2009 - 2 new hybrids

enders · 02-05-2008, 02:02 AM

According to the local dealer who recently returned from some Honda-France sales meeting, it's confirmed that they'll have 2 new hybrids for 2009 here in France! One is the coupe, the other some sort of Jazz-sized family car. Prices are of course unknown for now but according to him, they're going to have to be super competitive because Honda has apparently decided they want to be biggest seller of hybrids in Europe (maybe outside of Europe also but at the meeting they were only talking about Europe). His reasoning was that if Honda wants to sell the numbers they're talking about, the only way they'll be able to achieve that is via low pricing because Europe in general, and especially France, is totally dominated by diesel engines. And as good as Honda's diesel is (I've driven the diesel Civic and it's fantastic), they've for whatever reason decided to throw their efforts into gas hybrids rather than diesels. So if they're going to attract diesel buyers, they're going to have to have excellent prices and way low fuel consumption figures.
All good news for me because if the coupe is what has been shown at shows, or at least close to it, Honda has one sale coming up, assuming of course the fuel consumption figures are closer to my Insights numbers rather than the current Prius.

Fred · 02-09-2008, 10:11 AM

Anything going on over there re. that VW two seater we've been hearing about?

Fred / Proud Owner of "The Silver Bullet"

enders · 02-10-2008, 04:09 PM

Not that I've ever seen but then I don't pay much attention either.

No. 166 · 02-11-2008, 01:08 PM

VWs one-litre-car is where it belongs.... in a museum.
I said before it will not see the light of day and it hasn't arrived yet either.

Back to topic !!

Can't wait to see these new Hybrids arriving on European roads. I am so sick of my Toyota Prius.
I want a decent car again !!

JimmyHiggins · 02-12-2008, 01:17 PM

It really is taking a bit for these things to come out. My car is 8 years old, had it since June 2001... still the only real hybrid option is a Prius (with the Insight being out of production). Luckily, Honda makes a good product, so my car has at least lasted me this long. (worrying about jinxing the car...)

ElectricTroy · 06-21-2008, 06:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by No. 166

VWs one-litre-car is where it belongs.... in a museum. I said before it will not see the light of day and it hasn't arrived yet either.

Ahem.

Before you badmouth other cars, you might want to do some more internet googling. VW has already announced they are producing the 1 Liter car (240 MPG car) for release in mid-2009. However like the Lupo 3L, it will not be available in France, only Germany.

red1dr · 06-21-2008, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElectricTroy

However like the Lupo 3L, it will not be available in France, only Germany.

Sooo.... maybe you need to move to Germany??

ElectricTroy · 06-24-2008, 12:09 PM

Don't suggest impractical solutions.

budomove · 06-24-2008, 12:20 PM

no more impractical than saving for the simultaneous purchase of 4 different cars.

...i kid, i kid.

no but really, I also have no plans on replacing the insight until something comes along that is much more efficient and will carry more than one passenger. A plug in or something totally gas free seems like the only option for me. I absolutely love the 1L car, and if I could afford more than one car, I'd love that for myself, but I think I will probably go for a 4 seater next time, It's just nice to be able to even once every week or two, be able to carry a few people. Maybe when my finances are truly in order, I will have a one seater, a two seater, a three seater, and a four seater. It reminds me of fellow fly fishermen who carry a dozen fly rods in their car depending on the day's fishing.

If we get off gas, then the benefits of a two seater will be nil, and I will be in line for a more useful car, i.e a four seater. I love the concept of the two seater, for a sports car, or extreme 1L type car, but for a car getting just around twice the mileage of a civic, why not make it a four seater like was mentioned. Maybe not quite porsche style. I wouldn't call the back seat of a 911 really all that capable of carrying passengers, and I don't know if the Insight is quite big enough to house another two either, but I certainly wouldn't want it to turn into a fit in order to carry four either. It'd be tough to pull off, but doable I'm sure.

budomove · 06-24-2008, 12:59 PM

Troy, did the ultra efficient and lightweight diesel lupo make it to france? They are still all over italy, and every time I am there, I really want one. What are the prices of gas and diesel in france right now?
Frank