses a front-wheel-drive setup. I bet it'll do somersaults.
Of course, this is SEMA, where we assume there's a four-modification minimum for any car that enters the Las Vegas Convention Center, so the Odyssey has been given added visual flair, as well. Outside, that means there's a Denmatic design theme, a whole mess of Honda accessories (check out that roof tub) and some new paint. Inside, upgraded upholstery has been fitted, as have Recaro seats.

Honda revamps F1 engine for McLaren

Things haven't been going smoothly for Honda since returning to Formula One, and the Japanese automaker says the challenge has been greater than it anticipated. But after a stronger showing at the recent Hungarian Grand Prix, Honda says its reliability issues are behind it and is working on introducing a revamped engine for the second half of the season. "I am confident our reliability problems are now behind us, which means we can turn our attention to increasing power," Honda racing chief Yasuhisa Arai told Autosport. "After the summer shutdown our plan is to apply a new-spec engine using some of our remaining seven tokens." The "tokens" to which Arai refers are a way for the FIA to limit engine development. The power units are broken down into 66 such tokens in the regulations, and each engine supplier can change up to 32 of them throughout the season. The allowance was at first afforded only to returning suppliers Mercedes, Ferrari, and Renault, but Honda succeeded in convincing the FIA to allow it the same leeway. Honda has been spending its development tokens on fixing reliability issues, but will shift its focus to improving performance. The McLaren team that Honda powers has only gotten both of its cars to the finish line at two out of 10 races this season. Most of those problems came down to the new engine package. That's compared to only two retirements the team suffered last season, when it was still under Mercedes power, and none the year before. In Hungary, however, the team not only got both cars to the finish line, but placed both in the points for the first time this season. "The sport has changed immensely since the McLaren-Honda 'glory days'," said Arai. "The current technology is much more sophisticated, and it is tough to make a good racing car. We knew it wouldn't be easy, but perhaps we didn't imagine it would be this hard." The Japanese manufacturer is now spending the summer break developing its power unit. Many of those changes are expected to be rolled out in time for the Belgian Grand Prix later this month, with the rest to follow in the ensuing races. Beyond reliability, engine performance is particularly important for the high-speed races at Spa and Monza, where the subsequent Italian Grand Prix will be held early next month. Related Video: