Honda At Frankfurt Motor Show 2013 - Press Kit
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FRANKFURT – Sept 11, 2013: The 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show provides the setting for Honda to publicly reveal the new Civic Tourer. Developed and designed in Europe, the new Civic Tourer offers class-leading trunk volume of 624 litres (rear seats up, measured up to the tonneau cover), advanced technology and distinctive styling.
The Civic Tourer will be offered with Honda’s 1.6 i-DTEC engine which combines competitive power (120 PS) and 300 Nm of torque with COČ emissions of just 99g/km*, offering an impressive balance of fuel economy and driving performance.
The refreshed Civic hatchback will also be shown for the first time. The car will benefit from exterior and interior refinements that give the Civic an even more distinctive, sportier appearance. The Civic and the Civic Tourer will be built at Honda’s UK manufacturing facility in Swindon and will be launched in early 2014.
Both cars will benefit from a new suite of advanced active safety systems that Honda will introduce for the first time on these models under the Advanced Driving Assist Systems name. These sensor based active safety systems use a combination of cameras and short range lidar (laser radar), and radar technologies to help avoid or mitigate accidents, delivering a high standard of safety for the driver, passengers, pedestrians and other road users in line with Honda’s philosophy of ‘Safety for Everyone’.
Also on display is the CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC unveiled at Geneva earlier this year. The CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC available in two-wheel drive with manual transmission, offers both performance (300Nm of torque and 120 PS) and low CO2 emissions (119 g/km).
Racing is in Honda’s DNA and the coming years herald a return to the brand’s sporty heritage with the introduction of exciting new models and Honda’s return to Formula One (in a joint project with McLaren). In celebration of this and Honda’s current successes in Motorsport across the World, including Moto GP, WTCC, BTCC and Dakar Rally, Honda will showcase a collection of modern and historic racing machines alongside its ultimate supercar, the NSX Concept II first shown in Europe at the Geneva Motor Show earlier in the year. As part of this display, Honda will show the McLaren Honda MP4/4 Heritage F1 Car, the Castrol Honda 2013 WTCC car, the RC213V Race Motorcycle ridden by Stefan Bradl that is currently running in the Moto GP and the 2013 Honda CRF450X Dakar Rally model.
Furthermore, Honda will have on display some if its recently launched motorcycles including the Gold Wing F6B and the NC700X equipped with Honda’s dual clutch transmission.
The Honda Press Conference will take place at 13:30hrs CET on Tuesday 10th September on the Honda stand (Hall 9: Stand B11).
Honda Civic Tourer
Developed and designed in Europe, allowing
Honda’s European R&D team to lead the creative and technical design
process, the new Civic Tourer features a sleek and sophisticated exterior
profile that does not compromise the car’s practicality. The Civic
Tourer delivers exceptional versatility and functionality with class
leading interior space of 624 litres (boot volume with the rear seats up,
measured up to the tonneau cover).
The Civic Tourer will be offered with the new 1.6 i-DTEC diesel engine from Honda’s Earth Dream’s Technology series. The engine is the lightest in its class, delivering 300 Nm of torque and COČ emissions from just 99g/km*. The Civic Tourer will also be offered with Honda’s 1.8 i-VTEC engine in manual or automatic transmission producing from only 148g* of COČ per km.
A brand new Adaptive Damper System will help to enhance the stability and comfort of the Civic Tourer under varying load and driving conditions and new advanced Active Safety features to deliver a high standard of safety.
Functionality & Form: No compromise on design or
space
“I am very proud of the Civic Tourer’s sporty,
sleek and dynamic proportions, which somewhat hide the car’s true
functionality and versatility. To achieve true utility on a compact car,
you have to consider how to make the most of the space in the cabin, which
generally also affects the design. Due to the clever platform of the Civic,
we had freedom to optimise the package. The end result is a car that has
almost a sports-car silhouette. For me, the strength of the car is the
synergy of functionality, versatility, and dynamic expression.”
Adrian Killham, Large Project Leader, Civic Tourer.
The exterior design of the Civic Tourer is sophisticated and sporty, its style is defined by a bold line that runs continuously from the front A-pillar to the D-pillar creating the impression of a floating roof line.
The development team for the Civic Tourer concentrated on new ways to interpret this section of the car to deliver a premium feeling and character. The glass of the rear quarter window has been extended to cover the body work of the D-pillar and the rear door sash has been raised by 17mm compared to the Civic hatchback to enable this bold styling line and creating an elegant look.
“At first glance it is clear that the Civic Tourer does not look like other Wagons. Recently-launched cars have tended to follow a similar style. The Civic Tourer has a different balance and appeal.” Adrian Killham, Large Project Leader, Civic Tourer.
Behind this sophisticated and sporty design is a hidden versatility that leads to clever functionality and unrivalled practicality.
The Civic Tourer benefits from the same unique centre fuel tank layout used in the Civic hatchback. The fuel tank is located under the front seats allowing the Civic Tourer to offer unparalleled interior space and Honda’s magic seat configuration.
The Civic Tourer offers class leading trunk space across both the C and
D segments. The cargo area will accommodate 3 large-sized Samsonite cases
with the tonneau cover pulled over to conceal the cases.
There is a clever, hidden compartment suitable for storing the tonneau cover so that it can be detached and stored out the way when it is not needed.
Furthermore, there is additional under floor storage in the boot which makes carrying tall objects in the boot easy and the height of the loading lip has been reduced by 137mm* compared to the Civic hatchback to facilitate easier loading.
Honda’s unique Magic Seats deliver further practicality and space within the Civic Tourer, enabling a range of seating configurations for maximum versatility.The rear seats assembly folds down in one easy movement, and the interior trunk floor of the Civic Tourer has been raised compared to the hatchback to create a completely flat area when the seats are folded down. The rear seat cushions can also be flipped up to reveal ample floor space for carrying tall objects. A 60:40 split in the seat base offers even more options for carrying both people and cargo and provides an alternative load area if access via the tailgate is limited.
Driving Performance: Advanced and Efficient Technology
The
Civic Tourer will be offered with the new 1.6 i-DTEC diesel engine from
Honda’s Earth Dreams Technology series, with a six speedmanual
transmission. This engine is the first from the Earth Dreams Technology
series to be introduced in Europe. The 1.6 i-DTEC engine is also offered in
the CR-V and Civic and is the lightest in its class, delivering 300 Nm of
torque and in the Civic Tourer, COČ emissions from just 99g/km*.
The philosophy behind Earth Dreams Technology is to deliver an impressive balance between fuel economy and driving performance and this is certainly the case in the Civic Tourer. This new model also delivers low running costs for customers, with only 99 g/km of CO2, the Civic Tourer is VED exempt and 74.3 mpg means it’s longer between fill ups
The 1.6 i-DTEC engine is comprised of an aluminium cylinder head joined to an open deck aluminium block and is the lightest diesel engine in its class. The mechanical friction has been reduced to the level equivalent of a petrol engine. All the rotating parts have been carefully optimised to reduce their friction, helping to provide excellent fuel economy whilst making sure the new Civic Tourer is fun to drive.
The 1.6 i-DTEC engine was designed specifically for the European Market and is built at Honda’s UK Manufacturing plant (where the Civic Tourer will also be built). The Civic Tourer will also be offered with Honda’s proven 1.8 i-VTEC engine in manual or automatic transmission producing from only 148g* of COČ per km.
Adaptive Damper System
The Civic Tourer will feature an
innovative rear Adaptive Damper System, a first for a production car. The
system has three settings - comfort, normal and dynamic - all of which have
been developed to enhance stability and comfort under varying load and
driving conditions. This allows the Civic Tourer to remain comfortable
during motorway cruising, yet firm and agile when high-performance handling
is required.
“By introducing the technology in this format, we expect many customers will be able to experience the benefits of this advanced system.” Adrian Killham, Large Project Leader.
Safety
As with all Honda cars, safety was at the forefront of
the development team’s mind when designing the Civic Tourer,
particularly the integration of active safety systems known as Advanced
Driving Assist Systems.
Honda has introduced a new suite of sensor based active safety systems that use a combination of cameras, short range lidar (Laser Radar) and radar technologies. The Civic Tourer and the refreshed Civic hatchback will both utilise these technologies and many other advanced safety features to deliver a high standard of safety for the driver, passengers, pedestrians and other road users in line with Honda’s philosophy of ‘Safety for Everyone’.
