Honda Brio diesel caught testing yet again

This is not for the North American market....

Honda unveiled a new mass market 1.6-litre diesel i-DTEC EarthDreams engine at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, and it was very clear that diesel powered Honda cars won’t take too long to reach Indian market. Also, Honda had confirmed that they will launch the Brio diesel by Diwali this year and since then lot of test lues have been spotted around their plant near Delhi, not looking very different but with distinctive diesel clatter.

This time our friends at Team-BHP caught the test mule, who report about the eminent diesel noise from the car. They also suggest that this tiny diesel is also sprightly, as the driver tried to get away when followed. So, the Brio diesel will now get even smaller engine based of the 1.6-litre EarthDream, just that exact details are yet to be know. Honda will need a engine smaller than 1.5-litre so that they will be eligible for the subsidy. Plus the engine will need to have sufficient power, as it will also power the Jazz later, just like the 1.2-litre petrol doing the duty.]

Honda is entering diesel market in India with their smallest car and is clearing looking at the number game. The rumours suggest that the City will be the next Honda model to get a diesel – which might get bigger displacement mill, probably same as the one unveiled at Geneva. The last among mass production models will be the Jazz diesel.

The Honda City is the highest selling petrol sedan in its segment; even the Brio san diesel is doing quite well in the entry-level hatchback segment. Honda is known for refinement and reliability in India and is one of the most respected brands in mass market. Addition of diesel to their range will certainly increase their numbers and is going to be a threat to all their competitors.

Source;
http://www.oncars.in/Car-News-Detail/Honda-Brio-diesel-caught-testing-yet-again/2604

What are the advantages of the Honda diesel power train for cars?

As the demand to adapt to greener lifestyles and environmentally-cleaner ways of living is increasing, there are a growing number of motorists opting for cars that are cleaner to the environment and more fuel-efficient. As Honda are widely acclaimed for pioneering the way in ‘greener’ forms of vehicles, if you are on the market for an eco-friendly car, the chances are you are considering one from Honda.

To help you understand the interior complexities of what makes Honda’s eco cars as beneficial as they are it is important to look at the manufacturer’’ development across all areas of the motor industry.

Between 2004 and 2009 the Tier II emission standard regulations were phased in in the United States. Within the Tier II ranking, there is a sub-rating which ranges from BIN 1 – 10, with 10 being the dirtiest emissions that a vehicle can emit into the atmosphere and 1 being the cleanest and is a Zero Emission Vehicle.

In 2007 the U.S. implemented new Tier II Bin 5 regulations and in order to comply with these regulations Honda announced the development of a diesel power train that is as clean as a traditional gasoline vehicle.

So what exactly are the advantages of the Honda diesel power train for cars?

Diesel is more fuel efficient than gasoline engines
With the price of petrol now at unprecedented levels, budget-conscious motorists are increasingly looking for alternatives to petrol driven vehicles. As diesel engines are approximately 30% more fuel efficient than petrol, diesel cars have always been a popular alternative for motorists wanting to see their fuel go further. Is this sense Honda cars that are powered by an impressive diesel power train, are more fuel efficient than many of the vehicles that do not have this system.

Less greenhouse emissions
As diesel cars are notoriously harmful to the environment, spewing out greater amounts of harmful gases than petrol cars, you may be wondering how Honda vehicles that are powered by a diesel power train are environmentally friendly.

Honda’s innovative technology is based on a system that both generates and stores ammonia in a two-layered catalytic converter. The converter then turns the harmful greenhouse gas nitrogen oxide produced by the diesel into harmless nitrogen.

Carbon emissions are also heavily reduced in a number of Honda’s new hybrid creations. These combine an electric motor with a traditional combustion engine to offer drivers the performance of a conventional car with the environmental benefits of an electric vehicle.

Requires no heavy add-ons
Despite car manufacturers DaimlerChrysler having already started developing a similar process, Honda claim that its own system is superior as it is a lot less complex and does not require any heavy add-ons to make ammonia from area-based additives. This gives motorists the chance to protect the environment with as little impact on their finances and lifestyle as possible, making these cars the perfect choice.

Source;
http://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/111971/what-are-the-advantages-of-the-honda-diesel-power-train-for-cars-.aspx

Diesel to Have Its Day in U.S., Proponent Says

By Jim Mateja
WardsAuto.com, Oct 20, 2011 8:53 AM

CHICAGO – The formula for diesel vehicle growth in the U.S. comes down to a simple equation.

As the number of auto makers selling diesels increases, the number of motorists buying them will increase, too, insists Jeff Breneman, executive director of the U.S. Coalition for Advanced Diesel Cars, which represents suppliers to diesel producers.

Breneman tells a meeting of the Midwest Automotive Media Assn. here this week that pending government legislation requiring auto makers to obtain 54.5 mpg (4.3 L/100 km) from their vehicle fleets by 2025 has helped stoke interest in oil-burners.

But, he adds, the fact European auto makers selling diesels in the U.S. have seen unexpected demand fueled by consumer concerns for great mileage and travel range between fill-ups has prompted other car manufacturers to offer diesels in the U.S. as well.

The list includes a Mazda6 diesel planned for 2012 and, more importantly, a diesel Chevrolet Cruze slated for 2013.

An offering from General Motors’ volume division gives the diesel credibility and endorses the engine as a viable alternative to hybrids or electrics, Breneman says.

“The fact that Chevy will offer a diesel Cruze in 2013 is huge,” he says. “The gas-powered Cruze will get 40 mpg (5.9 L/100 km), so the diesel is expected to get 50 mpg-plus (4.7 L/100 km), and that will make it a game-changer.

“Ford, Toyota or Honda haven’t got a diesel for the U.S. yet, but get ready for 2013-2014. That’s when we’re going to see a lot more diesels.”

Breneman says the key to growth is availability, and that will be favorably affected by more auto makers offering more diesel models here soon.

“When given a choice between a diesel- or gas-powered Jetta, 33% of motorists opt for the higher-mileage diesel. But when the supply of diesels is gone, it takes at least six to eight more weeks for the boat to arrive with a fresh supply,” he says, adding he hopes shortage issues will be solved with more players in the game.

The 54.5-mpg mileage standard is just one reason for future growth.

“Emission regulations are now about the same in Europe and the U.S., even California, so it makes it economically feasible for auto makers to develop one product for all those markets,” he says.

“And with the 54.5-mpg regulation coming in 2015, the auto makers have a 14-year window to invest the capital in diesels without U.S. regulations pulling the carpet out from under them.”

Another positive influence is infrastructure, with 80,000 U.S. service stations, or 52%, having a diesel pump.

By comparison, electrics require costly charging stations short distances from one another, and only about 1,000 are in place, Breneman says.

Fortunately, many consumers are too young to recall GM’s failed attempt at offering diesels in the 1980s, he adds.

“They don’t remember the GM experiment, but are old enough to recognize the Volkswagen Jetta and Passat (in diesel version) as great cars.”

Breneman insists diesels deserve a chance that the government has been reluctant to give them.

“We’ve had the flavor of the month from our government for decades,” he says. “Once it was going to be hydrogen fuel cells and a hydrogen highway, but that was proposed 11 years ago and where’s the first hydrogen-fuel-cell car? (ahem.... http://automobiles.honda.com/fcx-clarity/ )

“There also was going to be ethanol cars and hybrid cars and electric cars. The government has always told us what technology it wanted, but what we are saying is. ‘Tell us you want 50 mpg fuel economy and let us decide the technology.’”

Source;
http://wardsauto.com/ar/diesel_have_day_111020/

Honda UK to launch a 1.6L or 1.8L diesel for Civic, Accord and CR-V

Better late than never. Finally Honda has decided to manufacture a new diesel engine which will power their luxury cars Civic, Accord and CR-V. Having manufactured just one diesel engine till date, the 2.4L which powered Accord, Honda did not miss diesel technology as they were probably happy with their popularity in manufacturing petrol engines. But times have changed. Customers today no longer believe that diesel powered cars are too different from their petrol counterparts. Instead diesel cars are more in demand than petrol cars today. This has forced the Japanese car maker to launch a new diesel engine for their luxury sedans and SUV. Mr David Hodgetts, MD, Honda UK, explained in an interview with Fleet News, that Honda will be launching their new diesel engine once their new Civic completes one year on road. So we can expect the new Honda diesel engine to be launched somewhere in 2013. No confirmation is available on whether Honda will be bringing this diesel engine to India. But, if we look at the exponential growth of the Indian auto industry, Honda will desperately want to launch diesel powered cars in India. Source; http://www.rushlane.com/honda-to-launch-a-1-6l-or-1-8l-diesel-for-civic-accord-and-cr-v-1212819.html

Honda UK: Honda Planning Small Diesel Car

More diesel news, but not for us in North America.... Eco-conscious Car Finance buyers will no doubt by happy to hear that HONDA has confirmed the company's plans to launch a car with a smaller diesel engine to place it in a better position to compete with European car manufacturers. David Hodgetts, Managing Director of Honda UK, told Fleet News in an interview that the company plans to introduce the new engine about a year after the launch of the next-generation Civic model. The possibility also exists that it will be available in some Honda Jazz and Honda Accord models. Honda initially started offering cars with diesel engines in 2004 when they launched an Accord powered by a diesel engine. Subsequently, they also introduced a diesel-powered Civic and a CR-V. The original 2.2 litre 140 i-CTDi engine was used in the CR-V up to 2007 when it was replaced with the new i-DTEC engine delivering 150 bhp. The diesel Accord also switched to this engine in 2008. Honda's competitors were, however, able to attract more business because they offered a wider range of diesel engines. The smaller diesels offered by many European manufacturers allowed them to offer cheaper models aimed at the car finance market, while Honda could only compete in the upper end of the market. The new diesel-powered Honda Civic will apparently have CO2 emission figures of less than 110g/km. Given the popularity of upper-medium cars such as the 1.6-litre CITROEN C5, PEUGEOT 508, FORD Mondeo and Volswagen Passat among car finance fleet owners, it is highly likely that Honda will eventually also bring out an Accord fitted with the new engine. Source; http://www.creditplus.co.uk/used-car-and-finance-news/HONDA/Honda-Planning-Small-Diesel-Car/998699564/

General Motors to Sell a Diesel Powered Car in North America

I hope that if this car actually comes about that it is a success, then maybe companies like Honda can bring their diesel products over here to North America....
General Motors has confirmed that it will sell a diesel-powered car on U.S. soil in the future. According to Ward’s Auto, the source of the news is none-other than GM Vice Chairman Tom Stephens. The use of a diesel would mark the first time in almost three decades that a diesel car was sold in the U.S., with the last diesels being sold in Cadillac, Buick and Oldsmobile vehicles in the late ’70s and early ’80s.

There’s no additional info on what vehicle could get the new diesel powerplant or even if the diesel engine being considered is new. GM has been offering a diesel version of its Ecotec 4-cylinder in Europe and other markets since 1996. That being said, it would seem easiest to offer a diesel engine in a car like the Buick Regal, which is based off the European Opel Insignia and is already offered with a choice of several diesel powerplants overseas including an upcoming twin-turbo 2.0-liter CDTi Ecotec motor making 190-hp and 300 ft-lbs of torque.

Source;
http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2010/09/general-motors-to-sell-a-diesel-powered-car-in-north-america.html

Honda, Toyota plan to develop diesel engines

No, they are not developing this for our market in North America, but for India, however once the technology is developed, it can be used in other markets....

MUMBAI: Japanese carmakers Honda and Toyota plan to develop diesel engines for their passenger cars even as rivals like Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai spend more on building and marketing diesel cars to keep pace with demand.

Honda, which has only petrol-powered vehicles in its portfolio in the country, is developing a small diesel engine for the Indian market, while Toyota will soon roll out a diesel version of Corolla Altis, making it its first diesel-driven passenger car in India.

“We feel the need to develop a diesel engine,” said Jnaneswar Sen, vice president (marketing), Honda Siel. He pointed out that more than half the vehicles sold in Europe are diesel. The company is yet to decide the timeline for the launch and which cars it will power, an official said.

Toyota, which sells only diesel versions of its utility vehicles and SUVs such as Innova and Fortuner in the country, has 90% of sales coming from diesel vehicles.

“While diesel is cleaner advanced technology, gasoline will also be important for us,” said Sandeep Singh, deputy MD (sales and marketing) of Toyota Kirloskar Motors.

Other carmakers such as Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai Motor, Tata Motors, General Motors and Ford too have stepped up production of diesel cars to cash in on increasing demand for diesel-powered cars that are more fuel efficient and environment friendly than petrol-driven cars.

Maruti Suzuki, which sells 60% of its popular Swift, Dzire and Ritz cars in diesel versions, plans to roll out smaller diesel cars, using Fiat’s 700cc engine. Maruti, which sources diesel engines from Italian carmaker Fiat, also plans to get 1.6 litre and 2 litre engines.

“While we will develop diesel engines, Maruti’s strength will continue to be gasoline as we make fuel efficient petrol engines,” said IV Rao, managing executive officer (engineering) of Maruti Suzuki.

With Suzuki’s global tieup with Volkswagen, Maruti may source diesel engines from the German carmaker in the coming years.

Its main rival Hyundai Motor is considering making diesel engines. “Currently we import are diesel engines. To have them in small cars it has to be cost effective,” said Arvind Saxena, director, marketing and sales, Hyundai Motor India. Currently Hyundai’s i20, Getz, Verna and Sonata have diesel options.

The Indian car market, which grew 25% to 1.9 million vehicles last year, is dominated by petrol models. Three out of every four cars that the country’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki sells is petrol-driven.

But the proportion of diesel sales has been going up steadily from 15% in 2006 to 25% in 2009, thanks to superior technology and fuel efficiency that modern diesel engines offer.

Traditionally, high maintenance and premium pricing kept customers away from diesel models. This is no longer the case.

Many customers prefer diesel versions because of better fuel efficiency that makes up for the premium they pay, say analysts.

“What matters to the customer is the running cost and therefore the preference for a diesel model,” said a Mumbai-based analyst.

“Since majority of consumers go for car financing, the difference in monthly installment is marginal,” he added.

Kapil Arora, partner, automotive, at Ernst and Young, said he believed that there would be more diesel car sales in the next 4-5 years if diesel subsidies continue and if the manufacturers can mass supply diesel vehicles.

Source;
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News-By-Industry/Auto/Automobiles/Honda-Toyota-plan-to-develop-diesel-engines/articleshow/5942343.cms?curpg=1

Honda studying development of a small diesel engine for Europe and India

Maybe one day, we'll get a Diesel engine in North America too....
Honda is currently studying how to develop a small diesel engine for Europe and India. Tomohiko Kawanabe, Honda’s chief operating officer of automobile r&d, said that having a small diesel engine is crucial if any carmaker wants to compete in markets like India and Europe.

Presently, Honda only has a 2.2-liter diesel engine fitted on the Accord and other models in Europe. The increasing interest in diesels is understandable. Since about half of the cars sold in Europe and India (an emerging market) are diesel, Honda would be smart to exploit this fact.

Source;
http://www.4wheelsnews.com/honda-studying-development-of-a-small-diesel-engine-for-europe-and-india/#more-6760