New Styles From Old Town
Honda's Latest Design Studio Will Be Its Third In California.In December, Honda R&D Americas opened the doors to the Advanced Design studio in the heart of Old Town Pasadena. Mixed between the J. Crews and the Banana Republics, the design studio will focus on design concepts and creating concept cars for Honda and Acura. "This new advanced studio that takes a longer view focused on advanced design concepts that will guide the future of both of these brands," explained Hirohide Ikeno, the president of Honda R&D Americas. It is the third Honda design studio in California and the second to pop up in the span of a year. The Acura Design Center, which will focus on Acura designs and market research, broke ground in March and is scheduled to open this summer.
Splash and Dash
Rad! The Honda Ski Tour is back in action. January 11 was the official kick-off date as the Ski Tour hit Sun Valley in Idaho. From there, the tour travels to Breckenridge and Aspen in Colorado and Squaw Valley in California. Each stop features radical ski racing, freeride competitions and live music. Winners receive a 2007 Honda Element. Musical artists will include Sean Paul, Gomez, Hinder and more. Each stop will be televised. For more information, check out theskitour.com. Super rad!
Laguna Seca Raceway in California was the scene of the Honda FCX Concept's driving debut. The FCX Concept is Honda's Next-Generation Fuel Cell vehicle and features a newly developed compact, high-efficiency Honda FC Stack as well as a low-floor, low-riding, short-nose body. Limited marketing of a totally new fuel cell vehicle based on this concept model is to begin in 2008 in Japan and the U.S.
Sales of the first wheelchair-accessible Honda Odysseys have begun. The VMI Northstar conversion alters the Odyssey by lowering the floor 11-inches and installing a powered in-floor ramp with non-skid surface for easy ingress and egress (yes, again). The patented PowerKneel System automatically lowers the Odyssey to decrease the ramp incline. VMI purchases the vehicles from Honda, and then modifies them on a new assembly line at its Phoenix-based facility.
Like Father Like Son
Marco Andretti Takes His First Steps Into A Career In Formula 1Egad! Another Andretti has taken baby steps toward driving in Formula 1. During Honda F1's first winter tests in Spain, the team extended some seat time to Marco Andretti, who is coming off his rookie year in IndyCar.
Andretti joined several Honda drivers at Jerez Circuit. He began testing the RA106 racecar shortly after 9 a.m. with an installation lap, followed by several short runs, which were intended to help him familiarize himself with the F1 car. Andretti completed 33 laps before the morning session came to a close.
"It took me a little while to get used to the traction control and the brakes but once I got to grips with them, the times were more and more consistent," said Andretti, whose father, Michael, spent a year at McLaren in 1991. His grandfather, Mario, won a Formula 1 title with Lotus in 1978.
Andretti was back on track at the start of the afternoon session and continued to improve steadily as he completed a total of 68 laps. "He did a good job and acclimatized himself well to the unfamiliar surroundings in the very short time that a one-day test provides," said Gil de Ferran, Honda F1's sporting director. "Marco looked comfortable straightaway with the car and the track, and overall, it was a good first experience in a Formula 1 car."
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