Honda CEO Q&A
10-22-09, 01:39 PM
#1
Honda CEO Q&A
Honda CEO Q&A
Honda's message at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show was very clear, and this message was reinforced by CEO Takanobu Ito during a Q&A session that was held for North American media at Honda's headquarters in Tokyo this afternoon. The topics ranged from Honda's position on BEVs (Battery-powered Electric Vehicles) to their plans for future sports cars, but for the most part the conversations always circled back to Honda's view of eco-technologies: Hybrid Electric Vehicles in the near- to mid-term, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles for the long run.
Highlights from the Q&A
* If you were holding onto a sliver of hope that the V10 supercar project would be someday resurrected, you might want to sit down. Based upon today's conversation, the V10 supercar project has virtually zero chance of resurrection. We were even told (in a separate conversation) that Ito-san himself was responsible for cancelling the V-10 supercar project. Any sort of future super sportscar would only be considered once Honda has cleared several development hurdles for environmental technology, including hybrid technology suitable for larger vehicles, plug-in hybrid technology, and hydrogen battery fuel cells. "Once we come up with these new, innovative technologies that we are researching - once we have (an) abundance of cash on hand - I would definitely love to see Honda develop a sports car which would symbolize these technologies", said Ito. "And, once that day comes, the sportscar will NOT be something like Toyota announced yesterday, but instead it will be environmentally friendly (while) at the same time enjoying outstanding performance. I'd love to do that."
* I asked about the status of A-VTEC and i-DTEC. I think the question was interpreted differently than I intended because Ito-san spoke mostly about how VTEC technology could be used to reduce pumping losses during cylinder idling and regenerative braking functions.
* A followup question from a journalist in the audience specifically asked about Honda's plans for diesel. Essentially, Honda has shelved their plans for introducing diesel in the US, and there were several factors involved. First off, development was delayed by about a year due to difficulties meeting emissions regulations. Honda resolved the difficulties, but the solutions were costly. Faced with these costs, Honda's board of directors ultimately gave up on the idea of offering diesel technology in the US. However, Honda are continuing to work on the technology in hopes of making the costs more reasonable.
* Though it has been reported that Honda has changed their tune on BEVs, Ito-san makes it very clear that Honda's position remains consistent. That position is the notion that Hydrogen is the long term solution, and they are dedicated towards working to that end. Honda's position on BEVs has softened a bit in that they are recognizing that BEVs are suitable for a limited set of applications involving short-range urban driving environments. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicle development will remain the primary focus.
* When asked if there would be other sporty models coming forth to replace "accessible" sports models such as the Integra/RSX and S2000, the response from Ito-san was that the CR-Z would be the answer to that question and there were "no other plans for the time being, but yes I would like to be able to consider such possibilities".
* I asked Ito-san how Honda's sharpened focus on environmental technology fit in with the vision for Acura as a brand and the luxury market in general. The answer was that Acura would be re-focused on delivering the performance levels sought by premium/luxury car buyers, and these performance levels would be coupled with strong environmental performance. In a later conversation, Ito-san admitted that there's a "certain level of confusion" in the existing Acura lineup, and they would work to fix that.
* Ito-san said they Honda are open to the possibility of combining forces with a like-minded automaker, but given the fundamental differences in corporate philosophies that currently exist, it is not a likely scenario.
* A journalist asked if there were any regrets for Honda's withdrawal from F1 and Ito-san's answer was simply "No Regrets".
http://www.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=858749
Honda's message at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show was very clear, and this message was reinforced by CEO Takanobu Ito during a Q&A session that was held for North American media at Honda's headquarters in Tokyo this afternoon. The topics ranged from Honda's position on BEVs (Battery-powered Electric Vehicles) to their plans for future sports cars, but for the most part the conversations always circled back to Honda's view of eco-technologies: Hybrid Electric Vehicles in the near- to mid-term, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles for the long run.
Highlights from the Q&A
* If you were holding onto a sliver of hope that the V10 supercar project would be someday resurrected, you might want to sit down. Based upon today's conversation, the V10 supercar project has virtually zero chance of resurrection. We were even told (in a separate conversation) that Ito-san himself was responsible for cancelling the V-10 supercar project. Any sort of future super sportscar would only be considered once Honda has cleared several development hurdles for environmental technology, including hybrid technology suitable for larger vehicles, plug-in hybrid technology, and hydrogen battery fuel cells. "Once we come up with these new, innovative technologies that we are researching - once we have (an) abundance of cash on hand - I would definitely love to see Honda develop a sports car which would symbolize these technologies", said Ito. "And, once that day comes, the sportscar will NOT be something like Toyota announced yesterday, but instead it will be environmentally friendly (while) at the same time enjoying outstanding performance. I'd love to do that."
* I asked about the status of A-VTEC and i-DTEC. I think the question was interpreted differently than I intended because Ito-san spoke mostly about how VTEC technology could be used to reduce pumping losses during cylinder idling and regenerative braking functions.
* A followup question from a journalist in the audience specifically asked about Honda's plans for diesel. Essentially, Honda has shelved their plans for introducing diesel in the US, and there were several factors involved. First off, development was delayed by about a year due to difficulties meeting emissions regulations. Honda resolved the difficulties, but the solutions were costly. Faced with these costs, Honda's board of directors ultimately gave up on the idea of offering diesel technology in the US. However, Honda are continuing to work on the technology in hopes of making the costs more reasonable.
* Though it has been reported that Honda has changed their tune on BEVs, Ito-san makes it very clear that Honda's position remains consistent. That position is the notion that Hydrogen is the long term solution, and they are dedicated towards working to that end. Honda's position on BEVs has softened a bit in that they are recognizing that BEVs are suitable for a limited set of applications involving short-range urban driving environments. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicle development will remain the primary focus.
* When asked if there would be other sporty models coming forth to replace "accessible" sports models such as the Integra/RSX and S2000, the response from Ito-san was that the CR-Z would be the answer to that question and there were "no other plans for the time being, but yes I would like to be able to consider such possibilities".
* I asked Ito-san how Honda's sharpened focus on environmental technology fit in with the vision for Acura as a brand and the luxury market in general. The answer was that Acura would be re-focused on delivering the performance levels sought by premium/luxury car buyers, and these performance levels would be coupled with strong environmental performance. In a later conversation, Ito-san admitted that there's a "certain level of confusion" in the existing Acura lineup, and they would work to fix that.
* Ito-san said they Honda are open to the possibility of combining forces with a like-minded automaker, but given the fundamental differences in corporate philosophies that currently exist, it is not a likely scenario.
* A journalist asked if there were any regrets for Honda's withdrawal from F1 and Ito-san's answer was simply "No Regrets".
http://www.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=858749
10-22-09, 01:50 PM
#2
The golden days were over years ago. So sad but at least he's admitting to Acura's failure, even if he's sugarcoating it.
All we get now as far as 'sports' is the CR-Z, which is a mere 1.5L hybrid. I think a better sports hybrid would be a successor to the S2000, but in hybrid trim. Electric motor for low end, while a naturally aspirated high revving engine for the top end.
I thought Ito would breathe new life into Honda, but apparently I am wrong.
All we get now as far as 'sports' is the CR-Z, which is a mere 1.5L hybrid. I think a better sports hybrid would be a successor to the S2000, but in hybrid trim. Electric motor for low end, while a naturally aspirated high revving engine for the top end.
I thought Ito would breathe new life into Honda, but apparently I am wrong.
10-22-09, 02:01 PM
#3
Lexus Fanatic
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: A better place
Posts: 7,285
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by Takanobu Ito
"And, once that day comes, the sportscar will NOT be something like Toyota announced yesterday, but instead it will be environmentally friendly (while) at the same time enjoying outstanding performance. I'd love to do that."
. More arrogance and ignorance, this time from Honda's CEO himself.What exactly is his definition of "environmentally friendly"?
The LFA achieves Euro 5 emissions.
What a poor excuse Honda is using for not developing/cancelling their supercar project
.
10-22-09, 04:07 PM
#5
Lexus Fanatic
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: A better place
Posts: 7,285
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
.I don't buy it. Even when Honda did have the money for such projects, they never embarked on them!
Also why don't we look at it from a purely financial point-of-view: their V10 supercar project was far along into development before it got cancelled. It must have cost Honda a lot of money in wasted R&D to cancel the project. They get zero return-on-investment for that project. Was Honda planning to sell their supercar at a loss like Toyota will with the LFA? I doubt it, because from all reports that Acura supercar was a lot less exotic than the LFA and likely would have been sold in higher numbers.
That's also excluding the attention, marketing, and image it would have potentially given to Honda/Acura, and that is something very hard to put a price on.
Trending Topics
10-22-09, 04:32 PM
#8
Obviously it's possible to reduce emissions even lower. It's always possible to improve on something. Using that logic though, Honda will never release a supercar or a proper true sports car ever again since they will be "trying to improve or reduce emissions" indefinitely .
.
Also why don't we look at it from a purely financial point-of-view: their V10 supercar project was far along into development before it got cancelled. It must have cost Honda a lot of money in wasted R&D to cancel the project. They get zero return-on-investment for that project. Was Honda planning to sell their supercar at a loss like Toyota will with the LFA? I doubt it, because from all reports that Acura supercar was a lot less exotic than the LFA and likely would have been sold in higher numbers.
10-22-09, 04:59 PM
#10
Lexus Fanatic
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: A better place
Posts: 7,285
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
No. He is saying if they do ever release a supercar, they want it to have good performance while being more environmental friendly than the LFA. You're putting words in his mouth if you're assuming he's looking to have the most absolute emission-free, highest performance car, thermodynamics will allow. If Honda ever releases a supercar with equivalent output of the LFA while using hybrid technology, then they met their goal of being more environmental friendly. Not sure what's wrong with wanting that??
The supercar was in works before the economy took a hit. They don't have the money like Toyota to continue the project. In Honda's view, they rather take the hit than to continue spending even more money into something that may not succeed. It's more of a financial decision than emotional, otherwise they would have something by now.
? Other than the S2000, what have they released in the past 20 years?At least Toyota had a 4th gen Supra debut in the mid-1990s, a 3rd-gen MR2 debut in 2000 and then in the same year they started work on the LFA project.
Soon after Ghosn took over running Nissan after the company almost went bankrupt, they started work on the R35 GT-R project. Nissan also released a new Z a few years ago, and a redesigned Z more recently.
What was Honda's excuse?
Fact is, Honda objectively had no excuse to not have released some high performance sports car or supercar project. Other than the S2000, Honda has released *nothing* and is simply relying on the reputation and image that the NSX brought them many years ago.
Honda has a lot of excuses to cover up the real reasons these days (their arrogance), like not having enough finances or being focused on environmental friendliness.
For the 10 years between the debut of the S2000 and before the current economic crisis hit, Honda could have, and should have released some sort of supercar, or at the very least a new sports car.
During the next few years, there is no sports car or supercar in sight in Honda's projects either.
Plus, with Honda's intention of moving Acura upmarket and to turn it into a "Tier 1" luxury maker, that V10 supercar project was supposed to be a big part of that plan. Economic crisis or not, it's foolish for a company to completely turn their long-term product plans and brand plans upside down *just because* the economy is down.
It seems like Acura's product and brand plans have been turned upside down so much that even executives at Honda don't know what the product and brand plans now are for Acura.
It seems as though the rumors of internal conflict within Honda may have been true.
Anyways, I'm done wasting time arguing about this. It is very frustrating merely posting anything about Honda these days.
10-22-09, 05:28 PM
#11
The idea of environmental benefits is good, but I've always questioned the wisdom of CEOs and execs dismissing others' efforts out of hand. There is Nissan's Carlos Ghosn criticizing hybrids a few years before coming out with several, and then now with electric claiming that this is the only way to go, you have Audi execs calling the Volt a car "for idiots", then showing off an electric concept, then now we have Honda calling the LFA "old fashioned" for using an internal combustion engine, when their own NSX was cancelled. It's all very silly IMO and smacks of a mixture of envy at a rival producing a product that they cannot at the time, or bluster. Why not have a healthy level of respect for rival efforts, rather than badmouthing them? I much admire a quiet confidence that is willing to appreciate others' efforts, even if they take a different approach.
10-22-09, 05:32 PM
#12
Lexus Fanatic
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: A better place
Posts: 7,285
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The idea of environmental benefits is good, but I've always questioned the wisdom of CEOs and execs dismissing others' efforts out of hand. There is Nissan's Carlos Ghosn criticizing hybrids a few years before coming out with several, and then now with electric claiming that this is the only way to go, you have Audi execs calling the Volt a car "for idiots", then showing off an electric concept, then now we have Honda calling the LFA "old fashioned" for using an internal combustion engine, when their own NSX was cancelled. It's all very silly IMO and smacks of a mixture of envy at a rival producing a product that they cannot at the time, or bluster. Why not have a healthy level of respect for rival efforts, rather than badmouthing them? I much admire a quiet confidence that is willing to appreciate others' efforts, even if they take a different approach.
. It is such an attitude toward rivals, as well as many other reasons why I have little respect for Honda and it's executives.
10-22-09, 06:00 PM
#13
Both sides are guilty.
Then what was Honda's excuse for almost 20 years after the NSX debuted and before the economy took a hit most recently ? Other than the S2000, what have they released in the past 20 years?
At least Toyota had a 4th gen Supra debut in the mid-1990s, a 3rd-gen MR2 debut in 2000 and then in the same year they started work on the LFA project.
? Other than the S2000, what have they released in the past 20 years?At least Toyota had a 4th gen Supra debut in the mid-1990s, a 3rd-gen MR2 debut in 2000 and then in the same year they started work on the LFA project.
Fact is, Honda objectively had no excuse to not have released some high performance sports car or supercar project. Other than the S2000, Honda has released *nothing* and is simply relying on the reputation and image that the NSX brought them many years ago.
For the 10 years between the debut of the S2000 and before the current economic crisis hit, Honda could have, and should have released some sort of supercar, or at the very least a new sports car.
During the next few years, there is no sports car or supercar in sight in Honda's projects either.
No need to reply.
10-22-09, 06:50 PM
#14
Guest
Posts: n/a
Honda CEO Q&A
Honda's message at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show was very clear, and this message was reinforced by CEO Takanobu Ito during a Q&A session that was held for North American media at Honda's headquarters in Tokyo this afternoon. The topics ranged from Honda's position on BEVs (Battery-powered Electric Vehicles) to their plans for future sports cars, but for the most part the conversations always circled back to Honda's view of eco-technologies: Hybrid Electric Vehicles in the near- to mid-term, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles for the long run.
Highlights from the Q&A
* If you were holding onto a sliver of hope that the V10 supercar project would be someday resurrected, you might want to sit down. Based upon today's conversation, the V10 supercar project has virtually zero chance of resurrection. We were even told (in a separate conversation) that Ito-san himself was responsible for cancelling the V-10 supercar project. Any sort of future super sportscar would only be considered once Honda has cleared several development hurdles for environmental technology, including hybrid technology suitable for larger vehicles, plug-in hybrid technology, and hydrogen battery fuel cells. "Once we come up with these new, innovative technologies that we are researching - once we have (an) abundance of cash on hand - I would definitely love to see Honda develop a sports car which would symbolize these technologies", said Ito. "And, once that day comes, the sportscar will NOT be something like Toyota announced yesterday, but instead it will be environmentally friendly (while) at the same time enjoying outstanding performance. I'd love to do that."
* I asked about the status of A-VTEC and i-DTEC. I think the question was interpreted differently than I intended because Ito-san spoke mostly about how VTEC technology could be used to reduce pumping losses during cylinder idling and regenerative braking functions.
* A followup question from a journalist in the audience specifically asked about Honda's plans for diesel. Essentially, Honda has shelved their plans for introducing diesel in the US, and there were several factors involved. First off, development was delayed by about a year due to difficulties meeting emissions regulations. Honda resolved the difficulties, but the solutions were costly. Faced with these costs, Honda's board of directors ultimately gave up on the idea of offering diesel technology in the US. However, Honda are continuing to work on the technology in hopes of making the costs more reasonable.
* Though it has been reported that Honda has changed their tune on BEVs, Ito-san makes it very clear that Honda's position remains consistent. That position is the notion that Hydrogen is the long term solution, and they are dedicated towards working to that end. Honda's position on BEVs has softened a bit in that they are recognizing that BEVs are suitable for a limited set of applications involving short-range urban driving environments. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicle development will remain the primary focus.
* When asked if there would be other sporty models coming forth to replace "accessible" sports models such as the Integra/RSX and S2000, the response from Ito-san was that the CR-Z would be the answer to that question and there were "no other plans for the time being, but yes I would like to be able to consider such possibilities".
* I asked Ito-san how Honda's sharpened focus on environmental technology fit in with the vision for Acura as a brand and the luxury market in general. The answer was that Acura would be re-focused on delivering the performance levels sought by premium/luxury car buyers, and these performance levels would be coupled with strong environmental performance. In a later conversation, Ito-san admitted that there's a "certain level of confusion" in the existing Acura lineup, and they would work to fix that.
* Ito-san said they Honda are open to the possibility of combining forces with a like-minded automaker, but given the fundamental differences in corporate philosophies that currently exist, it is not a likely scenario.
* A journalist asked if there were any regrets for Honda's withdrawal from F1 and Ito-san's answer was simply "No Regrets".
http://www.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=858749
Honda's message at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show was very clear, and this message was reinforced by CEO Takanobu Ito during a Q&A session that was held for North American media at Honda's headquarters in Tokyo this afternoon. The topics ranged from Honda's position on BEVs (Battery-powered Electric Vehicles) to their plans for future sports cars, but for the most part the conversations always circled back to Honda's view of eco-technologies: Hybrid Electric Vehicles in the near- to mid-term, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles for the long run.
Highlights from the Q&A
* If you were holding onto a sliver of hope that the V10 supercar project would be someday resurrected, you might want to sit down. Based upon today's conversation, the V10 supercar project has virtually zero chance of resurrection. We were even told (in a separate conversation) that Ito-san himself was responsible for cancelling the V-10 supercar project. Any sort of future super sportscar would only be considered once Honda has cleared several development hurdles for environmental technology, including hybrid technology suitable for larger vehicles, plug-in hybrid technology, and hydrogen battery fuel cells. "Once we come up with these new, innovative technologies that we are researching - once we have (an) abundance of cash on hand - I would definitely love to see Honda develop a sports car which would symbolize these technologies", said Ito. "And, once that day comes, the sportscar will NOT be something like Toyota announced yesterday, but instead it will be environmentally friendly (while) at the same time enjoying outstanding performance. I'd love to do that."
* I asked about the status of A-VTEC and i-DTEC. I think the question was interpreted differently than I intended because Ito-san spoke mostly about how VTEC technology could be used to reduce pumping losses during cylinder idling and regenerative braking functions.
* A followup question from a journalist in the audience specifically asked about Honda's plans for diesel. Essentially, Honda has shelved their plans for introducing diesel in the US, and there were several factors involved. First off, development was delayed by about a year due to difficulties meeting emissions regulations. Honda resolved the difficulties, but the solutions were costly. Faced with these costs, Honda's board of directors ultimately gave up on the idea of offering diesel technology in the US. However, Honda are continuing to work on the technology in hopes of making the costs more reasonable.
* Though it has been reported that Honda has changed their tune on BEVs, Ito-san makes it very clear that Honda's position remains consistent. That position is the notion that Hydrogen is the long term solution, and they are dedicated towards working to that end. Honda's position on BEVs has softened a bit in that they are recognizing that BEVs are suitable for a limited set of applications involving short-range urban driving environments. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicle development will remain the primary focus.
* When asked if there would be other sporty models coming forth to replace "accessible" sports models such as the Integra/RSX and S2000, the response from Ito-san was that the CR-Z would be the answer to that question and there were "no other plans for the time being, but yes I would like to be able to consider such possibilities".
* I asked Ito-san how Honda's sharpened focus on environmental technology fit in with the vision for Acura as a brand and the luxury market in general. The answer was that Acura would be re-focused on delivering the performance levels sought by premium/luxury car buyers, and these performance levels would be coupled with strong environmental performance. In a later conversation, Ito-san admitted that there's a "certain level of confusion" in the existing Acura lineup, and they would work to fix that.
* Ito-san said they Honda are open to the possibility of combining forces with a like-minded automaker, but given the fundamental differences in corporate philosophies that currently exist, it is not a likely scenario.
* A journalist asked if there were any regrets for Honda's withdrawal from F1 and Ito-san's answer was simply "No Regrets".
http://www.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=858749
I respect him jumping and risking it all on hydrogen but that is a big risk.
Its pretty odd to see them mention the Lexus V-10 when they had a V-10 testing just last year. They also have been in F1 until last year. Who is to say Lexus isn't working on a super car hybrid? Toyota will have a 400hp hybrid sports car soon (this FT-HS). Lexus has a GSh, RXh, HSh, LSh already. Tesla has an elecric roadster. Ruf has an electric Porsche its testing. Porsche has said hybrids car coming. I think they simply gave up and are saving face, which is fine.
The CRZ sound good and its great its coming. Thats it though? A Civic Si?
Its not the economy. This is a company that has one by one did a Toyota, shut down all its sports car. Del Sol, Prelude, CRX, Integra, RSX, S2000, NSX. This was ALL BEFORE the ECONOMY went south. I don't blame them for making business decisions at all but this is a sad day as many, many, many of us grew up either wanting or owning a fun/cheap Honda/Acura.
Soichiro Honda simply would not be pleased at all.
To top it off, styling is just iffy at best.
10-22-09, 06:53 PM
#15
Lexus Fanatic
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: A better place
Posts: 7,285
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If Soichiro Honda was still alive, he would be deeply ashamed and dissapointed of what the company has become .
.