Here's a video relating the story of a New York teacher who had her 1996 Honda Accord stolen 3 years ago. Obviously, she never expected to get the car back.
It turns out that when a car IS stolen (even in Brooklyn), the man is on the case. A little while back, the Accord was found in a chop shop in Queens with the VIN filed off. Luckily, the police still l managed to track the car back to its original owner.
When the woman got it back, the Honda had been updated with a VTEC power train and its transmission was converted over to a stick shift!
And whoever from the AP (and Huffington, for printing it) is thinking that the car got a new V8 engine? Half a second of research prevents looking like you don't know jack.
The folks over from the creative agency BRWUSA have sent over some videos "about a group of Honda enthusiasts" known as the FF Squad. Now before you think, "God, if it's ten minutes, forget it," don't worry. They're short and sweet.
Quality cinematography? Check. Funky music? Check. Real life story about normal people driving normal cars and their passion for them? Big Check.
Do yourself a favor, take three minutes out of your day and watch them; these videos will make you want to go out, buy a beater, build it up, and then go race it (if you haven't already). I'm liking this series in a big way. We can only hope there's more to come. Videos after the jump.
Honda has released a new promotional film for its recently revealed CR-Z mild-hybrid coupe. The 90 second film was commissioned by Honda Motor Europe and will be used for press and marketing across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
The film was produced by Gaucho Productions, a London-based film and digital agency. Directed by Ben Hume-Paton and produced by Kwok Yau, the clip was shot over a day and two nights in southern Spain. You can watch it after the jump.
Japanese manufacturers, residents of the BLAND unit in the trauma ward that is the modern auto industry (for the most part), put out some huge and extremely popular sports cars in the 90's.
Toyota had the twin-turbo Supra; Mitsubishi had the 3000GT VR-4; Mazda had the twin-turbo RX-7 and Nissan had the twin-turbo 300ZX and Skyline GT-Rs. And Honda? Well, they tried to pick a fight with Ferrari with their naturally-aspirated V6-powered NSX, but as for the common man? That's where the SSM concept stepped in, foreshadowing the S2000 roadster.
Debut (Concept): Honda unveiled the SSM concept, which stands for Sports Study Model, at the 1995 Tokyo Motor Show.
Debut (Prototype ; Production): Following the presentation of a pre-production prototype in September 1998, Honda launched the S2000 onto the market in April 1999 in celebration of the firm's 50th anniversary.
Lost in translation: While keeping the basic shape of the SSM, the S2000's styling was less extravagant with Honda's designers eliminating/redesigning several elements such as the large rear diffuser, low-riding headlights, geometric rollover hoops and passenger compartment divider.
But we got to keep: The same basic front-engine/rear-wheel-drive, 2-seat roadster layout, the fancy push-button starter, rigidity-enhancing x-bone monocoque frame, and that 50/50 weight distribution.
And gained: A roof as the folding soft top came as standard with an aluminum hardtop offered optionally.
Fun fact: Similar to Audi's TT (depending on who you believe), the Honda S2000's nomenclature was pulled from the company's past: the S made it a modern-day successor to Honda's small roadsters of the 60's (S500, S600, S800), while the number represents the engine's displacement (until the updated AP2 generation upped the displacement for the NA-spec model from 1,997 cc to 2,157 cc while retaining the S2000 name).
Did you know? The S2000 roadster's 240PS 2.0-litre engine 9,000 rpm VTEC four-pot (2.2-liter for the North American model from 2004 and onwards) remains one of the highest output per liter and highest revving series production engines ever made
Sales: Since its introduction in 1999 and until June 2009, Honda sold more than 110,700 units of the S2000 worldwide with more than 65,000 making their way to the United States alone.
Where is it now? After ten years in production, the S2000 reached the end of its life last year with the last ever car rolling off the line at Suzuka, Japan in June 2009. Unfortunately, there's no replacement in sight.
By Phil Alex
Phil Alex was born in Rhode Island in 1985. He graduated with degrees in Finance and German from Wofford College in 2007 and has had an obsession with cars and travel. Currently he resides near Japan's international airport in Narita.
It turns out that when a car IS stolen (even in Brooklyn), the man is on the case. A little while back, the Accord was found in a chop shop in Queens with the VIN filed off. Luckily, the police still l managed to track the car back to its original owner.
