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Turbo Honda S2000 could battle Miata and 124 Abarth

Rumors are again swirling that Honda could have a new sports car under development to slot below the forthcoming NSX. Autocar claims the model would revive the S2000 name, but offer 1.5- and 2.0-liter turbocharged units at the front to drive the rear wheels. Autocar alleges this info comes from unnamed "company insiders," and asserts the new S2000 could have a base model with a 1.5-liter turbo that makes about 180 hp – almost 60 hp down from the original convertible. However, a hotter version – possibly with Type R badging – would reportedly have a detuned form of the 306-hp 2.0-liter in the Civic Type R. Both trims would have a six-speed manual. Competing rumors contend that Honda could be developing two different performance models. Patent images suggest the company might have a smaller version of the NSX under consideration in addition to the rumored S200 revival. The mid-engine coupe would allegedly use a hybrid powertrain based on the Civic Type R's engine to make a total of about 400 hp. However, Autocar claims the S2000 successor has the higher priority of the pair, but it doesn't mention where the info comes from. The Honda S660 kei car on sale in Japan shows that the brand is willing to dabble in new sports cars, but that convertible isn't practical for the US market, according to the automaker's bosses. Dealers meanwhile continue to beg a performance model in the lineup, so it's possible one of these rumored projects eventually could arrive in showrooms. Related Video:

Honda slowing US production due to ports dispute

The labor dispute that idled 29 ports on the West Coast last the weekend, including Los Angeles and Long Beach, CA, is about to make its effects felt on the showroom floor, according to Reuters. Honda, Toyota and Subaru have been trying to work around the labor disagreement, cutting overtime and airlifting parts to factories, but Honda says parts shortages at plants in Indiana, Ohio and Ontario, Canada, are now severe enough to impede production. The lack of transmissions and some electronic components will slow output of the Honda Accord, Civic, and CR-V – as well as unnamed Acuras. The three affected factories will rework their production schedules from Feb. 16-23. The ports have reopened this week, and US Labor Secretary Tom Perez has flown to San Francisco to mediate a new agreement between the 20,000 dockworkers represented by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association, which represents the terminals and shipping companies. Talks have been going on for almost nine months and the issues aren't settled; meanwhile, the West Coast ports that handle half the nation's maritime cargo and 70 percent of cargo from Asia are putting all kinds of industries on the ropes, and it's estimated to cost the economy $2 billion a day. Related Video: News Source: ReutersImage Credit: MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images Government/Legal Plants/Manufacturing UAW/Unions Acura Honda Crossover Sedan

Honda reveals IndyCar aero kit

The IndyCar Series is stepping into a new era of competition that won't quite see manufacturers building their own chassis like they do in Formula One, but it's inching closer. This season, participating automakers will provide their customer teams not only with engines as they have in the past, but with complete aerodynamic packages. Chevy revealed its new aero kit last month, and now Honda – the only other automaker currently in the series – has followed suit with its own. Like Chevy's package, the new Honda kit is designed specifically for road courses and short ovals with a high degree of downforce that would hamper high-speed running around super speedways. The lower-drag package will likely be revealed sometime before the Indy 500 that will be the first speedway race on the calendar when it kicks off in May. The design of the package is a result of what Honda describes as an exhaustive development process that borrowed from the company's experience with Le Mans prototypes. It started out using CAD and CFD software before being validated on simulators, tested in wind tunnels and run on track with participation from Andretti Autosport. The aerodynamic appendages will be affixed to the existing Dallara chassis and powered by Honda's V6 engines, allowing individual teams to tweak the elements to their own requirements. With the manufacturers now allowed a greater degree of participation, series organizers will undoubtedly be hoping for more of them to join in on the action. The last time there were more than two automakers participating was in 2005, before Toyota pulled out. Ford was the sole engine supplier in the Champ Car series from 2003 until the series reunited with the Indy Racing League to form the current IndyCar Series. Honda Unveils 2015 IndyCar Series Aero Kits Mar 9, 2015 - TORRANCE, Calif. - Road Course/Short Oval package shown - Efficient development utilized CFD and multiple simulation tools - Wide range of aerodynamic tuning options available to teams Honda today debuted the package of aerodynamic upgrades and components its teams will use in the 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series, as the manufacturer seeks to add to an already impressive list of accomplishments in American open-wheel racing. The 2015 Honda Indy car "aero kit", produced by Honda Performance Development, Honda's racing arm in North America, includes nearly 200 individual pieces that can be fitted to the existing Honda-powered Dallara Indy car chassis.