2004 Honda S2000 Base Convertible 2-door on 2040-cars

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The accidentally green episode | Autoblog Podcast #486

This week, consumer editor Jeremy Korzeniewski and Autoblog Green editor-in-chief Sebastian Blanco join Mike Austin and things go in a "green" direction – it just happened that way. We hit the week's news (including some green-related items), talk about the green things we've been driving, hear part of an interview with the filmmakers behind a new movie about the 2008 bailout, and then answer a listener question. The rundown is below. Remember, if you have a car-related question you'd like us to answer or you want questionable buying advice, send a message or a voice memo to podcast at autoblog dot com. Autoblog Podcast #486 Topics and stories we mention Almost half of VW TDI owners have already agreed to settle The Chevy Colorado has a military-spec, fuel cell-powered cousin 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid 2017 Hyundai Elantra Eco Jeremy's 1975 VW camper van A preview of Live Another Day, a film about the 2008 auto bailout Rundown Intro - 00:00 The news - 05:26 What we've been driving - 18:43 An excerpt from our interview with the Live Another Day filmmakers - 37:20 Listener questions - 40:00 Total Duration: 47:52 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Feedback Email – Podcast at Autoblog dot com Review the show in iTunes Green Podcasts Honda Hyundai vw diesel scandal

Japanese earthquakes send ripples through auto industry

The earthquakes since April 14 in Japan's Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu are having aftershocks on the US auto industry, particularly for Toyota. The company shut down most of its factories in the country due to parts shortages, and the plants will be closed at least through April 23. "Decisions regarding recommencement of operation at plants in Japan will be made on the basis of availability of parts," the company said in a statement. According to Automotive News, Toyota's closed factories include a vast range of popular models in the US, including the Toyota Prius, Mirai, RAV4, 4Runner, Land Cruiser, Lexus ES, LS, IS, GS, RC, NX, RX, GX, and LX. The company's only sites in Japan that are still open build Hino trucks, Daihatsu models, and the Toyota Century limo. Toyota isn't yet sure whether these shutdowns could lead to vehicle shortages in the US. "As you can imagine, we are still reviewing the situation and working to learn more," company spokesperson Aaron Fowles told Autoblog. "While we know that production will be suspended in stages at most of our vehicle assembly facilities in Japan between April 18th and the 23rd, we do not know if they will continue production suspensions. Also, any effects to our inventory and/or sales have yet to be determined." He expects the automaker to know more in the coming days. Many of the affected Toyota plants aren't even in Kumamoto Prefecture, but major suppliers have factories in the region. For example, Aisin Seiki and Renesas Electronics both had to shutdown operations at plants in the area, according to Automotive News. Toyota isn't the only automaker affected. Nissan experienced a brief slowdown but was back to work on Monday, and Honda has suspended a motorcycle plant in the region until Friday. Mitsubishi had to close a production line due to the parts shortage, according to The Japan Times, but it didn't affect US models. "A supplier to our Mizushima plant has been impacted but they only supply an engine part for our mini car line. That line has been temporarily shut down due to that situation," spokesperson Alex Fedorak told Autoblog. "That same plant builds the Lancer and i-MiEv and there has been no impact to that line and production continues uninterrupted." Two major quakes hit Kumamoto Prefecture around Kumamoto city in the past week. The first on April 14 measured 6.4 magnitude, and a second on April 16 measured 7.3.

2016 Honda Civic Coupe is a functional, fuel-efficient fastback

Listen, everyone was all excited when Honda introduced the new Civic Sedan, because it was a huge step forward over the previous generation. But while everyone was busy praising the new styling, more refined interior, and turbocharged engine, they were secretly pining for a more literal translation of the New York Auto Show concept car. People wanted the Civic Coupe. We wanted the Civic Coupe. And ahead of the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show, Honda has delivered. The new Coupe shamelessly apes the Civic Concept from New York, featuring a similarly svelte front end. In back, the fastback roofline and overarching taillight compete for attention without appearing busy or unnecessary, while the profile presents a more rebellious take on the greenhouse and character lines of the current Accord Coupe. Like the Civic Sedan, the Coupe gets an overhauled interior that puts emphasis on material quality and focuses on tech. That includes soft-touch, contrasting details, as well as more practical stuff like the optional TFT main gauge and seven-inch touchscreen display. Expect the powertrain options to mirror the Civic Sedan, with a naturally aspirated, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder as a base entry and a turbocharged, 1.5-liter four-pot as the higher-end engine. Outputs and fuel economy figures are identical to the four-door Civics, while CVTs remain the transmission of choice – the only way you can snag a manual box is with the 2.0-liter engine. If you were one of the fans hoping Honda would see the light and at least offer the turbo with a manual trans for Coupe buyers, we understand that this is rather devastating news. We feel your pain. And we're sure you, like us, are looking forward to sportier iterations of Honda's little coupe, specifically the Si and Type R. Honda has provided an array of images of the new two-door, although you can count on our live images in the near future. Take a peek up top for the stock stuff, and then scroll below for the official press release. Dynamically Styled, More Powerful and Fuel-Efficient 2016 Honda Civic Coupe Makes First Public Appearance at Los Angeles Auto Show Nov 17, 2015 - TORRANCE, Calif.