Wow, it seems like just yesterday that I made the trip out to Lake Elsinore to visit a fleet of fresh Hondas at the 2013 Eibach meet. Wait, actually it wasn’t yesterday it was just a few hours ago… Yes, that fast and I already have my pictures up. Why? Because its Sunday afternoon and I am a very boring individual. Actually, its partly because my gallery is somewhat modest (150 pictures) compared to what I know will be galleries of thousands of shots from other outlets.
As far as my impressions of the meet? Well I should start off with a disclaimer that the last time I went to the Eibach meet, it was actually at Eibach’s facility. For a while now the meet has gotten so big that organizers have been forced to find larger venues. This year they visited the Storm Stadium in Lake Elsinore. While the location was scenic, it was also incredibly hot! As well as at least an hour away from most of the people who would visit. I’d love it if they moved it to some where closer and cooler (temp. wise) but part of the fun is the exodus to get out there right?
The quality of cars was not quite the way I remember it but, well trends are different now and with the economy the way it is there aren’t many who have the money or patience to pay a premium and wait 3 months for those JDM parts. I commend those who still do that despite the economic climate but it seems like the Honda scene is now more about creative without breaking the bank and that in and of itself makes for some pretty fresh rides.
I wasn’t able to capture everything but I figured I would just give you a taste of what was there. Click on the thumbnails for teaser shots then hit the red text for our Facebook gallery. If you want more just stay tuned to your usual internet haunts and I’m sure many more galleries will pop up. For now, enjoy!
This weekend is hands down the biggest weekend for all men and women who consider themselves certified “Honda heads”! The Eibach meet is one of the biggest car meets in the country and THE biggest Honda meet ever in history to ever happen in any place at any time. OK, maybe that last part is an exaggeration but still! In fact the Eibach meet is so big, that they can’t even hold the event at Eibach anymore.
This year the famous meet will be held in the massive parking lot at Storm Stadium in Lake Elsinore, CA. Sure it is a little bit farther out than Eibach’s facility but the extra space will allow more room for all the epic Honda-ness. Enough talk! I shall provide you with the details and you shall make plans for your exodus!
Today, Honda made millions of hardcore F1 fans and Ayrton Senna fans’ dreams come true when they announced that not only are they returning to F1 in 2015 but they will rekindle their partnership with McLaren! Awesome news right? But the question remains: why does Honda want to come back?
If you remember, Honda’s last stint in F1 did not go so well. Instead of working with a partner, they attempted an “all Honda” effort and did all the development on the engine and chassis in-house. Like Toyota, Honda was spending tons of money and not seeing great results despite having talent like Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello. When those struggles were compounded with a faltering economy Honda backed out of Formula 1 and most knew it would take something major to bring them back.
Well it turns out that “major” thing is the new 1.6 liter energy recover V6 engine mandate that will hit F1 in 2015. Honda sees the new engine setup as a great R&D opportunity for their road cars which is great news for Honda fans. My only gripe is that Honda didn’t do this sooner, otherwise we might have been expecting a McLaren edition NSX in 2015 as well!
I think with a team like McLaren behind them Honda will have a much better time in F1 than they did in their last bout with the sport.
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today announced its decision to participate in the FIA Formula One (F1) World Championship from the 2015 season under a joint project with McLaren, the UK-based F1 corporation.
Honda will be in charge of the development, manufacture and supply of the power unit, including the engine and energy recovery system, while McLaren will be in charge of the development and manufacture of the chassis, as well as the management of the new team, McLaren Honda.
From 2014, new F1 regulations require the introduction of a 1.6 litre direct injection turbocharged V6 engine with energy recovery systems. The opportunity to further develop these powertrain technologies through the challenge of racing is central to Honda’s decision to participate in F1. Throughout its history, Honda has passionately pursued improvements in the efficiency of the internal combustion engine and in more recent years, the development of pioneering energy management technologies such as hybrid systems. Participation in Formula 1 under these new regulations will encourage even further technological progress in both these areas. Furthermore, a new generation of Honda engineers can learn the challenges and the thrills of operating at the pinnacle of motorsport.
Commenting on this exciting development, Takanobu Ito, president and CEO of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. said:
“Ever since its establishment, Honda has been a company which grows by taking on challenges in racing. Honda has a long history of advancing our technologies and nurturing our people by participating in the world’s most prestigious automobile racing series. The new F1 regulations with their significant environmental focus will inspire even greater development of our own advanced technologies and this is central to our participation in F1. We have the greatest respect for the FIA’s decision to introduce these new regulations that are both highly challenging but also attractive to manufacturers that pursue environmental technologies and to Formula One Group, which has developed F1 into a high value, top car racing category supported by enthusiastic fans. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Mr. Jean Todt, the President of FIA and to Mr. Bernie Ecclestone, the CEO of Formula One Group who showed great understanding and cooperation to help realize our participation in F1 racing. The corporate slogan of Honda is “The Power of Dreams”. This slogan represents our strong desire to pursue and realize our dreams together with our customers and fans. Together with McLaren, one of the most distinguished F1 constructors, Honda will mark a new beginning in our challenges in F1.”
Also, Martin Whitmarsh, CEO of McLaren Group Limited said:
“The names of McLaren and Honda are synonymous with success in Formula One, and, for everyone who works for both companies, the weight of our past achievements together lies heavily on our shoulders. But it’s a mark of the ambition and resolve we both share that we want once again to take McLaren Honda to the very pinnacle of Formula One success. Together we have a great legacy – and we’re utterly committed to maintaining it.”
Jean Todt, president of FIA said:
“I am very happy to hear about Honda’s important decision to return to Formula One with McLaren from 2015. The introduction of the new power train next year, in the form of a 1.6 litre, 6 cylinder engine with direct injection and energy recovery, is a very exciting challenge and demonstrates a vision for the future of the sport. I am sure that Honda will become a strong contender in the years to come.”
Bernie Ecclestone, CEO of Formula One Group said:
“It is a great pleasure to see Honda back in Formula One. Their engine technology and passion for motor sports make them a natural Formula One contender.”
History of Honda Participation in F1 Racing:
1964-1968:
Participated as an “all Honda” team including both the engine and chassis
1983-1992:
Participated as an engine supplier (Won both the driver’s and constructors’ championship titles for four consecutive years from 1988 through 1991)
2000-2005:
Participated as an engine supplier and joint developer of the chassis
2006-2008:
Participated as an “all Honda” team including both the engine and chassis
One of the “must-do” activities for those who live in the Southern California area is to visit the Disneyland resort. Being based in so-cal myself I have been to Disneyland many times and I love it. One of my favorite things to do at Disneyland is visit the “Innoventions” pavilion. The Innoventions pavilion is full of all kinds of cool tech that, well used to be from the not so distant future. However today most of the tech on display are products that are out now but just a bit out of financial reach for most people. Although one very futuristic piece of tech still lives in Innoventions and that is Honda’s ASIMO Robot which does live shows every day.
ASIMO stands for “Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility” and was developed by Honda to be an “assistant” to people and their families in their daily lives. I have seen the live show myself many times and I can tell you that watching the little bot in action is pretty awesome. For those who have not had a chance to see ASIMO, Honda has launched a Facebook contestto help a lucky person meet their assistant bot in person. The winner will receive a four-day, three night stay at the Disneyland resort for four people with Airfare, hotel, and tickets to the park all included. When the winner visits Disneyland they will get a chance to interact one-on-one with ASIMO after one of the live shows. That sounds like a pretty sweet deal!
To enter, contestants must “like” ASIMO on Facebook, print out a photo of ASIMO from Facebook gallery and take a picture of themselves with that printed photo enjoying a favorite activity, take another picture of themselves and a group of friends with the printed photo enjoying another fun activity, answer a set of triva questions, and finally write in 50-200 words why you love ASIMO and why you want to meet it at Disneyland.
That is definitely a bit extensive but for a practically all expense paid trip for four to the happiest place on earth to meet a full-on robot I would say it is worth it. At the very least contestants will come away with a few fun photos for their Facebook pages!
To enter, simply visit ASIMO’s Facebook page (click the bold red text) and follow the official rules and instructions. Good luck!
The CR-Z has its share of haters but I think there are more people that like it. I could be included with the latter half. While it is not exactly the CR-X reincarnate, it still honors the coupe nicely in my opinion; Especially with its looks. For a hybrid the CR-Z is pretty damn agro is it not? Throw in a few strategically placed exterior mods and you have one of the meanest looking eco-friendly cars on the street! If you happen to own a CR-Z and you are looking to add some more “mean” to its “green” then I think Password:JDM’s CR-Z dry carbon fiber rear diffuser is a good way to go. It looks good, it is made from high quality carbon fiber, it bolts right on (no cutting needed), and it actually does serve a function. It is a bit pricey at $599, but quality is usually expensive.
Back in the day if you wanted to make a 12 second pass in a civic, a turbocharger was a must! Then, as technology changed and wrenchers got smarter E/Ts started to get lower and lower and tuners found ways to make more power. Then Chris Rado pulled a 9 second pass in his famous sliver turbocharged Integra. Now boosted cars are throwing down 6 second passes all the time and frankly, its not as impressive as it used to be. Mostly, because we know better now. Boost can do just about anything as long as the engine is stout enough to handle it.
Doing the same thing with no boost on the other hand is pretty damn noteworthy. Last year I heard about a EG Honda Civic on the east coast with a crazy built K-series swap that managed a 9 second pass but I had never seen it before, until now. Turns out there is actually a team of all-motor street class civics that are all capable of single digit 1320s. If its something you have never seen before then you definitely want to check out the video below by EAT SLEEP RACE (a sponsor of the team). Its an awesome sight!
I was starting to get some serious car show withdrawal so you can imagine my excitement when it came time for Motion Auto Show to come back to our home town of Long Beach and fill our convention center with rows and rows of top notch rides. One of the reasons I really like the Motion Auto Show is because the producers of the show Pro-Motion and the shows architect Mike Morita go out of their way to create an experience that is a lot like the car shows we were used to from the early days of the scene and so far they have always gotten it right! I also commend Pro-Motion and Morita-san for pre-screening all the cars that register for the show. Back in the day I hated spending my cash on a car show ticket only to find the show full of cars that were damn near stock!
Between the cars, the dance contest, models, and vendors the attendees of this years Motion Auto Show in Long Beach definitely got their money’s worth. If you didn’t get a chance to make it out to the show this year I highly reccomend going next year. In the meantime check out some pictures below and see our full gallery on our Facebook page.
We all want our engine bays to look nice and nothing adds style points like carbon fiber under the hood. Although going the carbon fiber route can be troublesome as most companies do not make a full set for a particular engine bay so users are left having to piece together their own from different manufacturers. Password:JDM is making it easy by offering a complete carbon fiber engine dress-up kit for the 2006+ Honda Civic Si. For about $460 bucks you get a radiator cooling plate, intake manifold cover, and spark plug cover all done in carbon fiber, and for another $30 you can upgrade from carbon fiber to carbon kevlar. Sounds like a pretty good deal!
Just as the 50th Rolex 24 Hours Of Daytona race was getting underway GRAND-AM made the announcement that B-Spec racing would be included as part of their 2012 season. I suspected that B-spec would become a part of GRAND-AM soon but I did not think it would come this soon! For now B-Spec drivers will be allowed to run at 6 events this year with the first being at Homestead Miami-Speedway at the end of April (27th-29th), then New Jersey Motorsports Park in May (11th-13th), followed by Mid-Ohio (June 8-9), Watkins Glen International (July 29th-June 1st), Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca (Sept. 8th-9th), and finally Lime Rock Park (Sept 28th-29th). For an amatur series’ first year that location list is pretty damn impressive!
Each B-Spec event will be in a sprint race format (30-45 minute timed races) and the events will not be “connected” as in each race is a stand alone event so there is no need to travel the country to race each one in hopes for a championship (unless you really want to). Instead GRAND-AM just wants local racers at each track to come out and do their best to win the day. I have to admit with the schedule they put together combined with the lack of pressure by not having to run a full year for a championship B-Spec is looking pretty damn attractive right now. I would love to put a car together in time for the Mazda Raceway event!
GRAND-AM To Add B-Spec Races Entry-Level Class Features Exciting Sub-Compact Street Stock Cars
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 28, 2011)
Currently, the six sprint races – planned for between 30 and 45 minutes in length – will run in conjunction with GRAND-AM weekends at Homestead-Miami Speedway (April 27-29), New Jersey Motorsports Park (May 11-13), Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (June 8-9), Watkins Glen International (June 29-July 1), Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca (Sept. 7-9) and Lime Rock Park (Sept. 28-29). Each of those weekends will also feature North America’s most popular forms of sports car competition – the GRAND-AM Rolex Series and the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge.
Regional racers who meet entry requirements are welcome at each event, with a concentration on event victories instead of a national championship. No currently licensed professional drivers will be allowed to participate.
A total of five manufacturers have committed to the new competition, with the following models involved: Mazda 2, Honda Fit, Ford Fiesta, Mini Cooper, and Kia Rio. Additional future manufacturer entries are expected.
One of the fastest-growing segments of the automobile business, B-Spec is among the most affordable classes for entry-level racers, and is expected to enjoy great support from club racers.
Cars will be 4-cylinder models, with a target cost range of $20,000-$30,000.
B-Spec features showroom stock racing cars utilizing stock engines and chassis, fitted with a competition roll cage, racing seat and other safety equipment; and manufacturer-approved suspension components, tires and wheels. Weight and other variables will be used to balance performance among competing manufacturers.
Each manufacturer will develop an approved performance kit which is subject to GRAND-AM approval. These will be the only alterations permitted to the respective cars. All practice sessions will also serve as qualifying to set race grids.
“This new form of GRAND-AM racing will attract new racers and in the process, new fans,” said GRAND-AM Managing Director of Racing Operations Mark Raffauf. “The cars are cool and the competition will be door-to-door, which should be a lot of fun for everyone – a nice fit with what GRAND-AM already has happening at every event.”
– GRAND-AM Road Racing announced today an exciting complement to its two existing sports car series, in the form of a new “B-Spec” level featuring sub-compact cars in six races this season.
I have been saying for a long time that Skunk2 is one of the most legit aftermarket brands out there, especially when it comes to Honda/Acura so when every they drop something new I consider it news worthy. This time the guys at Skunk2 have announced that their Pro-Series coilovers are now available for the ’02-’06 Acura RSX and the ’01-’05 Honda Civic. The Pro-Series coilovers stand out at Skunk2 because they are mono-tube and have double adjustable ride height. The Pro-C coilovers also feature 12 way adjustable valving and in the case of the RSX and Civic come with 12kg/mm springs. This is quality stuff people! A set of Pro-C’s will set you back a little over $1,300 bucks which is not bad considering the quality you get.
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