Franchitti Claims Third "500" Win in Honda 1-2 Finish

Dario Franchitti came from the rear of the field to win a dramatic Indianapolis 500 Sunday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, leading Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon to the checkered flag in a 1-2 finish for Honda in near-record heat and humidity. It is the third Indianapolis 500 victory for Franchitti, and the third for Honda with engine manufacturer competition.
After starting 16th, Franchitti was hit during his first pit stop by the car of E.J. Viso, spinning Franchitti around and dropping him to the rear of the field. But he fought back to the front, reaching the lead for the first time on Lap 151 and then entering into a multi-car battle for the victory over the final laps.
Once at the front of the field, Franchitti spent the late laps trading the lead with Dixon, part of a record 34 lead changes during the race; while the Honda Dallaras of Takuma Sato and Justin Wilson; as well as the cars of Tony Kanaan and Ed Carpenter all looked like potential race winners.
Carpenter was the first to fall by the wayside, spinning without contact on Lap 180. On the Lap 184 restart, Kanaan jumped from fourth to the front on the run to Turn One, but the yellow came out again just three laps later as Marco Andretti spun and crashed without injury.
On Lap 194, the green flag waved for the final time and both Franchitti and Dixon passed Kanaan. Sato also was quickly past Kanaan and then Dixon. On Lap 199, Sato moved alongside Franchitti and attempted a last-lap pass for the lead as they entered Turn One. But Sato lost control mid-corner, made contact with Franchitti and then spun hard into the wall, crashing without injury.
Franchitti was momentarily sideways, but corrected for the slide and claimed his third Indianapolis 500 victory, and the 96th IndyCar win for Target Chip Ganassi Racing at the 96th running of the Memorial Day weekend classic. Dixon finished second, with Honda drivers Justin Wilson seventh, Charlie Kimball in eighth and Townsend Bell, ninth.
The IZOD IndyCar Series now enters June with a run of four consecutive race weekends, starting with the June 3 Belle Isle Grand Prix temporary street circuit race in Detroit, Michigan, followed by oval races at Texas Motor Speedway, The Milwaukee Mile and Iowa Speedway.
Dario Franchitti (#50 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) started 16th, finished 1st, his third Indianapolis 500 victory, 31st IndyCar victory (all with Honda power) and first win of 2012: "I moved over for Takuma [Sato]. I knew he was coming and I moved up the track. I felt it was a good move, but he got loose underneath me. It was the last lap of the Indianapolis 500 and I didn’t expect him to lift. I think he did everything right up until the point he lost the rear of the car. It kind of reminded me of Emerson [Fittipaldi] and Little Al [Unser, at the 1994 Indianapolis 500] at the end there. This means the world. This is Indianapolis.
I also have to say ‘thank you’ to Honda. I have all of my [IndyCar] wins with them and today showed us all exactly why. They worked incredibly hard throughout the event, and never more so than in the week after qualifying. Honda showed us all today what they can accomplish."
Scott Dixon (#9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) qualified 15th, finished 2nd, led 53 laps: "We had the car to win today. Between the efforts of the team and Honda we had the power, reliability and mileage we needed, but at the end it was Dario’s race. He did a hell of a job today, so I’m super happy for him, but super gutted for myself. Still, it couldn’t be a better day, a 1-2 finish for the Target Chip Ganassi team at the Indianapolis 500."
Art St. Cyr (President, Honda Performance Development) on today's Honda victory in the Indianapolis 500: "This is why we go racing. To be able to participate in such a competitive race is one of the most amazing things in my career with Honda. It was an exciting day, and a great race for the fans – but pretty stressful for the participants! Any of several Honda drivers would have been a deserving winner today, but somehow it seemed destined that this was Dario’s day. He drove a fantastic race, never giving up after getting hit during his first pit stop. It was an inspiring drive, and an incredible race, that had all of us riveted throughout. My congratulations to all our associates at Honda Performance Development, who worked so hard to make this victory a reality. What a great day."

Honda Fit...A Global Force...Field Proven

From Queensland, Australia,  Honda and Evans Motorsport leading the two-wheel drive category of the 2012 Bosch ARC, aim to continue their winning ways at the Brakes Direct International Rally of Queensland this weekend. 
The G2 Honda Jazz(aka Honda Fit) which debuted at the first round of the Bosch ARC this year, have been performing as sharply as predicted. Evans and Weston led by over two minutes in Perth at the Quit Forest Rally, a round Eli considered to be the toughest of the championship.
“The Honda Jazz G2 rally cars have been the talk of the championship this year and are crowd favourites due to their speed, aggressive looks, and the great sound from the high revving Mugen tuned engines,” said co-driver, Glen Weston. The third round kicks off on the Sunshine Coast, on Friday 25th May, marking the mid-point of the season. Of the possible 172 points on offer from the first two rounds, Evans and Weston have scored an impressive 170. 

Honda Continues to develop and refine the ICE!!

Bryan Herta will try to win this year's Indianapolis 500 with the same engine that took him to Victory Lane last year -- Honda.

A little more than two weeks after Herta's team was released from its contract with engine-manufacturer Lotus, Bryan Herta Autosport announced it would use Honda Motor Co. engines for the rest of this season. The move comes two days before practice opens for the 500 and a little more than two weeks before the May 27 race.

"My time as a Honda driver in both the IndyCar Series, as well as the time spent driving factory Acura LMP2 in the American Le Mans Series, were among my most rewarding and memorable years in racing," Herta said. "So it is with great personal pleasure that we are returning to the Honda family for the remainder of the 2012 season."

The move revved up hope among team members that they can defend the 500 title after a slow start in 2012.

But Honda will now have 15 cars trying to make the 33-car Indy field, including Tagliani's No. 98 car. The late Dan Wheldon drove that number into Victory Lane for Herta last season after passing race leader JR Hildebrand in the front straightaway. Hildebrand crashed on the final turn of the last lap. Wheldon was killed in October in a crash at Las Vegas.

"We're pleased to be able to renew our relationship with Bryan Herta and his team," said Steve Eriksen, vice president of Honda Performance Development. "His team's victory in the 2011 Indianapolis 500 was the stuff of legend, and all of us at HPD and American Honda are delighted to have a hand in helping him defend that championship."

Family Friendly Midsize SUV's...Honda CR-V is at the Top of the Class

I've noticed incredible momentum with the sales of CR-Vs.  With its large back seat, easy access and ample cargo space, the family-friendly Honda CR-V topped the Mazda CX-V in Consumer Reports' latest head-to-head small SUVs tests.

On paper, the redesigned CR-V and new CX-5 appear very similar. Both can

• accommodate five passengers,
• have comparable dimensions,
• are available with front- or all-wheel drive, and
• are priced about the same.

With overall road-test scores-with a 77 and a 75, respectively, they also finished very close in Consumer Reports.  Just under the segment-leading Toyota RAV4 and Subaru Forester.

Some experts see beyond statistics and while their overall scores were close, the CR-V and the Maxda CX-5,  have very distinct characteristics that will probably appeal to different types of drivers"


Check out the full report on Consumer Reports' latest small SUV tests at  http://www.consumerreports.org/  This will also appear in the June issue of Consumer Reports on newsstands May 8th.

Only the CR-V is Recommended by Consumer Reports. Although the CX-5 scored well enough, it's still too new for CR to have reliability information. To be Recommended, a vehicle must perform well in CR's battery of tests, have average or better reliability in CR's Annual Auto Survey and perform well in government and industry crash tests.

Buy or Lease? Focus on Cash Flow

How Much Car Can You Afford?

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If you want to keep your overall finances under control do your very best to shop for a car that truly fits your budget.  For many people this may mean deferring that dream car.  But maybe not!

 

With stellar credit and when all the parameters are right...a lease may allow you to capture that dream now rather that later.  Ownership just may be way too much overrated!

 

Not so long ago, a major factor in the U.S. auto market's recent deterioration found itself with a large number of people who took out car loans they couldn't afford. These people had the dream of owning that car one day.  Worst case scenarios included 'repossesion'.  Other cases manifested in being upside down on their car loan.  This is nothing new.  In fact, back in 2010, 21.8 percent of Americans who bought a new car still had an average of $3,789 in negative equity on their trade-in, according to reliable industry analysts.  I wonder how many of these people could have benefited from a lease?

A lease is an effective way to avoid that 'negative equity' situation.  Just one benefit.  One to think about seriously when household budget are tight.

Zipcar? and Honda? to partner? Zipsters say, "WOW!"

Zipcar and Honda partner to bring sustainable transportation alternatives to city residents.

Zipcar, Inc. , is the world's leading car sharing network.

Zipcar, Inc. and American Honda Motor Co., Inc. have announced that Honda has become a Zipcar preferred vehicle manufacturer with a focus on hybrid and electric vehicles. Zipcar members will now have access to Honda's most technologically advanced, lowest emission vehicles, making an already transformational service even more sustainable.

The agreement will include the expansion of Honda's Insight hybrid, the all-new CR-V compact SUV, as well as the introduction of Fit EV battery electric vehicles (BEV) this fall and Accord Plug-In Sedans, a plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) version of its popular Accord Sedan, to select Zipcar locations beginning in early 2013.


Zipcar's platform is ideal for the inclusion of these types of vehicles as it allows urban dwelling tech-savvy drivers to get first hand experience with the new technology and to share those experiences with their networks. It also helps Zipcar respond to member preferences, which consistently rank Honda vehicles as among the most favored.


"The future of mobility is being shaped by economic forces, evolving technology and global trends, from increased urbanization to concerns about climate change to how the newest generation of drivers thinks about transportation," said Scott Griffith, chairman and CEO of Zipcar. "This win-win partnership with Honda adds to Zipcar's array of smart and sustainable transportation options and by introducing Zipsters to Honda's newest hybrid and electric vehicles we can help increase overall awareness of these exciting new technologies."

The agreement with Zipcar builds upon Honda's long history of studying EVs and other alternative fuel vehicle usage in urban transportation settings.

"Honda provides the most comprehensive lineup of vehicles that offer improved fuel efficiency, reduced emissions, and enhanced vehicle and pedestrian safety, while producing a consistently high level of product quality and value," said Steven Center, vice president of the Environmental Business Development Office at American Honda. "As the car sharing market leader, Zipcar is the best choice for us to showcase our newest energy-efficient transportation technologies, given the strength of their brand, their tech-savvy, conscious and connected members and the geographic reach of their operations."

Honda's 2013 Fit EV, based on its popular Fit hatchback, targets an estimated 123 city-mile per charge (76 mile range combined adjusted city/highway)[1] and can fully recharge its battery in as little as three hours when connected to a 240-volt circuit. The 2013 Honda Accord PHEV uses an all-new, two-motor hybrid system which continuously moves through three different modes -- all-electric, with an estimated 15 mile per charge range; gasoline-electric; and direct-drive -- to maximize driving and fuel efficiency, especially during city driving.

With this partnership, Zipcar will provide members even greater access to proven Honda models already in Zipcar's service including the Insight, Civic and CR-V. The all-new, five-passenger 2012 Honda CR-V is currently America's best-selling compact SUV providing a more fuel-efficient engine design with upscale exterior styling, and added standard technology features and functionality. Now in its ninth generation, the conventional gasoline-powered 2012 Civic Sedan achieves improved fuel economy. The five-passenger Honda Insight hybrid offers a sleek, aerodynamically styled look, more features and improved fuel economy.

Zipcar is a longstanding pioneer in using advanced vehicle technologies, having been the first car sharing company in the United States to introduce electric vehicles in Boston in 2002, and the first to offer hybrid vehicles through a partnership with Honda in Seattle in 2003. Member surveys show a strong interest in the use of advanced technology and alternate fuel vehicles in the program.

Honda offers a diverse lineup of 11 cars and trucks that include:

• the mid-sized Accord,



• the compact Civic line-up of seven individual models,



• CR-V crossover SUV and



• Odyssey minivan.
  

Honda also offers a wide range of fuel-efficient and low-emission vehicles that include:

• the Insight hybrid,




• Civic Natural Gas (compressed natural gas-powered vehicle),




• Civic Hybrid,




• CR-Z (sport hybrid coupe),




• FCX Clarity (fuel cell-electric vehicle) and




• the soon-to-be-released Fit EV (electric vehicle).
  

Honda began operations in the U.S. in 1959 with the establishment of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Honda's first overseas subsidiary. Honda has been manufacturing automobiles in America, using domestic and globally sourced parts, for nearly 30 years, beginning with production of the Honda Accord in Marysville, Ohio, in 1982.

Zipcar is the world's leading car-sharing service with approximately 673,000 members and 8,900 vehicles in urban areas and college campuses throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Spain. Zipcar offers more than 30 makes and models of self-service vehicles by the hour or day to residents and businesses looking for an alternative to the high costs and hassles of owning a car. More information is available at ZipCar.
[1] 123 city/95 highway mile range (unadjusted); 76 combined mile range (adjusted). Preliminary estimates determined by Honda using EPA methods. Your range will vary. For additional information about EPA test methods, visit Fuel Economy

Attention, Interest, Decision, Action. Attention - Do we? have your attention?

Have you see our Billboard Advertisement on U.S. 75 near Sun City Center?

If your driving North or South on U.S. 75 witness our committment to 'getting your attention'...and stirring your interest in a Brand New Honda with a limited time offer that is difficult to pass on.
A short visit to our showroom and we'll provide you with all of the information that you need to make the Decision to drive off in a brand new Honda an easy one.
Our objective is simple... Make You Our Next Happy Customer!