New Honda small hybrid spied (Insight concept)

srishiva · 17th July 2008, 16:35

The new Insight (?) for release in 2010 spied on
Spied: 2010 Honda Insight hybrid

Looks like a Prius with the back remeniscient of the Insight.

aaggoswami · 17th July 2008, 17:57

I think its one more link:
Spy Shots: Honda's hybrid Prius-fighter caught - Autoblog

The complete article is :

Quote:

Honda's oft-discussed, yet never spied Prius-fighter has been caught by the merry minions at KGP. A parade of three cars were shot in the desert, including the prototype you see above, a facelifted Civic Hybrid and the new model's arch rival, the Toyota Prius.
While the cloaked mule's shape could be easily mistaken as a Prius, the two-tier instrument cluster is a dead giveaway of the prototype's Honda origins. The nose is notably lower than its Toyota competition and although the hatch is an obvious rip on the Prius' aerodynamic rear, the fenders have a discernibly steeper angle, along with a trunk lid sporting a small spoiler.
The unnamed hybrid from Honda will make its debut at the Paris Motor Show later this year, and will adopt many of the design cues found on the big H's hydrogen-powered FCX Clarity sedan.

Vid6639 · 17th July 2008, 19:09

Are they trying to fool people into thinking it's a prius?

mail4ajo · 17th July 2008, 19:16

Looks very similar to the Honda City spotted in Pune. Could it be the Hybrid?

Mayavi · 18th July 2008, 05:51

It looks like Honda FCX to me.

sujaylahiri · 18th July 2008, 06:31

Why do all hybrids have to be ugly? Why can't they just have something like the Honda Fit or a Toyota Yaris as a small hybrid?

Anyway it's good to have some competition in that segment.

gods-envy · 18th July 2008, 09:28

look at the paradox.
the people who have gone to this location to test the honda hybrid have actually come in a toyota (vios, i think)

Agree with sujay, why do all the hybrids have to look so bad, especially from the rear?

im_srini · 18th July 2008, 10:15

Hi, I think the tall rear is a necessity because of the battery pack. And the Toyota Prius could have been brought there so that the Honda guys could run comparison tests.

A lot of controversies surround the Prius, but at least somebody's stepping up & doing something. The major manufacturers from the US & Europe are currently drunk on large, heavy automobiles, read SUVs, with big V8 engines & ridiculous power figures. An extinction like the one the dinosaurs went through is due, & on the the other side are small runabouts with tiny tiny engines !

Like the SUV phenomena, could Hybrids be next ?

TheIntrepid · 18th July 2008, 10:20

It's the Honda FCX Clarity.

Honda FCX Clarity (2009) with pictures and wallpapers

srishiva · 18th July 2008, 10:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheIntrepid

It's the Honda FCX Clarity.

Honda FCX Clarity (2009) with pictures and wallpapers

Why would they test the FCX with Prius and Civic Hybrid ?

Cyrus43 · 18th July 2008, 13:44

That is not the Clarity.

It looks like a Toyota Prius' and Honda Civic's extra marital love baby!!!

sujaylahiri · 19th July 2008, 03:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by im_srini

A lot of controversies surround the Prius, but at least somebody's stepping up & doing something. The major manufacturers from the US & Europe are currently drunk on large, heavy automobiles, read SUVs, with big V8 engines & ridiculous power figures. An extinction like the one the dinosaurs went through is due, & on the the other side are small runabouts with tiny tiny engines !

Actually it's not quite true. GM is really trying hard to push its plug-in hybrid (Chevy Volt) out by 2010 , although in limited numbers. They already offer hybrid powertrains on quite a few of their SUV's.

There are strong indications that Ford is introducing almost its entire European line-up in North America in 2 years (the European Focus, Mondeo), and Chrysler has already teamed up with BMW to produce its first Hybrid in the Aspen and the Durango.

aaggoswami · 14th August 2008, 22:13

Update:
This car will mostly be available in the market in April 2009.
Source:
Honda's Prius-killing hybrid gets a date: April 2009 - Autoblog

The article is:

Quote:

Hybrids are hot and Honda is anxious to get in on the action that Toyota's been unable to fully quench with its Prius hybrid sedan. We expect to see the production version of Honda's new hybrid, which will apparently not be called the Insight, to debut in October at the Paris Motor Show. Fortunately, Honda won't make us wait too long to buy its new hybrid, as the five-door hatchback is rumored to show up in dealer lots by April of 2009. Toyota also plans on showing off its new third-gen Prius at the Detroit Auto Show in January, so it will be very interesting to watch these to tangle in the marketplace. Honda plans to undercut its rival in the pricing wars with its hybrid coming in at a base price of less than $19,000, a few thousand less than the larger Prius. Both models will use nickel metal hydride batteries (for now) as opposed to the latest lithium ion units in an effort to keep their costs down. Both should also score fuel mileage numbers somewhere in the 50-60 mpg range. For its part, Honda is planning to build 200,000 units of its new hybrid annually, with 100,000 earmarked for the U.S. Let the (fuel-saving) games begin!

srishiva · 14th August 2008, 22:56

Only if Manmohan Singh would have the committment (the same shown for the nuclear deal) to give some tax sops. Why wouldn't they have a flat 1 lakh tax on such hybrids for <10 lakhs ?

aaggoswami · 7th September 2008, 09:17

This car will mostly be new Insight.
Source:
Paris Preview: Officially Official, Honda's new hybrid is the Insight! - Autoblog

Article.

Quote:

Honda is reviving an old name for its new Global Hybrid that goes on sale next spring by calling it the Insight. The new five-door hatchback "Prius-Killer" will be the most direct competitor yet for Toyota's iconic hybrid. Learning from the lesson that hybrid buyers apparently prefer their cars to be recognizable as such rather than being derivatives of existing models, Honda has modeled the new Insight after its low volume FCX Clarity fuel cell car and will be debuting it as a concept at the Paris Motor Show next month before it goes on sale as the least expensive hybrid in the world in 2009. Recent comments by Honda have hinted at a price starting at $18,500 for the Insight, which goes on sale 10 years after the original. Unlike the tiny two-seater that had limited appeal and utility, this new one is expected to appeal to a much wider audience. Honda is planning for worldwide sales of 200,000 units a year with 100,000 going to the U.S. market.

Quote:

PRESS RELEASE
Honda Insight Concept Hybrid Vehicle to Debut at Paris International Auto Show

Honda will reveal a concept version of its new small hybrid vehicle, to be named Insight, at the 2008 Paris International Auto Show, October 2, the company announced today. The new Insight Concept shares styling cues with the Honda FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle and will provide an early look at the highly-anticipated five-passenger hybrid vehicle.

Going on sale in the U.S. next spring, the all-new purpose-built Insight will come to market at a price significantly below hybrids available today. From this unique position in the marketplace, the Insight will advance the affordability and accessibility of hybrid technology to a new generation of buyers.

"The original Honda Insight pioneered hybrid technology in the U.S. and remains a symbol of Honda's commitment to innovative technology and fuel efficiency," said Takeo Fukui, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. CEO. "This new Insight will break new ground as an affordable hybrid within the reach of customers who want great fuel economy and great value."

The Insight Concept defines a new stage in the evolution of hybrid technology by utilizing a more cost-efficient version of Honda's Integrated Motor Assist™ (IMA™) hybrid technology, resulting in a new level of affordability for hybrid customers worldwide. Evoking the innovative styling cues first seen in the FCX Clarity, the Insight Concept is designed with a low center of gravity and a generous five-passenger cabin, offering the kind of driving pleasure and roomy interior that customers have come to expect from Honda. While the Insight Concept's aerodynamic design clearly identifies its fuel efficient purpose, its five-door access and folding rear seats speak to functionality that is designed to meet the needs of customers with an active lifestyle. The Insight Concept is a small, fuel efficient hybrid car that delivers big style and functionality with a healthy dose of fun.

Honda achieved a significant cost reduction in Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) components which should make Insight the most affordable hybrid vehicle to date. The production Insight will be offered as a five-door, five-passenger hatchback. Numerous technologies, including a function to assist customers in achieving more fuel efficient driving habits, will be applied to achieve a further improvement in real world fuel efficiency. With its affordable price, the new hybrid vehicle will represent the best value in its segment. Along with the Civic Hybrid, the new vehicle will be produced at an expanded hybrid vehicle production line at the Suzuka factory in Japan.

The Insight is expected to have annual global sales of 200,000 units per year - approximately 100,000 in North America. Following the launch of the new Insight, Honda also plans to introduce another unique sporty hybrid vehicle based on the CR-Z, first shown at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show. All together, Honda's global sales of hybrids should increase to approximately 500,000 units a year, or more than 10 percent of its total worldwide annual automobile sales.

The original Honda Insight was introduced in December 1999 as America's first gas-electric hybrid car. The first vehicle to break the 70-mpg fuel economy barrier, Insight was designed from the ground up to demonstrate the ultimate potential for fuel-economy in a two-seater subcompact automobile.

A leader in the development of cleaner, more fuel-efficient mobility products, Honda introduced the first low-emission gasoline vehicles; America's first gas-electric hybrid car and the world's first EPA-certified hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle, the FCX. In 2007, Honda was named "greenest automaker" by the Union of Concerned Scientists for the fourth straight time.

For more information and downloadable high-resolution images of the Insight Concept and other Honda vehicles, including the Civic Hybrid, please visit Honda Media Newsroom. Consumer information is available at Honda Cars Motorcycles Watercraft ATVs Engines Generators, Acura.

Images.

17th July 2008, 16:35	#1
srishiva Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 4,375 Thanked: 2,256 Times	New Honda small hybrid spied (Insight concept) The new Insight (?) for release in 2010 spied on Spied: 2010 Honda Insight hybrid Looks like a Prius with the back remeniscient of the Insight. Last edited by srishiva : 17th July 2008 at 16:36.
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17th July 2008, 19:09	#3
Vid6639 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 17,757 Thanked: 43,811 Times View My Garage	Are they trying to fool people into thinking it's a prius?
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17th July 2008, 19:16	#4
mail4ajo Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 1,957 Thanked: 332 Times View My Garage	Looks very similar to the Honda City spotted in Pune. Could it be the Hybrid?
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18th July 2008, 05:51	#5
Mayavi BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Scottsdale Posts: 683 Thanked: 9 Times View My Garage	It looks like Honda FCX to me.
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18th July 2008, 06:31	#6
sujaylahiri BHPian Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: North America Posts: 960 Thanked: 6 Times View My Garage	Why do all hybrids have to be ugly? Why can't they just have something like the Honda Fit or a Toyota Yaris as a small hybrid? Anyway it's good to have some competition in that segment.
	() Thanks

18th July 2008, 09:28	#7
gods-envy BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 474 Thanked: 38 Times View My Garage	look at the paradox. the people who have gone to this location to test the honda hybrid have actually come in a toyota (vios, i think) Agree with sujay, why do all the hybrids have to look so bad, especially from the rear?
	() Thanks

18th July 2008, 10:15	#8
im_srini BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Portland Posts: 1,010 Thanked: 490 Times View My Garage	Hi, I think the tall rear is a necessity because of the battery pack. And the Toyota Prius could have been brought there so that the Honda guys could run comparison tests. A lot of controversies surround the Prius, but at least somebody's stepping up & doing something. The major manufacturers from the US & Europe are currently drunk on large, heavy automobiles, read SUVs, with big V8 engines & ridiculous power figures. An extinction like the one the dinosaurs went through is due, & on the the other side are small runabouts with tiny tiny engines ! Like the SUV phenomena, could Hybrids be next ?
	() Thanks

18th July 2008, 10:20	#9
TheIntrepid Newbie Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 19 Thanked: 0 Times	It's the Honda FCX Clarity. Honda FCX Clarity (2009) with pictures and wallpapers
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18th July 2008, 13:44	#11
Cyrus43 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: London Posts: 5,019 Thanked: 223 Times View My Garage	That is not the Clarity. It looks like a Toyota Prius' and Honda Civic's extra marital love baby!!!
	() Thanks

14th August 2008, 22:56	#14
srishiva Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 4,375 Thanked: 2,256 Times	Only if Manmohan Singh would have the committment (the same shown for the nuclear deal) to give some tax sops. Why wouldn't they have a flat 1 lakh tax on such hybrids for <10 lakhs ?
	() Thanks