YESS!!! Fukui is being replaced!!

[6spdterror]

This new guy has been with the company since 1978 and has worked R&D on the original NSX. This could be good news. Here's the article from Automotive news.

Automotive News
February 23, 2009 - 2:22 am ET

TOKYO -- Takanobu Ito, head of global automotive operations at Honda Motor Co., has been tapped as the carmaker's next president and CEO starting in June as the company grapples with global sales declines and a strong yen.

Ito, 55, succeeds Takeo Fukui, 64, who has held the post since 2003. The shuffle will be approved at a board of directors' meeting scheduled for late June, Honda said early today.

Fukui will remain on the board and assume a role as adviser.

Ito, currently a senior managing director, joined Honda in 1978 working in research and development. His projects included developing the all-aluminum unibody NSX sports car that went on sale in 1999.

The duties later took him to the United States as executive vice president of Honda R&D Americas. And he later returned to Japan as president and director of Honda R&D Co.

The engineer became chief of Honda's global automobile business in 2007.

In April, Ito will once again be appointed president and director of Honda R&D Co., Honda said. He will hold that position concurrently with his job as president and CEO.

 

[usafdarkhorse]

There's hope

 

[Silver F16]

There's hope

for the HSC

 

[6spdterror]

Being that this guy actually helped develop the original NSX and he is an engineer that started in R&D, it wouldnt surprise me if they totally redesign the ASCC. Hope they keep the same v10 but do an "HSC-like" design.
Time will tell!

 

[Johnny@JETZ]

Just put the V10 into slightly larger HSC and I'll be sold!

 

[BD]

He will be just like any other current CEO.

To make his share holders happy.

 

[derelict]

His projects included developing the all-aluminum unibody NSX sports car that went on sale in 1999.

I dunno... can we trust an article that doesn't even know when the NSX was released?? :tongue:

I miss the old honda mentality... give me smaller, faster, lighter, any day!

 

[NetViper]

I think this is a good sign. HSC!!

 

[WingZ]

Why do you guys think he'll bring the HSC back It got almost the same response as the ASC.

I'm happy either way though. More than likely he'll try to maintain profit as Honda is one of the few companies making it.

 

[Bram]

Well we still have hope as Mr Ito, was in charge of NSX Chassis design for the NSX, and we can all say he did a great job.

So a car guy in back in the Driver's seat.


Bram

 

[WingZ]

Hmm I saw this quote on autoblog from Toyota division GM.

Carter told Automotive News that Toyota will put more of its efforts towards hybrid vehicles in the U.S., saying that Stateside consumers are more interested in "high-quality, fuel-efficient, low-impact-environment products." Carter went on to say that, "Personally, I would love to have a sporty car, but it is pretty clear what the market is looking for right now."

How much of a market is there for what we want?

 

[6spdterror]

Hmm I saw this quote on autoblog from Toyota division GM.



How much of a market is there for what we want?

Thats the sad reality. We are far and few! We sell 300-400+ hondas a month and i can probably count on my one hand the amount of people that come in looking for a manual car. The masses want automatic, fuel efficient and affordable cars. Most of us on this board dont want anything to do with an automatic gearbox and are more interested in performance and handling. We (the performance enthusiast) usually suffer because we are the vast minority, they think about us last when it comes to dollars and cents. We just happen to be the most vocal!

 

[Silver F16]

Your point is valid. The market has shrunk hence enthusiasts will turn towards niche market manufacturers.

Hmm I saw this quote on autoblog from Toyota division GM.



How much of a market is there for what we want?

 

[Aiken Drum]

Why do you guys think he'll bring the HSC back It got almost the same response as the ASC.

That's because we hadn't seen the ASCC yet. If they'd shown them in the opposite order, well, I think things would have been quite different.

 

[WingZ]

Your point is valid. The market has shrunk hence enthusiasts will turn towards niche market manufacturers.

Yeah I was thinking that as well.

Nissan makes really heavy but fast sport coupes but they're in trouble so we don't know how long that will last.

That's because we hadn't seen the ASCC yet. If they'd shown them in the opposite order, well, I think things would have been quite different.

You don't know Honda enthusiast "fans" very well. We b*tch whatever whenever:wink:

If everyone had been excited about a 350+ light weight HSC we'd be ok right now:tongue:

 

[6spdterror]

It seems to me that performance enthusiasts are still buying cars. Porsche is selling more cars than ever and Ferrari claims they havent been affected by the global reccesion. Niche manufacturers are still turning a profit and ALL their products cater to the so called "vast minority"
It's the mainstream car manufacturers that offer 1 or 2 sportscar options that are pulling the plug. If Nissan can still offer the GT-R and Z, Mazda with their RX-8 and upcoming RX-9 and GM (of all people) still have a slew of high performance machines.......... there is no doubt in my mind that Honda can do the same. Hopefully this new CEO will put his foot down and not alienate his most passionate customers.

 

[WingZ]

It seems to me that performance enthusiasts are still buying cars. Porsche is selling more cars than ever and Ferrari claims they havent been affected by the global reccesion. Niche manufacturers are still turning a profit and ALL their products cater to the so called "vast minority"
It's the mainstream car manufacturers that offer 1 or 2 sportscar options that are pulling the plug. If Nissan can still offer the GT-R and Z, Mazda with their RX-8 and upcoming RX-9 and GM (of all people) still have a slew of high performance machines.......... there is no doubt in my mind that Honda can do the same. Hopefully this new CEO will put his foot down and not alienate his most passionate customers.

Where ya been man?
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/ferrari-sales-drop-650-or-more/

And Porsche
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2009/02/03/404133.html
http://exoticcars.about.com/b/2008/11/05/porsche-and-mercedes-benz-see-sales-slide.htm

Nissan isn't doing well either. The 370Z sold 1,800 units last month. That trend may continue as enthusiasts head from higher priced sports cars into lower priced ones.

As for GM even though the Corvette is the best bang for the buck sales were down as much as 58%. Their value retention is frightening considering 06 Z06 can be had in the mid 30's.

As an enthusiast I'm not happy to say it but it the hp wars are over and with them maybe some after effect are sports car offerings.

 

[oscar_driver]

H
S
C

no one is selling crap, is a crisis we all know, but we all know it'll be gone too, so, Honda, get ready and bring the mid engine HSC 400HP @ 2.400lbs total car weight and you'll have a MUCH NEEDED Halo car to start the 2010's!

 

[oscar_driver]

oh, and call it NSX if you want LOL --as long is the HSC MR--

 

[6spdterror]

Where ya been man?
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/ferrari-sales-drop-650-or-more/

And Porsche
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2009/02/03/404133.html
http://exoticcars.about.com/b/2008/11/05/porsche-and-mercedes-benz-see-sales-slide.htm

Nissan isn't doing well either. The 370Z sold 1,800 units last month. That trend may continue as enthusiasts head from higher priced sports cars into lower priced ones.

As for GM even though the Corvette is the best bang for the buck sales were down as much as 58%. Their value retention is frightening considering 06 Z06 can be had in the mid 30's.

As an enthusiast I'm not happy to say it but it the hp wars are over and with them maybe some after effect are sports car offerings.

So then i guess Ferarri is lying out their ass! Or maybe they dont want to upset their clientele. This is the article i read:
http://www.worldcarfans.com/9090213.001/ferrari-not-hurt-yet-by-financial-crisis

 

[JetBlackS2000]

H
S
C

no one is selling crap, is a crisis we all know, but we all know it'll be gone too, so, Honda, get ready and bring the mid engine HSC 400HP @ 2.400lbs total car weight and you'll have a MUCH NEEDED Halo car to start the 2010's!

Would be great success. I like. Then no execute Honda. :wink:

 

[NetViper]

Their value retention is frightening considering 06 Z06 can be had in the mid 30's.

And where exactly are you finding that. From what I can tell, they are still high 40's to low 50's... no where NEAR mid 30's. Keep in mind too the 06 Z06 was 65K new.

 

[WingZ]

And where exactly are you finding that. From what I can tell, they are still high 40's to low 50's... no where NEAR mid 30's. Keep in mind too the 06 Z06 was 65K new.

I saw a couple on autotrader about a month or two ago. Here are two that I found this morning. Do you think the listings are false? These aren't the ones I saw originally though. There was a sweet blue one for $37k
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.j...n=&max_price=40000&cardist=611&standard=false

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.j...=&max_price=40000&cardist=1978&standard=false


Well sticker was $65k but you know that's not what they were selling for as when the car debuted for the first year most dealers were selling them at $15-20k over sticker claiming ahem "market adjustment". Pretty much sold out to from what I remember even at that $80-85k price.

 

[NetViper]

I saw a couple on autotrader about a month or two ago. Here are two that I found this morning. Do you think the listings are false? These aren't the ones I saw originally though. There was a sweet blue one for $37k
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.j...n=&max_price=40000&cardist=611&standard=false

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.j...=&max_price=40000&cardist=1978&standard=false


Well sticker was $65k but you know that's not what they were selling for as when the car debuted for the first year most dealers were selling them at $15-20k over sticker claiming ahem "market adjustment". Pretty much sold out to from what I remember even at that $80-85k price.

On the first one, I am going to say scam... 92 miles? Ron Fellow edition... No way. If it is not a scam, I should buy it. I will call and find out.

Second one says mileage unlisted... so it could be true if it has 100K miles.

 

[WingZ]

On the first one, I am going to say scam... 92 miles? Ron Fellow edition... No way.

Second one says mileage unlisted... so it could be true if it has 100K miles.

Yeah hard to tell sometimes. This one seems legit at$41k
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.j...=&max_price=45000&cardist=1664&standard=false

as does this one but again mileage unknown.
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.j...n=&max_price=45000&cardist=257&standard=false

So pricing has gone up just slightly for spring but it still seems reasonable to get ffom a dealer for high $30's.

Any idea what auction is?