Honda looking to recapture it's sports car heritage.

[Wise]

http://jalopnik.com/hondas-new-ceo-w...-mo-1715948156

For now that just means a Type R Civic that will probably not come to Australia or America and the new NSX which will be overpriced.

What we're all really waiting on hands and knees for is a new S2000 or Integra Type R

1st Gear: How Honda Got Her Groove Back

After a decade in the wilderness thanks to a global recession, a devastating earthquake in Japan, massive recalls and uninspiring products, Honda Motor Company has a new CEO who wants to do things differently. According to Automotive News, CEO Takahiro Hachigo aims to “reboot” the company with more exciting cars, more global products, and less of a focus on chasing raw sales numbers.

“I plan to create a new Honda,” Hachigo told reporters at the company’s global headquarters, adding that he will not revive his predecessor’s goal of chasing annual sales to 6 million vehicles globally in the year ending March 2017. “Rather than focusing on numbers, it is important to come up with products that carry dreams and satisfy our customers,” he said. “We will focus on the development of innovative products.”

[...] A veteran product-development engineer with extensive overseas experience, Hachigo, 56, said his years spent working in regions such as North America, Europe and China gives him unique understanding of Honda’s needs in key growth markets. “I have always been working on the front lines,” Hachigo said. “That is the significance of my becoming president.”
Hachigo wants the automaker to make its products more globalized, which we’ll see with the next Civic, set to be a true “world car” for the first time (and the reason we’re finally getting a Type R in America.)

I like what I’m hearing from Hachigo so far. There’s no question Honda has lost its mojo over the past few years, both in mainstream products and the ones enthusiasts care about. He sounds like a smart, veteran engineer who has the potential to put Honda back on track.

2nd Gear: But He’s Not Helping Takata Out

At that same news conference where he announced his plans, Hachigo said he has no plans at the moment to provide financial aid to Takata, the beleaguered airbag parts supplier at the center of approximately eleventy billion recalled cars. From Reuters:

Honda Motor Co’s (7267.T) new chief executive said the Japanese automaker has no plans for now to provide financial aid to Takata Corp (7312.T), the air bag supplier at the center of a costly global safety recall that has dented Honda’s public image as well as its earnings.

Speaking at his first news conference since taking the helm in June, Takahiro Hachigo said on Monday Honda has now set aside enough this year to cover the cost of recalling over 2 million cars with potentially faulty air bag parts made by Takata. The automaker recently restated last year’s earnings to account for additional costs.
I doubt anyone has much sympathy for Takata at this point. And don’t forget that Honda knew about these problems for years before ordering proper recalls too, so they’re hardly blameless here.

[Packofcrows]

The Type-R is being targeted for US... been all over lol ugly after the 90's model. Also, rear is.... ewww worse of blind spot than our cars side back passenger window.

[f0rge]

Honda used to build light, simple, fun to drive cars, which is what made them appealing.

Can any manufacturer build a light and simple car anymore? The twins are but they're an extremely niche vehicle.

[DarkSunrise]

Honda needs to stop talking about recapturing their sports car mojo and just do it. The last time they attempted this, we ended up with the CRZ.

Originally Posted by f0rge

Can any manufacturer build a light and simple car anymore? The twins are but they're an extremely niche vehicle.

Mazda Miata.

[f0rge]

True about the Miata, but again it's a super niche car.

Is Honda willing to go that niche? Didn't exactly work out for Toyota. Mazda's success defies logic.

[funwheeldrive]

Originally Posted by f0rge

Can any manufacturer build a light and simple car anymore?

[f0rge]

^^^ Oh man imagine something like a Fit with a 200hp turbo motor?

[rice_classic]

Light, Simple, Fun

There's a similar joke that ends with, "Choose two".

But seriously, the loss of lightness is function of safety regulations so in order to address it a company has to actually go through a great deal of engineering and other things that increase the cost. Part of the new ND's price is a reflection of its lightness.

But light-ish, fun and simple:
Twins
Mini Cooper
Focus
Fiesta
Miata and Mazda3
GTI

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by rice_classic

Light, Simple, Fun

There's a similar joke that ends with, "Choose two".

Abarth, Mazda2 even though it was discontinued

Those three criteria are relatively simple to fulfill, Alfa Romeo, Lotus, Caterham, Factory Five, Ariel, even Boxster/Cayman could qualify at a hair under 3,000 lbs.

Toss in 'affordable' and 'reliable' and things become much more difficult...

[wbradley]

Asking if there will be more light simple sports cars is partially like asking if governments will retract current emissions and safety laws. This is why the twins are somewhat of a unicorn now.

[bcj]

Originally Posted by f0rge

Mazda's success defies logic.

Not really. It was the only lightweight affordable roadster available then.
It had been years (at that point) since you could buy something comparable as a new car.
Pretty much where the 86 is sitting right now. Mazda has done well with it so far.

I had an alfa at the time, so wasn't really interested and - ragtop.

[swarb]

If the fit or crz came with a k20...

[raven1231]

VTECHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by raven1231

VTECHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yo