Oaktec has been campaigning a heavily-modified Honda Insight in a series of rallies over the past few years, taking five Class-A victories in the UK Formula 1000 rally and bringing home the Class-A championship in 2006.

In 2007, Oaktec built a Honda Civic hybrid to compete in both rally and circuit competition, porting over the knowledge it gleaned from the Insight to the Civic, including the implementation of a modified CVT, which the firm found provides the best method of power delivery when coupled to a hybrid drivetrain.

Yesterday, Oaktec and Lotus Engineering announced a partnership that will help to maximize the performance of its hybrid setup through the use of new battery and control system. Along with Lotus and Oaktec, Energy Efficient Motorsport, Motorsport Development and Honda UK have been tapped to provide support as the companies develop more vehicles for third-party clients.

The crew will make their debut campaign in the Dunlop Max Sport Cup at the Rockingham circuit this Sunday, with plans to campaign in more track competitions throughout this year and next.

[Source: Lotus]

Click the Civic hybrid for a high-res gallery

Toyota may have been the first automaker to bring a mass produced gas-electric hybrid to market overall, but Honda was the first to hit the road in the US with the Insight in late 1999. The insight wasn't a huge commercial success for many of the same reasons that the GM EV1 likely wouldn't have been even if GM had opened it up to everyone. The two-seat Insight was small, had limited cargo capacity, was expensive to build and had limited appeal for American tastes at the dawn of the 21st century. While the Insight's package wasn't a retail success, Honda took the Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid system and dropped it into the Civic sedan beginning in 2002. A new generation Civic with a corresponding hybrid model debuted for the 2006 model year carrying over the IMA system. While the Civic hybrid hasn't had anywhere near the sales of the Prius, it does remain the third best selling hybrid behind the hybrid icon and the Camry hybrid. AutoblogGreen spent a week driving the Civic hybrid recently and you can read all about it after the jump.


Photos Copyright ©2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Back on the first of January of this year, Honda's hybrid tax credits began their slide down towards zero due to the fact that the automaker passed sixty-thousand hybrid sales. While you can argue with the reasoning behind the credits in the first place along with the arbitrary number of people who will get them, but the rules are what they are. So, starting on July 1, the tax credit for any Honda hybrid vehicle will be halved yet again, bringing the available credit to just one-fourth of the original level.

As of today, the Honda Civic hybrid gets a credit of $1,050. From July 1 to December 31, that credit will be $525. Don't complain too much, though, as the credit will officially run out on January 1, 2009. Ford, General Motors and Nissan have yet to hit the magic sixty-thousand number, so the full credit still applies for those manufacturers. Toyota hybrids are no longer eligible for any credit at all, as it has sold way too many Priuses to qualify any longer.

[Source: FuelEconomy.gov]

We've been over the Civic Hybrid which was decorated by Panic At The Disco before, along with the dates and locations where fans of the band (or the car) can pick up the associated tour. Therefore, this is just a friendly reminder that the tour itself started on Friday, April 10. We'd likely have forgotten all about it ourselves if it hadn't been for the press release (pasted after the break, naturally) issued by Honda on the matter. If you don't yet have tickets and want to pick them up, you still have time. Not all dates are sold out yet and the tour is running through June 14.

While we're on the subject, we may as well chime in that PATD's new record, Pretty. Odd. (Decaydance/Fueled By Ramen), is currently available as well.

The Honda Civic Hybrid is the greenest car in Germany. That's the statement made by the Verkehrsclub Deutschland (VCD), which has just released their annual report for the 2008 model year. The Civic Hybrid managed to accomplish all the requirements VCD asked in a car, not only on the greener side of the equation but also in aspects such as handling and ease of operation. The test included noise levels, fuel consumption and low emissions as well.

This is the second time Honda wins the first position in this test (first time was in 2006), in which up to 350 cars are tested. This year, the first runner up was the Toyota Prius, followed by the Citroën C1, Peugeot 106 and Toyota Aygo (fitted to the base 1.0 liter engine). The list continues then with the Daihatsu Cuore and Trevis, the VW Polo BlueMotion, the Daihatsu Sirion and the Mazda 2.

Related:

• CEO discusses Honda's green future
• Only 4 of 5 stars? Euro NCAP's test of the Honda Hybrid and the Skoda Fabia
• AutoblogGreen Q&A: Civic Hybrid owner John True (he's the guy suing Honda)

[Source: VCD (link is in German)]

John True, professional jazz piano player from California, has filed a class action lawsuit against American Honda Motor Co. for misleading mileage claims of the Honda Civic Hybrid. The question that this suit seems to revolve around is whether or not Honda misled consumers with inflated mileage claims. Did Honda imply that it is possible to get 49 miles per gallon in the city and 51 mpg on the highway? Is it impossible to meet those figures? Those are the questions that will be considered in the suit. Sage Marie, speaking on behalf of Honda, said that the "vast majority of Civic Hybrid customers are satisfied with the performance since it delivers consistently and substantially higher numbers than comparable non hybrid vehicles in the real world. It is possible to attain the EPA estimates, and customers do all the time."

John True was only able to average 32 miles per gallon, which is WAY below the EPA's old estimates. You may recall that the EPA has changed the way that they do their testing to better reflect what drivers are likely to achieve in real life. Another question that the suit will attempt to answer was whether Honda knew that their car would not average what the EPA tests showed. If they knew that the car was not going to get those numbers, should they base their advertising around them? Also, some have suggested that Honda and Toyota may have written the software of the vehicles to perform well in the old EPA tests. If that is true, does it seem unethical to anybody? Remember, though, that nothing of this sort has been proven.

This may very well be the first time a manufacturer has been sued over unrealistic mileage claims. If this one is successful, it would not be shocking to see more like it in the future.

UPDATE: Read AutoblogGreen's exclusive interview with John True here.

Related:

• EPA does something about unrealistic mileage figures for new autos
• Your mileage will vary. On the new MPG estimates coming in 2008

[Source: The Detroit News]

The United Kingdom's Environmental Transport Association (ETA) annual awards have named the Honda Civic Hybrid Britain's greenest car for the second straight year. Finishing ahead of the Vauxhall Corsa 13.CTDi and Toyota Yaris 1.4 Diesel, the Civic won out for its superior combination of engine size, fuel consumption, noise pollution and safety impact on pedestrians.

The award for Greenest Off-Roader went to the Toyota RAV4 diesel and the Greenest Luxury Car award went to the Jaguar XJ 2.7 diesel. The wrong end of the list was dominated by luxury brands including Lamborghini, Ferrari and Aston Martin, proving that making a car really fast still requires a lot of petrol.

Top ten green cars:

• Honda Civic Hybrid
• Vauxhall Corsa 1.3 CDTi
• Toyota Yaris 1.4 D-4D Manual
• Renault Modus 1.2 16V VVT
• Daihatsu Sirion M300
• Citroen C1 1.1
• Toyota Aygo 1.0 Manual
• Peugeot 107 Manual
• Daihatsu Charade Manual
• Fiat Panda 1.3

Top ten worst cars:

• Lamborghini Diablo Roadster
• Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster
• Ferrari Supermerica
• Ferrari Scagliatti
• Bentley Azure
• Bentley Arnage RL
• Aston Martin Vanquish
• Aston Martin DB9 Manual
• Bentley Continental Flying Spur
• Ferrari F430 Spider

Analysis: Small, light vehicles get great fuel economy and are unlikely to mow down pedestrians while large, fast sports cars are made to go even faster by using bigger engines that suck more fuel. That's why the Tesla Roadster is such a revelation - a fast, sporty vehicle that runs on electricity and has zero emissions. By the looks of this list, it will have the other sports cars beaten hands down for environmental performance for a while yet.

Related:

• Cameron Diaz in the Tesla Roadster = porn?
• Honda Accord Hybrid to pace Indy series for 2007
• Ecorazzi highlights Q'Orianka Kilcher and her Honda FCX with video

[Source: AutoTrader.co.uk]

Australian motoring site CARSguide has done a round-up of affordable, practical and economical vehicle options on the local market. Looking at sub-$40,000 transport, their complete list of criteria in weighing up the models was:

• Economy - the claimed fuel consumption in combined conditions and likely running costs, based in part on the NRMA's annually compiled data.
• Practicality - size, number of seats and doors, and boot space.
• Value - purchase price, standard gear and quality.
• Image - a bit subjective, but even a practical purchase isn't without an emotional quotient.
• Driving - derived from CARSguide's on-road experiences.

Vehicles scored out of 25 include the Honda Jazz GLi, Mazda 6, Suzuki Swift Sport, Volkswagen Polo, Hyundai Santa Fe, Honda CR-V and the Honda Civic Hybrid. The highest scoring car with 20/25 was the Mazda 6 MZR-CD diesel hatch which offers outstanding fuel economy with great practicality and size.

Analysis: Fuel economy has always been a factor in car reviews but it seems to be gaining more and more importance in this world of rising fuel prices. Great work from Mazda to take the diesel fight to the Europeans. I'll tell you what though, from the look of this list Honda must be doing something right as well.

Related:

• Geneva Preview: New Mazda 2 has its coming out party
• Mazda's Hakaze design concept offers "acceptable" fuel economy
• Brisbane Motor Show: Diesel vehicles feature

[Source: CARSguide]

I'm pretty sure this is the last time I'll write about Fall Out Boy and their tricked-out Honda Civic Hybrid. After the first two mentions and Honda's refusal to explain exactly what was going to happen with this car, I just couldn't leave it when information on the actual details were finally released.

Honda is playing up the eco-credentials of the EPA-rated 50 mpg hybrid, but the band was more interested in giving it a hip paint job and design on the outside and putting in a better sound system on the inside (you can read the exact list of modifications after the jump). The band's eco-choice is the custom embroidered "eco-friendly" hemp upholstery in the headliner and carpeting. I particularly like the umbrella on the front there.

At the end of the Honda Civic Tour, the car will be given away to one lucky fan (or, I suppose, an unlucky non-fan). The Honda Civic Tour website is accepting entries starting today.

Related:

• Fall Out Boy announces Honda Civic tour dates, tricked out Civic hybrid
• Honda Civic Tour to show off hemp-customized Civic hybrid from Fall Out Boy

[Source: The 2007 Honda Civic Tour]

The British government delivered quite the smack down to Honda recently when it decided not to award potential buyers "carbon grants" as incentives to buy green. Despite Honda knowing that this predicament would not improve the bottom line, company spokespeople say Honda will contine to build green in the UK and hope that both car buyers and the government will do the right thing sooner or later. 

A survey Honda conducted to bolster its cause said that 35 percent of the British population think the government is most responsible for getting motorists to drive greener cars, and 70 percent of asthma sufferers believe that the government is not doing enough to reduce traffic fumes.

[Source: Askaprice.com]

American Honda Motor has received its ruling from the Internal Revenue Service on the allowable tax credits for its hybrid cars for the 2006 tax year, and it's good news for car buyers.

The 2006 Civic Hybrid (shown at right accepting its World Green Car award) gets the biggest boost, with a $2,100 tax credit, while the '06 Accord Hybrid and the automatic transmission '06 Insight are eligible for credits of $1,300 and $1,450, respectively.

Only the IRS and your tax accountant know for sure what tax credit you may be eligible for, so check it out before you sign on the dotted line for that new hybrid.

[Source: American Honda]