Here’s a fitting sendoff to both the current Honda Civic hatchback and the famed K20 2.0-litre petrol engine – the Honda Civic Type R Mugen 2.2. Developed by Northampton UK based Mugen Euro, the most extreme version of the FN2 Civic has increased bore and stroke to make 2,156 cc, hence the 2.2 in the name.

From that, Mugen Euro have coaxed out 20 extra horses over the Civic Type R Mugen that came out last year. The final tally is 260 hp and peak torque of 240 Nm at 6,000 rpm. Besides that, the car gets Mugen sports suspension, brakes and bodykit.

A teaser image of the next gen Civic hatchback is already out ahead of its debut in Frankfurt, and this will be the last of the FN2s. The K20 engine, which powers the only two complete road cars produced by Mugen (FD2 Civic Mugen RR saloon and FN2 Civic Type R Mugen), has ceased production in Japan.

“Environmental pressures mean naturally aspirated engines are rapidly being superseded by other engine architectures and technologies. We may never see the like of the K20 in a mainstream production car again, so it felt only fitting we mark the occasion with this special 2.2 version of the Honda Civic Type R,” said Hiro Toyoda, VP of Mugen Euro.

According to reports, Honda is set to introduce its Brio subcompact in Indonesia next year. The hatchback will be imported from Thailand, where it is built.

Honda has been anticipating sales of the Brio in Thailand to reach the 40,000 mark in the first year, following its official launch in March and market debut in May. However, due to parts shortages as a result of the March 11 Japan earthquake, the figure fell short of 1,000 units through the end of June, the reports add.

With output now returning to normal, the company has decided to start moving the Brio into neighbouring markets, beginning with Indonesia in 2012. It is expected to be priced at a similar level to that in Thailand, and the aim is to move several thousand units in the first 12 months, though the reports did not specify the exact number.

The company is also slated to launch the Brio in India at the end of October, but the model there will feature limited specifications to keep its cost low. When the Brio sedan that’s apparently in the works joins the lineup in 2013, expect that to go into these markets as well.

Looks like the local “product update campaign” involving more than 40,000 vehicles announced yesterday by Honda Malaysia is part of a larger picture, involving nearly a million vehicles worldwide – Honda has issued a global recall for 962,000 vehicles, involving Fit (or the Jazz), CR-V, City and CR-Z models to repair problems with power windows and computer equipment.

The entire exercise involves 936,000 Fit, CR-V and the City models in Japan, China, the US, Europe and countries in Asia and Africa. Among the numbers are 72,115 second-generation City sedans manufactured between 2005 and 2007 in the Indian market, with a preventive replacement of power window switches to be carried out, though the third-generation City sedan currently sold in India, as well as the Jazz and the CR-V there, aren’t affected by the recall.

Closer to home, 42,892 vehicles in Indonesia are similarly affected, these being largely the Jazz, with 35,006 units needing rectification work to repair problems related to the power window. In Singapore, more than 7,700 vehicles (6,119 units of the 2005-2008 Jazz and 1,657 units of the 2006-2008 City) are also being recalled over the same issue.

Meanwhile, over in the US, the recall for the CR-V covers 80,111 examples made in 2006, with a defective power window master switch needing to be replaced. The design can allow residue from interior cleaners to accumulate over time, and this buildup can damage the electrical contacts in the switch and possibly lead to a fire.

Separately, 26,000 CR-Z hybrid models in Japan, the US and Canada are also being recalled to address defective programming of electronic control units for motors used in the model, with 5,626 of these being 2011 model year units in the US, all equipped with manual transmissions.

Honda says if the engine stalls, with the hybrid battery in a very low state of charge and with the transmission in gear, there’s a possibility of the electric motor rotating in the direction opposite to that selected by the transmission – if the brakes aren’t applied, the car might roll backwards when in forward gear, and forward in reverse gear. The company says a software update effectively corrects the problem.

The company says no fatal accidents or injuries have been reported with issues in this particular recall bout, which follows on last month’s recall on more than 2.3 million vehicles due to problems related with automatic transmissions.

The Honda Jazz, which is called Fit in North America (as with in Japan), gets a mild update for model year 2012. The Honda Fit Sport variant gets revised looks, there are interior upgrades for all models, as well as the addition of new standard features.

The Fit Sport’s exterior updates include a newly designed front grille and bumper, black headlight bezels and a dark “machined surface” finish for the alloys instead of the usual painted finish. The entry level Fit receives body-colour wing mirrors and updated wheel covers.

Inside, the Fit Sport cabin is enhanced with dark metallic dashboard components for a unified color theme (previously gray and black) and chrome accents around the dials. All models get newly designed console-mounted drink holders with ambient lighting.

More across the board updates include sound insulation measures in the floor, front fenders and A-pillars, plus thicker front corner-window glass. This would be useful, since NVH isn’t that great in the Jazz. Two new colors are available: Blue Raspberry Metallic and Orangeburst Metallic.

Kit wise, the Fit Sport now comes standard with steering wheel audio controls that were previously exclusive to navigation-equipped models, as well as upgraded seat fabric. The Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System now has 16GB of flash memory in place of the old DVD-based system.

Our market’s Jazz received a facelift in April. Click here to refresh your memory. More pics of the US market 2012 Fit after the jump.
[Read more...]