Honda Shows New Accessories for European CR-Z 2+2 in Paris

The new Jazz (called Fit in the U.S. and other markets) Hybrid -see here- may have been the star attraction Honda's Paris Motor Show booth, but the Japanese automaker also premiered a new lineup of accessories for its European-spec CR-Z 2+2 hybrid. The range is split into four packages / themes with parts for the exterior and interior of the CR-Z.

First up is the Carbon theme that includes floor carpets and door-step garnishes, interior panels, body skirts and groovier-looking 17-inch alloy wheels.

Next is the Metallic theme that adds a front sports grille, door mirror covers, air-intake garnishes, pillar decorations and speaker rings, while the Illumination theme gives a blue luminescence to the interior of the CR-Z. Finally, the Coloured theme offers tailgate garnishes and body styling graphics.

Prices and availability have yet to be announced.

_______________________________GALLERY_______________________________

Paris Show: 2011 Honda Civic gets Minor Updates

Honda presented the 2011 model year version of its UK-built, European-market Civic hatch in Paris this week. The Japanese automaker's Golf rival benefits from some minor updates, mostly limited to the grille, interior fabrics and alloy wheel designs on some models.

More specifically, the Perspex grille is gone on the 5-door hatchback and it has been replaced with the same mesh grille used on the three-door Civics. A new color has also been introduced to the range: Ionized Bronze.

Inside, the base Civic gets seats trimmed in a combination of cloth and alcantara, while the special edition GT gets half leather and Alcantara as standard. The GT model also gets unique 17-inch alloy wheels, further differentiating it from the standard models.

By Tristan Hankins

_______________________________GALLERY_______________________________

Honda Jazz Hybrid: More Details and New Photos Released ahead of Paris Show

Being that the 2010 edition of the Paris Auto Show is just around the corner, Honda has released a new batch of photos as well as a few more details on its new hybrid variant of the Jazz, which is called Fit in the U.S. and other markers.

The smallest member of Honda's gasoline-electric hybrid family features the same IMA parallel hybrid system found on the Insight, combining a 1.3 liter engine with a 10 KW electric motor. The system allows the car to operate with engine only, engine and motor or electric motor only at low to medium speeds.

In the Jazz Hybrid, the IMA battery pack and power control unit are stored under the boot floor, keeping the normal boot (above floor) area of 300 liters, while also allowing the car's so-called "Magic Seats" to fold in the same manner as the non-hybrid version to provide a boot space of 831 liters.

Honda said the new Jazz Hybrid returns a combined fuel consumption figure of 4.4 l/100km [53.5 mpg US] in the European cycle. That's the same as the Insight and faintly better than the European variants of the Civic Hybrid (4.6 lt/100km) and CR-Z 2+2 (5.0lt/100km).

However, the Jazz Hybrid has CO2 emissions of 104 g/km, which is slightly higher than the Insight's 101g/km. Honda claims this is due to the Jazz's "taller, more flexibility focused shape."

The Japanese automaker said the Jazz hybrid will go on sale in some European markets in the early part of 2011, with prices, homologated emissions levels and full specifications to be announced in "due course". Currently, there are no plans to offer the Jazz Hybrid in North America.

10 Most Stolen Cars in the USA: Honda Accord and Civic Top the 2009 List, No Love for the Koreans or Germans

Do you own a car that's likely to be stolen? Maybe, maybe not. Here is the list that the NICB (National Insurance Crime Bureau) has compiled concerning the most stolen vehicles in America. Honda's 1994 Accord and 1995 Civic along with Toyota's 1991 Camry occupy the first three places ahead of Ford's 1997 F-150 pickup truck and Dodge's 2004 Ram pickup.

If your car is on the list (scroll down), you should make sure to keep that chunk of metal locked down. As in, put a ring on it and don't let anyone near it.

Most Stolen Vehicles in the US in 2009:

1. 1994 Honda Accord
2. 1995 Honda Civic
3. 1991 Toyota Camry
4. 1997 Ford F-150 Pickup
5. 2004 Dodge Ram Pickup
6. 2000 Dodge Caravan
7. 1994 Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size)
8. 1994 Acura Integra
9. 2002 Ford Explorer
10. 2009 Toyota Corolla

The FBI says car thefts were down 17% in 2009 compared to 2008 (794,616 versus 956,846), which is officially the "largest drop in a six-year decline" and the lowest reported in 21 years. Good news for car owners, and clearly indicative of the fact that car thieves are falling by the wayside (or just not up to snuff on their tech).

Most of the cars listed end to end up in chop shops where the sum of their parts is more valuable than the actual car. More serious thieves (those in syndicates with ties to shipping and international trade) still feel fine stealing newer cars that can be re-VIN'd and distributed overseas, so your Escalade and XJR aren't necessarily safe just yet.

You'll notice the majority of the cars on the list are from the 1990's. It turns out these older cars have become more popular, but many people have yet to figure out why. I'd say it probably comes down to the simple fact that they're easier to steal. Many modern cars have keys that only work with one specific car, while other cars simply can't be started without a chip (found in the key fob) nearby.

Joe Wehrle, NICB president and CEO, says, "Through the end of August this year there were 97,655 vehicles that were listed as stolen and not yet recovered. Of that number, only 38 percent had some kind of insurance coverage. So there are a lot of vehicles out there that are being stolen and the owner is left holding the bag with no car and no money to buy another one." Lesson? If you own a vehicle that's likely to get stolen, insure it accordingly and be safe about it.

Here are some of the NICB's tips on how to make sure your car doesn't get got by some shady individuals:

"Common Sense: Lock your car and take your keys. It's simple enough but many thefts occur because owners make it easy for thieves to steal their cars.

Warning Device: Having and using a visible or audible warning device is another item that can ensure that your car remains where you left it.

Immobilizing Device: Generally speaking, if your vehicle can't be started, it can't be stolen. "Kill" switches, fuel cut-offs and smart keys are among the devices which are extremely effective.

Tracking Device: A tracking device emits a signal to the police or to a monitoring station when the vehicle is stolen. Tracking devices are very effective in helping authorities recover stolen vehicles. Some systems employ "telematics" which combine GPS and wireless technologies to allow remote monitoring of a vehicle. If the vehicle is moved the system will alert the owner and the vehicle can be tracked via computer."

By Phil Alex

Source: NICB

AMS Terra Brings the Space Invader Theme to Honda's CR-Z Hybrid Coupe

This is AMS's take on the new Honda CR-Z hybrid sports coupe/hatch, and it's called the Terra. The CR-Z, which already looks nice as a cute little sporty hybrid, has been dropped on 19-inch RAYS Versus Torismo Rechente one-off rollers that have been finished in piano black and pearl white.

The front of the car gets a new front bumper - with or without a license plate holder- and some "eyeline garnish", while both front and rear fenders have been widened (15 mm and 70 mm, respectively). Also, the side sills get their WIDE on to the tune of 30 mm.

Up above, there's a roof lip and rear hatch spoiler. The rear of the car is where the magic really happens, though: the Terra gets an alien-inspired rear diffuser with twin center exhaust outlets for the sports muffler.

Although the performance of the car hardly requires such aggressive and excessive styling, it's nice to see people at least taking a stab at it.

Interested in taking your sporty hybrid to the next visual level? Expect a full painted kit (including exhaust bezels and the diffuser-mounted tail light) to run well north of $5,000.

By Phil Alex

Via: Farm of Minds , Source: AMS Terra / Minkara