2012 Honda Civic Ex on 2040-cars

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Honda reports $1.9 billion profit in first quarter despite sales lag at home

Ford, General Motors and Chrysler have been living in a world of sunshine and buttercups after their April-through-June financials hit the newswire, and Toyota is doing pretty good as well. Honda? Not so much.
While Japan's third-largest manufacturer saw $1.9 billion in profits, the 5.1-percent jump was lower than expected thanks to a drop in its home-market sales. US sales also took a sting, as Honda hasn't been able to match the SUV and truck demand that are currently permeating the American market, despite an uptick in Accord sales.
Honda's initial forecasts targeted a take of 209.3 billion yen ($2.1 billion at today's rates), and while a $200 million shortfall is nothing to sniff at, we'd hardly take this as Honda being in trouble. And even with the dip, Honda hasn't adjusted its forecast for the fiscal year, which remains at 780 billion yen ($7.9 billion).

Honda bundles up CR-V Special Edition with optional extras

The 2016 Honda CR-V Special Edition is based on the LX trim level, but packs a bunch of extra equipment. It gets 17-inch alloys, a two-tone paint job, tinted rear windows, and a security system. That's about the sum total of what makes this special edition special, but then Honda isn't asking much of a premium for it. The new Special Edition trim slots in between the base LX and the higher-level EX – and below the top-spec EX-L and Touring models. It'll be available in either front- or all-wheel-drive configurations, with prices starting at $24,395 for the former and $25,695 for the latter. That's the MSRP without taxes, registration, or the $880 destination charge. What that boils down to is a modest $800 premium over the base model, which doesn't strike us as a whole lot to ask for the extra equipment – never mind the "special edition" handle. Perhaps most telling, though, is that Honda hasn't released any specific photos for the CR-V Special Edition. It has, however, given us a fresh batch of the 2016 model altogether. And you can check it out in the gallery above, along with the details in the press release below. AMERICA'S BEST SELLING SUV CONTINUES MARKET LEADERSHIP WITH INTRODUCTION OF NEW SPECIAL EDITION 2016 HONDA CR-V Coming off a year of record sales and numerous industry accolades, the exceptionally well received Honda CR-V returns for 2016 with a Special Edition trim offering exterior and security upgrades over LX Oct 6, 2015 - TORRANCE, Calif. -- After a major refresh for 2015 that brought a new powertrain, significantly enhanced exterior and interior styling and a long list of new standard and available features, the 2016 Honda CR-V returns with a new Special Edition (SE) trim and a lineup with a starting Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $23,595.1 The new Special Edition CR-V is positioned above the LX trim by adding larger 17-inch alloy wheels with an exclusive two tone finish, second-row and rear privacy glass, and security system. With only an $800 premium over the LX, the SE represents a high-value proposition for the premium look and additional feature content. In addition to the highly prestigious Motor Trend Sport/Utility of the Year honor, the refreshed 2015 CR-V garnered numerous industry accolades. These include: - 2015 ALG Residual Value Award: Best Compact Utility - 2015 Kelly Blue Book Best Buy: Small SUV/Crossover - Kelly Blue Book 2015 Top 10 Best Resale Value award - U.S.

Honda trademarks ZSX, could be for baby NSX

While there have been many rumors dating back to 2008 about a mid-engined sports car from Honda, last year's report was provided the most detail about what seemed to be a scaled-down version of the NSX hybrid supercar. Honda may have added some fuel to the rumor-fire by recently filing a trademark application for "ZSX," reports Australia's Performance Drive. The trademark application was sent to the European Union Intellectual Property Office late last month and is obviously close to the NSX nomenclature. The Australian outlet also reports that an unnamed source within Honda claims the ZSX, whatever it may be, could be revealed as early as next year. The anonymous employee also claims that the ZSX will be offered as a coupe and a hard-top convertible variant, with both being powered by the automaker's 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine from the Honda Civic Type R. Just like the NSX, the ZSX is rumored to get electric motors on the front and rear axles. Previous reports match the unnamed source's claims, as the ZSX was expected to be a replacement for the Honda S2000 that ended production in 2009. It now sounds like it'll be more of a mini-NSX, with rumors pointing towards one electric motor powering the rear wheels, while two motors would be on the front axle. Patents from last year, which are pictured above, match the rumors of a mid-engined sports car. The ZSX trademark is for Europe only as of right now, while the automaker's previous patents and trademarks included the US, as well. Only time will tell if "ZSX" really stands for a sports car, or if Honda actually goes through with its plans. Remember, Nissan ditched similar plans for a small rear-wheel-drive sports car recently. Related Video: Featured Gallery Honda ZSX Patent News Source: EUIPO, Performance DriveImage Credit: autovisie Green Acura Honda Coupe Hybrid Performance trademark rumor honda nsx