2003 Honda S2000 Base Convertible 2-door 2.0l on 2040-cars

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Why Honda of America won't fit 2014 Fit models with start/stop

One of the most recent yet notable additions to the modern vehicle's growing suite of fuel-saving technologies is the humble start-stop system. It's rather simple - when the vehicle is stopped, the engine shuts off. It then fires back up when the driver starts to take his foot off the brake or step on the clutch. For one of the most important fuel sippers of the year, though, start-stop tech is a no-go.
Honda will not be offering the system on the North American-spec, non-hybrid Fit despite it being a standard item on both the hybrid (pictured above) and gas-only Japanese domestic models. According to Honda, it's ostensibly due to the momentary lag, that occurs when the gas engine re-fires and power is available. The start-stop-equipped Fits "will lose at stoplights to V6s," Nobuhiko Shishido, the lead powertrain engineer for the Fit, told Automotive News. This is just an observation on our part, but unless the new Fit turns up with dramatically more than the current car's 117 horsepower, it'll "lose at stoplights" regardless of whatever fuel-saving features are fitted.
The other issue Honda sees is more realistic. In the world of the EPA, stop-start systems are not taken into account in fuel economy testing. That makes the cost-adding technology a tough sell for US consumers who are forced to take a dealer's word on real-world economy gains over the milage numbers on the window sticker. That said, wouldn't it at least make sense to offer start-stop as an option? Have your say in the Comments below.

Acura models no longer produced or sold in China

SHANGHAI — Chinese carmaker Guangzhou Automobile Group said on Monday its joint venture with Honda Motor is no longer producing or selling products under the Japanese firm's premium Acura brand. GAC will continue to provide after-sales services to Acura customers in China through the joint venture's network, it said in a statement to Reuters. The joint venture will continue to produce other Honda brands. Acura is the second foreign car brand to exit China, the world's largest auto market, in recent months. In October GAC said it was closing its joint venture with Stellantis, which made Jeep vehicles, following a sharp decline in Jeep sales in China over the past four years. GAC-Honda, which started producing Acura cars in 2016 in China, only sold 6,554 of them in the country in 2021, down 45% from the previous year. Related video: 2022 Acura NSX Type S track footage

'Tornado' at Rose Bowl Fan Fest wreaks havoc on Honda display

California's been host to some oddball weather for the past few years - particularly oddball, even for California, that is. An example of which struck again during the Honda Fan Fest at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on New Year's Eve. A robust dust devil – labeled a "tornado" by the anonymous videographer – planted itself among the stands and then rolled across the lawn, twirling several vendor stands and an inflatable tent around in the air, seemingly damaging some new Honda and Acura models that were on display where some attendees had sought refuge. Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt, but four people were treated for injuries - probably including the committed Fan Fest worker who tried to grab a flying canopy and got spun around and thrown to the ground. Which is kinda the way Oregon treated Florida State. We had to watch it twice, because the first time, we couldn't take our eyes off the cow. Check out the chaos in the video above. News Source: adsport via YouTube Auto News Honda Safety Videos California