2009 honda civic

Mid-model change
Expect modest exterior enhancements
Diesel power looks to be a no go.

Standard Civic
VP and LX-S trims will make an appearance for the first time in 2009. Both these models will carry special value options. The VP will be a step above the DX adding air conditioning and an AM/FM/CD with Aux jack. The LX-S, a step above the LX, will add 16" alloy wheels, deck lid spoiler, leather wrap steering wheel, exhaust finisher, and sport trimmed interior. Look for new colors including Crystal Black Pearl, Polished Metal Metallic and Urban Titanium Metallic. Nighthawk Black, Galaxy Gray and Borrego Beige will be discontinued.

Civic Si
Some new and exciting colors will be present for the Si as well for 2009. Honda will introduce Crystal Black Pearl, Dyno Blue Pearl, Polished Metal Metallic and Redline Orange Pearl. Nighthawk Black, Fiji Blue, Galaxy Gray, and Habanero Red will be discontinued.

Hybrid
There is a new variation for both NAVI and non-NAVI trims. We don't know what it is at this time but we are guessing from the model description that it is a leather option. New colors will be Atomic Blue Metallic, Crystal Black Pearl, Polished Metal Metallic, and Spectrum White Pearl. Opal Silver Blue, Galaxy Gray, and Taffeta White will be discontinued.

Also keep watch for the USB audio interface on upper level trims and Bluetooth capability on Navi equipped models.

The mid-model Civic will go on sale in September and the Hybrid in October.

http://www.hondapreview.com/civic/

2009 Honda Prius

Hybrid car shoppers will have more choices than ever before in 2009 when Honda releases their new Prius fighter and the CR-Z hybrid sports car. Toyota has also publicly said that their next-generation Prius will go on sale in '09. Honda hopes to sell 100,000 of their dedicated hybrid family sedan in North America, and hopes to double that number when worldwide sales are tallied. Details remain sketchy, but as we've reported before, the CR-Z model is separate from their hybrid family sedan. They hope to price the sedan between the Fit and the Civic Hybrid.

The CR-Z is intended to be a sporty hybrid, and the weight of the battery is a big concern. Honda COO Takanobu Ito was interviewed at the Tokyo Motor Show and declined to comment on whether Honda plans on a lithium ion battery for their new hybrid models, but that would make a big dent in the weight problem.

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/10/29/hondas-prius-fighter-set-for-debut-in-2009/

The 2009 Nissan Skyline GT-R

The 2009 Nissan Skyline GT-R is a legend before it even enters production.

Born from a long line of Skyline GT-Rs dating back to 1969, this latest version — "R35" to the hard-core — promises to pack more turbocharged power, more all-wheel-drive technology and more sheer speed than any Japanese car ever to come to America

For six years the 2009 Nissan Skyline GT-R has been the subject of intense rumors and frenzied speculation. Frequent sightings of GT-R test mules help fuel the excitement. We've caught GT-R prototypes on the streets of L.A. and the Nürburgring test track in Germany. Nissan's engineers also made a trip to a couple California racetracks, bringing the GT-R to both Laguna Seca and Sears Point.

Why is this car followed so closely? Because the Skyline GT-R R35 is expected to be the ne plus ultra of Japanese performance machinery; and after 30 years of waiting, it's finally America's turn to officially take part in all the fun.

The Allure of Forbidden Fruit
The original Nissan Skyline GT-R
might have hit the street in 1969, but it wasn't until 1990 that the GT-R legend would be solidified. That was the year the Skyline GT-R was introduced to an utterly stunned Japanese market. It was the first of three twin-turbocharged, all-wheel-drive and all-wheel-steering Skylines (R32, R33 and R34) and it's the generation upon which the Skyline GT-R legend rests.

Though the R34 left production after the 2003 model year, it was so beloved that Nissan's Nismo division actually bought 20 used Skyline GT-R R34 V-Spec models during 2005 and completely rebuilt them into what is currently considered the greatest GT-R of them all — the $170,000, 500-horsepower Skyline GT-R Z-Tune.

Although Nissan never imported the Skyline GT-R to the United States, the supercar still found its way into America's automotive consciousness. In fact, buying one in the U.S. became relatively easy. By the dawn of the 21st century, several hundred had been imported.

So prominent had the Nissan Skyline GT-R become that in 2003's 2 Fast 2 Furious, the film's hero drove and raced one through the streets of Miami. And the actor Paul Walker, who played the role, bought his own and modified it.

America's GT-R
At the 2001 Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan showed the GT-R Concept as the prospective successor to the R34. By early 2005, modified G35 coupes with Infiniti badges, oversize wheels and tires, big rear wings, hood scoops and bodywork protrusions big enough to hide exotic exhaust systems in back or intercoolers up front were spied at the Nürburgring.

These weren't just tuner cars, but full-fledged prototypes of the next GT-R.

Then in the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show, another GT-R showcar appeared called the GT-R Proto; and the new, innovative shape of the next GT-R was apparent. Obviously based on Nissan's FM-code front midengine chassis, this GT-R would apparently use a turbocharged version of the VQ V6 with a seven-speed transmission and all-wheel drive.

And at the 2006 New York Auto Show, Nissan's CEO Carlos Ghosn announced that, yes finally, the new Skyline GT-R R35 would be sold in the United States and it would be sold worldwide exclusively through Nissan, and not Infiniti. And apparently without the Skyline name.

That's right, it'll officially be called the Nissan GT-R. Yeah, right, just like the 2007 Mazda Miata is the MX-5.

Almost Ready To Rock
Since then, more prototypes of the 2009 Nissan Skyline GT-R with sheet metal nearly identical to the GT-R Proto have been often seen at the Nürburgring and in America's Southwest, usually in the company of at least one Porsche 911 Turbo. It's that 480-hp, all-wheel-drive Porsche that Nissan is obviously using as its performance benchmark for this car.

But when the new production GT-R R35 goes on sale after its debut at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show in October, we don't expect it to carry a price tag near that Porsche's $122,000 chit. Instead the 2009 Nissan Skyline GT-R is expected to run somewhere around $70,000, making it a contender to take the title of best value supercar from the Chevrolet Corvette Z06.

No wonder it's the most eagerly anticipated car in a generation. And to feed that anticipation, we'll be updating this page with new information, photos and anything else related to the 2009 Nissan Skyline GT-R R35 until the official unveiling at the 2007 Tokyo Auto Show.

http://www.edmunds.com/il/nissan/skyline/index.html

2009 Honda City in September

Resize to smart-size in the all-new 2009 Fit, and expand your expectations. Imagine a super compact that can comfortably carry five adults and gear, connect with your digital music, find destinations by audible command, get fuel-efficient mpg, and make a parking opportunity out of almost any available space.

Drivers are rethinking the way they get around, and that’s where the 2009 Honda Fit comes in. It’s a smart-sized example of style, function and swift hustle. An abnormally adaptable nemesis of waste, and as ready for change as you are. It’s time to rally behind this dynamo warrior of efficiency.

The Fit Sport is all-new, and comes with some impressively efficient and upscale features. In this case, resizing has nothing to do with sacrifice.

1.5-liter, 4-cylinder i-VTEC® engine
Spacious, configurable interior
Available Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System™*
iPod®†-compatible USB port** for radio-controlled connectivity
2nd-row Magic Seat® with one-motion dive-down functionality
Available paddle shifters

Beyond Efficient Safety

Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure
Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®)
Active head restraints
Dual-stage, dual-threshold front airbags
Front-side airbags with passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS)
Side-curtain airbags
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD)

* The Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System is available on Sport models in the United States, except Alaska. See your Honda dealer for details.

†iPod is a registered trademark of Apple, Inc. All rights reserved. iPod not included.

**The USB Audio interface is used for direct connection to and control of some current digital audio players and other USB devices that contain MP3, WMA or AAC music files. Some USB devices with security software and digital rights-protected files may not work. Please see your dealer for details on compatibility.

photo from http://bkkautos.com/node/743

Toyota Cuts Sales Goal on Falling U.S. Truck Demand

Toyota Motor Corp., vying with General Motors Corp. to be the world's largest carmaker, lowered its sales and production forecast for this year as record U.S. gasoline prices erode sales of trucks and sport-utility vehicles.

The company expects to sell 9.5 million vehicles worldwide in the 12 months ending Dec. 31, down 350,000 units, or 3.6 percent, from its initial estimate of 9.85 million, it said in a statement today. Toyota sold 9.37 million last year.

U.S. gasoline prices, which topped $4 a gallon last month, dented demand for pickups and sport-utility vehicles built by Toyota, GM and other automakers. That prompted Toyota to suspend production of Tundra pickups and Sequoia SUVs for three months from August. The company cut its U.S. sales forecast for the Toyota and Lexus brands by 7.6 percent.

``The current market is hurting everyone,'' said Atsushi Kawai, a senior analyst at Mizuho Investors Securities Co. in Tokyo, who has a ``neutral'' rating on the stock. ``What's impressive is that even with the severe environment in the U.S. Toyota is still saying it will beat last year's sales.''

U.S. sales of Toyota and Lexus brands may total 2.44 million vehicles, compared with its previous estimate of 2.64 million, the company said.

The Toyota City, Japan-based automaker also cut its production estimate by 4.5 percent to 9.5 million vehicles for this year. It would be unchanged from last year.

Toyota fell 1.2 percent to 4,880 yen as of the close of trading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

U.S. Sales

Toyota's sales goal includes its Daihatsu Motor Co. and Hino Motors Ltd. subsidiaries. The two companies' sales account for about 10 percent of the carmaker's estimate.

Excluding the two units, Toyota lowered its sales forecast by 3.8 percent to 8.5 million vehicles in 2008 because demand will also be lower-than-expected in Europe, Japan and Latin America.

Domestic sales may fall about 2 percent to 1.55 million vehicles, the company said. Toyota expects European sales to decline 4 percent to 1.19 million. In the Middle East, the only region where Toyota raised its sales forecast, the company expects sales to gain 23 percent to 590,000 units.

The carmaker's sales in the U.S., the world's largest auto market, fell by 6.8 percent in the first half of this year, led by a 13 percent drop in demand for its light trucks.

G.M., Ford

Detroit-based GM fell further behind Toyota during the second quarter. Toyota posted a preliminary increase of 1.8 percent to about 2.41 million in the three months ended June 30 as demand rose in China and Russia. GM's sales dropped 5 percent to 2.29 million vehicles.

The results boosted Toyota's first-half lead to 278,000, diminishing chances that GM will extend its 77-year reign as the world's largest automaker. Last year, GM trailed in the first quarter and narrowed the gap in the second before topping Toyota by 3,100 sales for the year.

Toyota's U.S. rivals GM and Ford Motor Co. plan to shut factories and cut jobs. GM, which announced plans to close four truck plants and make more cars in June, may also cut thousands of additional factory jobs as it further trims production capacity, the company said July 15.

Ford, the world's third-largest automaker, on July 24 posted a record quarterly loss of $8.7 billion and accelerated a conversion to fuel-efficient vehicles to wean itself from money- losing trucks. Ford will convert three North American truck factories to build small cars.

Toyota's earnings may also fall because of a stronger yen and falling U.S. sales where sales are heading for the first annual decline since 1995.

Net income at Toyota for the three months ended June 30 may have fallen 33 percent to 330.6 billion yen ($3.06 billion) from a year ago, according to the median estimate of six analysts compiled by Bloomberg. The company will report its earnings on Aug. 7.

By Naoko Fujimura
source: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=aqPFjEh9qNns&refer=japan

Mitsubishi to Unveil New Pajero SUV at Moscow

Mitsubishi will unveil its new Pajero Sport SUV model at the Moscow Auto Salon 2008 (The Moscow Motor Show) later next month.

The new Pajero Sport will be phased in selected regions such as Russia, the ASEAN area, the Middle East, Latin America and Oceania starting in the fall this year. T he new Pajero Sport will neither be sold in Central & Western Europe nor in North America, where other types of SUVs are favored.

T he model will carry a different name in different markets: Montero Sport in South America, Nativa in Latin America and Challenger in Australia.

The new Pajero Sport features dynamic and sporty exterior lines, complemented by a stylish and vast interior space that engenders a sense of comfort, purpose and safety. This cabin, available in either a 2-row (5-passenger) or 3-row (7-passenger) seating configuration is also very practical with water-repellent seats and a waterproof luggage compartment floor, ideal for leisure use.

Mitsubishi's latest SUV will be powered by a choice of three engines which all deliver outstanding motive performance and fuel economy: 2.5-liter and 3.2-liter common rail direct injection diesel units and a 3.5-liter V6 gasoline unit.

In terms of architecture, the body of the Pajero Sport is mounted on a new ladder frame to realize high levels of durability and reliability, consistent with the needs of its target markets.

Mitsubishi's All Wheel Control philosophy, forged through its participation in the Dakar Rally and other contests, informs all of the company's 4WD systems. The new model will use the Super Select 4WD system, also used in the Pajero SUV, which transmits drive torque effectively to all four wheels on all types of surface. The body, frame and driveline not only give Pajero Sport outstanding off-road performance but allow it to deliver excellent drive dynamics over all surfaces.

The choice of the Moscow Motor Show to unveil the new Pajero Sport is a clear indication of Russia's eminent position within Mitsubishi Motors. In fiscal 2007 Mitsubishi Motors sold some 100,000 vehicles on the Russian market, boosted by the ever successful Lancer line-up and a popular range of SUVs.

MMC is confident that the new Pajero Sport SUV will make a strong addition to its SUV range, which also includes the Pajero and Outlander. Coming on the heels of the introduction of the Lancer sports sedan last year, this will allow MMC to expand SUV sales and hit a total sales volume of 140,000 units on the Russian market in fiscal 2008.

Last month, Mitsubishi and PSA have opened a joint venture assembly plant in Kaluga, Russia to produce midrange SUVs for the Mitsubishi, Peugeot and Citroen brands, as well as midsize Peugeot and Citroen vehicles, with an overall capacity of 160,000 vehicles.



source: http://puregreencars.com/Green-Cars-News/Other-Green-Car-News/mitsubishi_to_unveil_new_pajero_suv_at_moscow.html