Monday, August 6, 2012

Honda's Earth Dreams Lineup to Spread

According to a recent Automotive News report, Honda's Earth Dream family of engines will soon make their way across Honda's lineup. The direct-injected, dual overhead cam powerplant range will help increase fuel economy by 10% across the range of applications. AN is also reporting that we may see a 1.6L diesel engine making 220 pound feet of torque in North America, perhaps under the Accord nameplate. 

Transmission-wise, we may start to see Honda embrace CVT technology on a larger scale. However, AN thinks that Honda will continue to put geared transmissions in performance models and off-road vehicles. This means that such vehicles like the Civic Si, Pilot and Ridgeline will not be receiving a Continuously Variable Transmission.
Rumor has it that a redesigned Fit will arrive in summer 2014 with a 1.5L 4-cylinder engine paired with a CVT while Europe, Japan and Australia will continue to get a Hybrid Fit. The Fit may also come with a smaller CUV model but exact details of that has not been worked out yet. The next-generation Pilot will receive the 3.5L Earth Dreams engine when it debuts in 2014 and specs so far seem to say that it will have near 310 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque. AN confirms that a refresh of the Civic is in order following lackluster reviews of the current 2012 Civic. 

Rumor is also out there that Honda may be reviving the S2000 in light of the popularity of the Subaru BR-Z/Scion FR-S twins. We'll see whether or not that'll hold out to reality. 

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