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Honda to launch clean, 'class-leading' engines
Date: 19 November 2012 | Author: Jack Carfrae
Honda is set to launch a series of clean powertrains with the intention of giving it a "class-leading" eco edge over the competition.
Phil Crossman, general manager for cars at Honda UK, told BusinessCar: "Within three years all our engines will be new."
The move was part of the company's clean engines plan, known as Earth Dreams, which begins with the addition of a 94g/km 120hp 1.6-litre diesel in the Civic next month.
"This 1.6 [diesel] is really only the start of engines that are going to be class-leading."
BusinessCar reported in the 2 October issue that the firm had begun work on low-capacity petrol engines to rival the likes of Ford's Ecoboost and VW's TFSI units.
UK managing director Dave Hodgetts confirmed that the first of such engines would appear in the facelifted Civic at around the middle of the decade.
He said Honda would have its first fuel-cell and full-electric vehicles on sale at around the same time: "Around 2015 we'll be looking to have a fuel-cell vehicle in Europe and possibly in the UK for lease in small numbers. And an electric vehicle as well, probably based around a Jazz.
"The other platform that we'll develop for Europe is the single motor unit that's in the CR-Z, although what that will actually be sitting in, I don't know."
Hodgetts also commented on the updates to the CR-Z hybrid sports car, describing it as a much more sporting car than the outgoing model: "It is, genuinely, quite a significant improvement in performance due to the bigger battery and developments to the petrol engine.
"It's perhaps the car we would have liked it to be at launch - it wasn't quite powerful enough to be a genuine sporting competitor."
A spokesperson for the company outlined the plans for the next generation of hybrid systems, all of which are destined for the UK: "It's essentially one, two and three.
"One being an improved version of our current hybrid system, much more of a full hybrid so you can run on just electric - a more affordable Prius-beater. The second will be for medium-sized cars - sedans - and then the third one will be in the NSX [supercar]."
The firm has also announced the appointment of Lee Wheeler as manager for corporate operations on a permanent basis.
Wheeler was announced as former fleet boss Ed Hummel's replacement in September, but was initially billed as a temporary appointment.
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