2014 Honda Pilot Ex-l on 2040-cars

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Leno checks out '64 Honda S600 hot rod

Among the hundreds of cars and motorcycles Jay Leno has in his own enviable collection, he's got a classic 1964 Honda S600. It's a cherry example that he's been restoring and it was recently featured in an episode of his popular video series. But this new video shows a different take on the little beast altogether. Rather than go for preservation, this vintage Japanese roadster has undergone the full hot-rod treatment. Or more like a rat rod, we should say, given its heavily patinated appearance. But don't let looks deceive you: this weathered little roadster is packing quite a punch, from the worked-over mechanical bits and motorcycle components to the nitrous tank in the trunk. Turn up the speakers to hear it shriek and check it out in the video above.

Acura NSX prototype gets back on track

Developing a new vehicle is not without its complications, we're sure, but usually things follow a fairly predictable progression: you develop a prototype, you test it, test it and test it again, then you put it into production. What you don't expect is that your prototype will burn to the ground, but that's what famously happened to the NSX which Honda engineers were testing a few months ago.
Fortunately, the Acura NSX prototype is back on track, both literally and figuratively, as you can see from this latest batch of spy shots snapped at the Nürburgring. This camouflaged prototype looks pretty much the same as the last one, only, you know... less crispy. Which is to say, it looks pretty much ready to hit showrooms.
The naysayers may point out that Honda chose colder and damper weather to put the NSX back into testing - thereby mitigating the risk of another fire - but we're sure the Japanese automaker has been working hard to fix the flammability issues, whatever may have caused them, over the past few months. At least, we hope they have.

2016 Honda Civic First Drive [w/video]

Before diving deep into the presentation for the 2016 Civic Sedan, Honda reps reminded us that the last generation of the car sold very well, thank you. Launched for the 2012 model year, and conspicuously updated for '13, the ninth-generation of Honda's Everyman Sedan was dinged in the media for its lack of innovative powertrains, a drop in refinement relative to the newest competitors, and generally staying the course instead of blazing a trail. That Civic still sold hundreds of thousands of copies. But at the presser for this new car, the sense of relief in moving forward, and excitement about the future, was palpable. Striking up the band and fawning over a new car is the job of Honda's staff, of course, but after driving the '16 Civic for myself, it was clear why the gushing seemed so genuine. This is a new machine, soup to nuts, built to draw crosshairs on the best compact cars in the world. To do that, Honda prioritized overall refinement, the steering experience, a quiet cabin, and high-speed stability as areas in which the tenth-gen car must excel. Those are new areas; the company accepts that things like excellent fuel economy and safety are elemental parts of any Civic by now. Having driven the current version of most every competitor, I set out to see if Honda could make good on that lofty and diverse set of goals. View 40 Photos Honda prioritized excellence in overall refinement, the steering experience, a quiet cabin, and high-speed stability. The new Civic powertrain lineup gives the model an immediate leg up. For 2016, Honda is bringing two new four-cylinder engines to the game: a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter, and a turbocharged 1.5-liter. I got a small sample of the 2.0L engine – it's generally up to the task of carrying Civic sales in bulk – but I spent most of my day with the more exciting 1.5T. (That's mostly what Honda brought along; the engineers are clearly proud of this motor.) The top three trim levels will include the 174-horsepower, 162-pound-feet turbo engine, connected to a continuously variable transmission. The added power makes sense for the more expensive versions of this car, as the easy acceleration it offers is a real luxury. Most drivers will appreciate that there's less "turbo-y" feeling to this engine than just about any I've ever experienced. Full torque output starts at 1,800 rpm – and sticks there right up to the 5,500-rpm horsepower peak – but there's no drama around the power coming on.