Honda Rolls Out New Li Nian S1 Subcompact Sedan at China Auto Show

China's recently developed passion for cars is paving the way for an increasing number of new vehicles targeting value-conscious consumers. Along with Nissan, which took the wraps of the 2011 Sunny, Honda also debuted a new small sedan today at the 2010 China International Automobile Exhibition.

Called the S1, the four-door model will be marketed under the newly formed Li Nian brand, created by Guangqi Honda, a Chinese joint venture owned by Honda and the Guangzhou Automobile Group.

The Li Nian S1 is the far less exciting (from a design standpoint) production version of the Everus Concept, which made its world premiere at the Guangzhou Motor Show in April. Even though Honda is keeping most details about the car under wraps, it appears that the S1 is based off the previous generation Honda City (Fit / Jazz sedan), and not the newer model of the car, which was released in 2008.

According to Honda, the S1 targets the younger generation in China and "adopts a powerful, energetic and outstanding design form".

The Li Nian S1 will be available in the market from the spring of 2011 through the current Guangqi Honda sales channel, with engine options including 1.3-liter and 1.5-liter petrol units.

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Honda to Recall 1.35 Million Fit and Jazz Models Worldwide to Repair Headlamps

Honda said on Thursday it would recall around 1.35 million examples of its Fit / Jazz subcompact to fix a potential problem with the cars' headlamps. The recall affects approximately 143,083 model year 2007 and 2008 Fit vehicles in the U.S., 385,000 units of the Jazz in Europe and 735,000 cars in Japan.

The Japanese automaker said the problem has been traced back to the routing of the wiring harness for the headlight control switch, as the plating on the wiring harness connectors for the low-beam circuit can become worn after repeated use.

"Worn plating on the connectors could result in corrosion and cause the connector to overheat and fail, resulting in a loss of low-beam headlight functionality," said Honda in an press statement. According to the company, the high-beam headlight circuit and function are not affected by this problem, while Honda also added that no accidents or injuries have been reported in relation to this issue.

In the States, owners of model-year 2007 and 2008 Fit vehicles will receive a notification in early January to bring the vehicle to a Honda dealer for inspection. Honda said the dealers will inspect and if necessary, replace the wiring harness terminal and secure the wiring harness connector. If there are any signs of damage in the connector, Honda said dealers will replace the headlight switch as well.

LA Show 2010: Honda Debuts Fit EV Concept, goes into Production in 2012

With hybrid models becoming more of a mainstream product for consumers these days, automakers are now turning their attention on the next 'green' frontier, all-electric cars. At the LA Auto Show, Honda lifted the covers off the all-new Fit EV Concept electric subcompact.

And mind you, this is not your typical motor-show crowd gatherer as according to the Japanese automaker, the Fit EV Concept "hints strongly" at the direction and styling for the upcoming production Fit EV all-electric vehicle, which will be introduced to the U.S. and Japan in 2012.

Based on the current Fit [Jazz in Europe and other markets], the EV production model will be powered by a lithium-ion battery and coaxial electric motor. The battery can be recharged in less than 12 hours when using a conventional 120-volt outlet, and less than six hours when using a 240-volt outlet.

Honda says the Fit EV will have a top speed of 90 mph [145 km/h] and achieve an estimated 100-mile [160km] driving range per charge using the US EPA LA4 city cycle or 70 miles [112 km] when applying EPA's adjustment factor.

The Fit EV will make use of a 3-mode electric drive system, adapted from the 2011 Honda CR-Z sport hybrid. The company claims that, in Econ mode, driving range can increase by as much as 17 percent, compared to driving in Normal mode, and up to 25 percent compared to driving in Sport mode. In Sport mode, Honda says that the electric motor generates performance similar to a vehicle equipped with a 2.0-liter gasoline engine.

Aside from the electric drivetrain, the LA Show car features some distinctive styling features inside and out such as the LED headlights, a chrome front fascia, aerodynamic bumper, clear LED taillights and EV decals plus an eco-friendly gray bio-fabric on the seating surfaces.

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