Honda to redesign its Civic hybrid car
 

Honda Motor Co. Chief Executive Takeo Fukui said a second-generation Civic Hybrid coming next fall has "significantly higher fuel economy and performance" than the current model but did not elaborate.

The Civic Hybrid has combined EPA city-highway mileage of 47 m.p.g., and the Toyota Prius is rated at 55. The Civic will be redesigned for the 2006 model year, and the new model may bow at the Chicago Auto Show in February.



Fukui also said Honda is considering a hybrid SUV for the United States but the company hasn't made a decision. Honda's U.S. sales unit is asking for one to counter the hybrid Toyota Highlander and Lexus RX models coming this spring.


Read the entire article here.

Chicago Auto Show (soon) to display new Civics
 

I read on another website forum (Yahoo I think) that Honda is planning to show the new Civics at the Chicago Auto Show coming up I think next month.

Will be great to have pics and specs !!!

Hi Jason and Lars-ss:

___Ahhh, one of our own (I wish I could mention his name but he asked me not too) is an online journalist and will be going to the Chicago Auto show - Media days event(s) prior to the to the public show opening. The upcoming 06 Civic will be scrutinized to the best of his abilities, I am quite sure. Expect pics and a detailed writeup unless he is restrained from doing so under an NDA of some kind.

___From what I can gather, it appears that the next gen Civic ICE for both the hybrid and non-hybrid alike will be based off an i-VTEC design like the 7th gen Accord. About all I can add is that this motor is smoother and has the potential for much higher FE and higher HP then the current i-DSI in the HCH’s. There is some talk of a Stratified Charge - Direct Injection ICE which uses almost Diesel like compression (12:1 using a Fuel-air mix of 65:1 or thereabouts) except with a spark plug and runs on gasoline. This tech is still way out there. The top of the line, Si boy racer might even come with a scorching 200 HP 2.0 L DOHC VTEC. What I am really interested in is the SC-DI myself. These are just rumors I have heard from the ICE guru’s over at TVTEC but there is always one or two nuggets of truth in those young men’s bantering … We shall see soon enough.

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net