Honda Slows Accord, Civic Production As Buyers Shift To SUVs
MARYSVILLE, Ohio 鈥?Honda is slowing production of Accord and Civic cars as U.S. SUVs and trucks. The shift is expected to resume production in several years. The line being shut down produces about 55,000 vehicles a year, most of which are Accord sedans, Honda said. The all-new Honda Passport is built for those who take the adventure offline. What does your social feed inspire you to do? While production is slowed in Marysville, Honda will update the plant鈥檚 manufacturing capability to prepare for new technology including electric vehicles, Honda said in a statement. There will be no layoffs, a company spokeswoman said, but Honda will offer voluntary buyouts to some employees. The reduction also will affect production at engine and transmission plants in Ohio, Honda said. Sales of the Accord this year are up 4.6% through March but fell nearly 10% last year. Civic sales are down nearly 5% so far this year to 78,185, according to Autodata Corp. They fell almost 14% last year. CR-V sales, however, are up 6.4% through March to 87,280. Trucks and SUVs have made up almost 70% of U.S.
Just weeks after Volkswagen formally denied plans to build the long-rumored, 400-horsepower variant of its Golf R hot hatchback, a report has surfaced alleging that the project is back on track. This potential range-topping model, reports Autocar, will sit above the Golf R derived from the upcoming eight-generation Golf, expected to be revealed later this year. Its drivetrain is said to be based on those of the 2014 Golf R400 concept and Golf GTI TCR race car. Power will reportedly come from an upgraded version of Volkswagen's EA888, a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder used in the Golf GTI, Golf R, Jetta GLI, and other models. Horsepower targets are said to be between 380 and 400 horsepower with no hybrid assist. A dual-clutch, seven-speed transmission will reportedly dispense this power to a modernized Volkswagen 4Motion all-wheel-drive system, one said to have a "drift mode" that sends all power rearward, as popularized by the dearly departed Ford Focus RS. By their powers combined, all these components are said to be good for a 0-to-60 time of 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 174 miles per hour.
There wasn't a lot more to find out about the Golf GTI TCR; we knew what it looked like, what it drove like and even how it compared to its distantly related race car cousin. What did remain unknown, though, was how much it would cost a UK buyer. Well, now we know that too: 拢34,135, or a little more than 拢3k over the 拢31,100 Golf GTI Performance with three doors and an automatic gearbox. The 'Pure Grey' TCR signature colour costs an extra 拢580; if you want to combine that with a black roof, the total additional cost will be 拢1,130. Leather is 拢1,750, the 'TCR' honeycomb decals are 拢550 and a sunroof is 拢995. It's easy to imagine most TCRs being at least 拢35k cars then, and that pitches them against all sorts of tempting rivals. Will Golf GTI enthusiasts be remotely bothered by those? Possibly not. But it's worth pointing out that a Megane Trophy with the dual-clutch gearbox is 拢33,510, a Mercedes A35 starts at 拢35,580 and the Civic Type R, albeit with a manual gearbox only, is 拢33,525 in GT form. The old GTI Clubsport S could be mentioned here as well, but that's rather been done to death recently. Chiefly by us. Point being if you're after a racy hatchback at the moment, there are plenty to choose from!
Speaking of shenanigans, they're unavoidable when you鈥檙e driving a Volkswagen GTI. There is a reason the top trim is called Autobahn, and it has nothing to do with aspirational fantasy. For 2019, Volkswagen pours fuel onto the fire by bumping the turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine鈥檚 output from 220 horsepower to 228, peaking at 4,700 rpm. Torque remains the same at 258 pound-feet, arriving at just 1,500 rpm and sticking around through 4,500 rpm. Another change for 2019, Volkswagen鈥檚 torque-sensing limited-slip differential is standard in every GTI. Acceleration is fast, and you can reach 60 mph without grabbing third gear. Clutch action is light and effortless, throws are reasonably short, and the stick glides easily into each gear. Volkswagen tunes the engine and exhaust to provide a pleasantly grumbling soundtrack to go along with the turbocharged rush of torque. Equipped with a lowered sport suspension, the GTI鈥檚 ride is stiff, producing plenty of bounce and chop on anything but perfect pavement. An adaptive damping suspension is optional with SE trim and standard on the GTI Autobahn.
