Category: Honda

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Formula 1 Honda McLaren

Listen to Honda’s 2015 F1 engine

Apparently this YouTube video gives us an early preview of what Honda’s 2015 Formula 1 engine will sound like. We’re not totally convinced of its accuracy, so perhaps treat it as part entertainment value for now.

Remember, next year F1 will switch to 1.6 litre turbocharged V6 engines and Honda will reunite with McLaren for the 2015 season.

This is the second audio preview we’ve been given of F1’s new world order after Mercedes AMG published an audio clip back in August.

UPDATE 18 October: Sounds like the above audio clip was fair dinkum after all, as this official clip from Honda (below) shows.

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Formula 1 Honda McLaren

Ayrton Senna 1989: Suzuka lap record in 3D

Ayrton Senna 1989 by Honda

Cast your mind back to late July and we brought you a cool video referencing Ayrton Senna’s lap record posted at Suzuka in 1989 at the wheel of a McLaren MP4/5. Honda is back with a new 3D interpretation of that lap, complete with telemetry and a track map to help you chart progress.

You can see that video after the break. The clip below shows a working screen with widget-like panels spread across the page. If you just want to see the main screen then follow this link. For extra nerdiness, replace the last part of that URL with 02.html through to 11.html and see what you find.

And if you just want to see the full official version of this Ayrton Senna 1989 project by Honda the go to the dedicated website. And when you go to the site click on the 3D View tab and you can see this creation in all its glory. It’s very cool, make sure you check it out.

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Honda

Honda starts two year tease for Civic Type R

Honda Civic Type R prototype

Honda has confirmed what we already knew, that they’re chasing the front-wheel drive lap record at the Nürburgring. And they’ll be doing so in a new Civic Type R, which will be powered by a 2.0 litre turbo four cylinder engine.

Officially, Honda says the engine will have at least 280PS. Trouble is we won’t know the full facts until 2015 when the car is released.

Right now, though, they’re getting cocky. Manabu Nishimae, President, Honda Motor Europe, is already starting to brag: “We have recently spent a week at the Nürburgring, carrying out extensive testing and we are on target, and have already set a time approaching the lap record.”

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Honda

2015 Honda Civic Type R chasing Ring record

Honda Civic Type R

This is the next-generation Honda Civic Type R. It’s not due until 2015 but it’s got some lofty targets ahead of it. Honda says they want to own the front-wheel drive record lap time around the Nürburgring Nordschelife, currently held by the Renault Megane at 8 minutes 7.97 seconds.

Honda has even released a Type R teaser video showing it has already made its mark on the famed 20.8km circuit.

To achieve its target lap time the Type R will lose its unique normally aspirated VTEC mofo approach in favour of a boring old 2.0 litre turbocharged four cylinder, much like everyone else. Mind, with a peak power target to be as high as 300hp (223kW) Honda isn’t going to have too many other options.

On the positive side at least Honda can learn from its WTCC experience where its Civic is racing with a 1.6 litre turbo.

[Source: Autocar]

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Honda

Honda Civic Tourer wants to hang with the cool kids

Honda Civic Tourer

Honda has released information for its new Civic Tourer. Given the car is made in Britain it’s pretty much a Euro estate, which generally we love so much. Among others, the Civic Tourer will go head to head with the Volkswagen Golf Variant.

There’s no surprises with the Golf, it’s a perfect example of teutonic reservation. In contrast the Civic Tourer hits you right between the eyes with its dramatic creaselines and flowing curves.

When we first saw the pics of the Civic we thought it was very, very cool. But the more we look at it the more we begin to question our initial judgement.

Mind, if you’re going to buy a wagon based on a volume selling hatchback maybe you don’t really care what it looks like. On that basis the Civic Tourer has more cargo space compared with the Golf Variant.

With the seats up the Honda offers 624 litres against the VW’s 605 litres. Fold the seats down and you’ll have 1668 litres to fill in the Civic, 68 litres more than the Golf.

The question is, are these garden variety Euro estates worthy of cool status, or do they need to be a bit bigger and be stuffed with 400hp or more to be elevated to such lofty heights?

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Honda McLaren

McLaren-Honda deal could extend to road cars

McLaren P1 prototype

The recently announced McLaren-Honda Formula 1 partnership could extend to road cars Martin Whitmarsh says.

“It’s a pure Formula 1 contract, but we’ve already been looking at automotive technology and we’re sharing that very openly,” said McLaren’s Team Principal at the Hungarian Grand Prix. “Our road car strategy at the moment has no other automotive partner and 
Honda would be a good place 
to collaborate.”

If any such deal was to transpire the shared benefits between the two car companies would not be seen for some time. “If you look at our product range, 12C is running and will run for a few more years,” added Whitmarsh. “P1 has just been launched and P13, which is the follow-up car, is relatively developed, so actually it is something that you would see in quite a few years to come.”

[Source: Autocar]

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Formula 1 Honda McLaren

Sound of Honda: Ayrton Senna 1989

As far as tributes go this one is hard to beat. We can’t tell you a lot about it other than Honda has literally created a sound track to give an audio visual representation of Ayrton Senna driving a McLaren MP4/5 around the famous Suzuka grand prix circuit. Oh, and you’re going to like it, a lot!

[Thanks to Ryan for the tip]

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2013 Goodwood FoS in pictures – gallery 1

2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed

It’s taken us a while to prepare, but here’s your first instalment in our 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed image gallery. We’ve got more than 260 images in all which will be spread out over three galleries.

Presented in alphabetical order, this selection of photos starts with Alfa Romeo and ends with Lotus. And doesn’t that Alfa Romeo 4C just look sensational!

Stay tuned over the next two days for the remaining galleries to be posted.

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Honda

Get off the grass!

Honda Mean Mower

Ride on lawn mowers care cool. They just are. But what about one with a 1000cc engine producing 81kW that is capable of reaching 100km/h in around 4 seconds? Yes, really. It even has a paddle-shift transmission!

This the Honda Mean Mower. It weighs just 140kg and its top speed is a staggering 210km/h. It’s an offbeat project between Honda and its BTCC outfit Team Dynamics. The bloke with the luxury of messing up the lawn is BTCC driver Gordon Shedden.

There’s a brief and, if we’re honest, slightly disappointing video after the break along with more details about this crazy but undeniably cool creation.

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Formula 1 Honda McLaren

2015 McLaren-Honda livery concept

McLaren-Honda concept livery

Hats off to F1 fan Patrick Viola for this livery concept he has created for the return of the McLaren-Honda partnership in 2015.

We can’t say we’re really expecting to see a Marlboro-inspired livery to return to F1 tracks, but as far as fan creations go this one looks pretty good.

[Source: wtf1 | Thanks to Ryan for the tip]

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Formula 1 Honda McLaren

Reliving the McLaren-Honda glory days

McLaren-Honda

With the confirmation of Honda’s return to Formula 1, we bring you a handful of images from the previous McLaren-Honda partnership where they enjoyed great success together.

In the years 1988–92 McLaren-Honda started 80 grands prix. They were on pole 53 times and won 44 races. A total of eight world championships were collected as well. One for Alain Prost (1989), three for Ayrton Senna (1988, 1990, 1991) and four constructors’ titles for the team (1988, 1989, 1990, 1991).

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Formula 1 Honda McLaren

2015 McLaren-Honda partnership confirmed

McLaren-Honda MP4-4

The widely tipped news that Honda would return to Formula 1 to reunite with McLaren in 2015 has been confirmed today.

Honda left F1 at the end of the 2008 season with little success at the time and global financial pressures forcing their hand. It’s great to see them back in F1 and they’ll be hoping their glory days with McLaren, when Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna seemingly won races at will, can be rekindled.

No contract length has been given in the official press releases below, other than to say this is a “multi-year deal”.

Takanobu Ito, President and CEO of Honda said the switch to 1.6 litre turbocharged V6 engines, coming into place next year, has attracted Honda’s return: “We have the greatest respect for the FIA’s decision to introduce these new regulations that are both highly challenging but also attractive to manufacturers that pursue environmental technologies and to Formula One Group, which has developed F1 into a high value, top car racing category supported by enthusiastic fans.

Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren Group CEO, is also keen to reignite the flame both companies have enjoyed in the past: “The names of McLaren and Honda are synonymous with success in Formula 1, and, for everyone who works for both companies, the weight of our past achievements together lies heavily on our shoulders. But it’s a mark of the ambition and resolve we both share that we want once again to take McLaren-Honda to the very pinnacle of Formula 1 success. Together we have a great legacy – and we’re utterly committed to maintaining it.

Whitmarsh also commented briefly on McLaren’s relationship with Mercedes-Benz, which will continue in 2014: “It’s appropriate to recognise that until the end of 2014 we’ll maintain a full commitment to our existing and long-standing partner, Mercedes-Benz, for which we retain the utmost respect and with whom we intend to continue to work diligently and professionally.”

Full statements from McLaren and Honda can be read after the break. There’s a video from today’s announcement too, with Martin Whitmarsh’s speech taking place about 5:44 into the 12 minute clip.

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