Honda Suspends Rear-Wheel Drive and V8 Program, Called Suspension A Good Decision.

Honda has never been a big fan of V8 powered rear-wheel-drive sedans - and even with a new enthusiast steering the wheel at the company, it doesn’t seem like we’ll see any dynamic sedans from the Japanese automaker anytime soon. According to Takanobu Ito, who replaced Takeo Fukui last month, Honda doesn’t need V8 rear-wheel-drive sedans because marked demand has shifted to fuel-efficient cars, reports Automotive News.
“I don’t think we need a classic front-engine, rear-drive car,” said Ito. “It would be meaningless to emulate what other companies have been doing for more than five decades.”
Honda needs to pioneer new territory, Ito said. He said that Honda recently suspended its rwd program and called it “a good decision.”
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SHOWTIME - 7/20/2009 2:02:16 PM

+2 Boost

So Honda is gonna concentratte on becoming boring I see. Good job you retarted person!

Joe_Limon - 7/20/2009 2:24:54 PM

+1 Boost

I think it would be cool if rather then making a full blown 500+hp supercar, Honda made a super light weight track car, something to compete with the Ariel Atom and Radical's, use their amazing motorcycle engines and prove you can get 30+mpg out of a car that can get a sub 8 minute ring time.

Joe_Limon - 7/20/2009 3:19:24 PM

+2 Boost

I guess you don't know what I mean by track car... the ariel atom, radical sr8, lotus 2eleven, reynard inverter, ultima gtr, super seven, these are all fairly cheap track cars... 2800lbs may be light for a street car, but it isn't anywhere near the realm of performance these other cars see.

Anthony - 7/20/2009 2:44:34 PM

+1 Boost

At this time I am inclined to agree that it is a good decision. As badly as Honda could benefit a V8 in the long run, right now, people aren't buying V8s. It sounds like Ito wants to take a totally different approach anyway. Maybe performance diesel-hybrids are in Honda's future, who knows.

Joe_Limon - 7/20/2009 2:46:38 PM

+2 Boost

"performance diesel-hybrids" lolol

WorldofLuxury - 7/20/2009 3:20:10 PM

-2 Boost

idiots
I'd never buy their cars.
When I test drove the MDX, I just thought that it was a good overall car, but it just wasn't the sort of car you'd have fun with on the freeways. By the time you felt some power coming, you were already way above the speed limit. With a V8, I'd feel thrust without having to speed at all.

Oh... in the end, I bought the Lexus LX 470. Its engine might feel powerless for such a big car, but the torquey feeling from the large displacement was unbelievable.

_43LE - 7/20/2009 5:01:43 PM

+4 Boost

Still scratching my head...

tango - 7/20/2009 6:27:57 PM

0 Boost

Nobody's buying V8s? Really? Somebody should tell Hyundai and Chevrolet that...they just unvelied two V8 engiend cars that are selling quite well. V8 doesn't have to mean gas-guzzler. Honda should know that. Build a V8 of around 3.5L and you should control fuel usage to Honda-approved levels. How much worse can it be than their current gas-guzzling V6s?

chewy - 7/20/2009 7:50:47 PM

+3 Boost

A 3.5 V8 isn't going to be any better than a 3.5 V6. Maybe a few more horsepower up top if you want a lot of RPM, but with worth fuel economy than a comparable V6. Based on the current Acura engine size of 3.5-3.7 liter V6s they could make a 4.6-5.0 liter V8. Just like the competition and get an extra 100 horsepower. But they don't want to do that.

inspirion7 - 7/21/2009 10:13:42 AM

-1 Boost

That is why Porsche has V8s, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Lexus, BMW, Mercedes, you name the company in this league right? Face it, if you don't have a large displacement motor, you are not seen serious in the premium sector, period.

inspirion7 - 7/21/2009 10:13:50 AM

-1 Boost