Honda Accord Sixth Generation (1998–2002)
For the sixth generation, Honda split the Accord into three separate models, designed for the Japanese, North American, and European markets. However, the wagon was discontinued in North America while the coupe was discontinued in Japan.
North America, Australia and Philippines
The American Accord was only available in sedan and coupe form, becoming the largest Accord to date, sharing a platform with the JDM Honda Inspire/Acura TL. While previous generations of the Coupe were considered two-door versions of the sedan, the 1998 Coupe was the first to be given an exclusive front fascia, rear tail lights, wheels, and many other body panels, and was now marketed as a somewhat separate model, the "Accord Coupe", to set it away from the more family-oriented sedan version. It also allowed the Coupe, which was exported to other markets, to fit in more easily with the local Accord versions.
For the 1998 model year, the sedan was offered in DX, LX, EX, and EX-V6 trims while the Accord Coupe was offered only in LX, EX, and EX-V6 trims. The DX model was fitted with a 2.3L I4 engine rated at 135 bhp (101 kW) (from the past generation Accord), while the LX and EX included a 2.3L I4 VTEC engine rated at 150 bhp (110 kW). All 4-cylinder models came with a 5-speed manual transmission standard, and with a 4-speed automatic as optional equipment. The DX remained the value-oriented trim with no audio system, manual windows, manual locks, no cruise control, rear drum brakes, and 14" steel wheels. The DX Value Package added a radio-cassette player, air conditioning, and cruise control; this was known as the Accord DX in Canada where it was the base model of the lineup. The LX trim added power windows, power locks, door courtesy lights and 15" steel wheels; an SE (special edition) package available since 2000 added ABS and 15 inch alloy wheels. The EX trim added a power sunroof, a single-disc radio/CD player, alloy wheels, keyless entry, rear disc brakes, ABS and upgraded cloth. Leather seating was a factory installed option for the EX. All V6 sedan and coupe models received a new 3.0L V6 SOHC VTEC engine rated at 200 bhp (150 kW) and 195 lb·ft (264 N·m) (from the Acura 3.0 CL). The EX-V6 received standard leather trim, ABS, automatic transmission, and fully automatic climate control. Some dealer-installed options included: gold finish kit, gold finish exhaust tip(s), gold finish wheel center caps, 6-disc in-dash CD changer, tape deck, fog lights, wing spoiler, alarm system, sunroof visor, car cover and accessory chrome wheels.
In 2001, both the American-market Accord sedan and coupe underwent a minor facelift. A new front fascia, rear bumper, side skirt alteration, new taillights and wheel designs freshened the Accord's look. The interior saw few changes with the exception of some fabric and audio configuration changes. The LX and LX-V6 now included a standard CD player, and the EX 4-cylinder now included a 6-disc in-dash CD changer with cassette player while the EX-V6 offered that stereo plus automatic climate control. All V6 models also included a traction control system that could be disabled by a switch, the first Accord to have such a system included. The Special Edition returned to the coupe and sedan models for its final model year, 2002. It included all the features of the LX, but added exclusive alloy wheels, ABS, keyless entry and a single CD/cassette radio. In the Philippines, only the sedan was available and offered in VTi and VTi-L trims. The VTi model was fitted with a 2.0L I4 VTEC engine rated at 152 bhp (113 kW) while the top VTi-L trim was fitted with a 2.3L I4 VTEC engine rated at 157 bhp (117 kW). Both models are availavle with either a 5-speed manual transmission or a 4-speed automatic transmission.
Honda made the decision to continue this generation of Accord an extra year. Previously, the Accord ran four years on a single body-style and facelift before being redesigned. The typical Accord generation cycle was a 2:4 trend, with a newly released model running for years 1 and 2 unaltered, then getting a facelift for years 3 and 4 before a major redesign. This generation would run a total of 5 years in a 3:5 trend, with the facelift occurring in year four. Accord sales remained steady despite the additional year.
Despite the Accord's reputation for reliability, the V6 models were plagued by transmission failures and prompted class action lawsuits against the company (4 cylinder models were also affected, but not to the same extent). This caused Honda to extend the warranties for the 2000 through 2001 models to seven years or 109,000 miles (175,000 km). 1998, 1999 and 2002 cars were considered for extended coverage on a case-by-case basis. No formal recall occurred. In Canada, recall letters were sent out to owners who fell within a certain VIN range; this warranty was later re-extended for some owners to seven years in length.
Beginning in 1998, Honda Accord keys were equipped with immobilizer microchips. In 1999, the Accord was given foldable mirrors. In 2002, the Special Edition was added and the DX Value-Package was re-introduced.
The 1998 Accord was also assembled in New Zealand at the very end of overall CKD car production due to the abolition of import tariffs on built cars which made local assembly uneconomic. 1,200 examples of the car (the mid-sized U.S. sedan version) were built before the Honda New Zealand factory was closed; the very first Honda-owned factory operation to be closed down) and the equipment (which included a paint shop acquired from Nissan when that automaker closed its Australian manufacturing unit in 1994) was shipped to other Honda assembly units, mainly in Asia. Small numbers of Accords were imported (right hand drive) from the U.S. before sourcing switched to Thailand once Accord assembly began there. The Thai factory continues to supply New Zealand with the latest generation Accord and now also ships that line and other Honda models to Australia and elsewhere in South East Asia.
Concerns over airbag safety plague the Japanese automaker. The company announced it was recalling vehicles citing driver's airbags that deploy with too much force during collisions. Honda says 2,430 faulty airbags were installed as repairs to customer vehicles after a collision. But since the company cannot accurately track down which Honda received the flawed airbags, Honda broadened its search to include the 2001–2001 Accord. Since November 2008, Honda has recalled some 1.7 million of its cars for airbag concerns. At its last similar expanded recall in February 2010, Honda said the too-powerful airbags have been involved in 12 incidents, including one fatality.
Source: wikipedia
For the 1998 model year, the sedan was offered in DX, LX, EX, and EX-V6 trims while the Accord Coupe was offered only in LX, EX, and EX-V6 trims. The DX model was fitted with a 2.3L I4 engine rated at 135 bhp (101 kW) (from the past generation Accord), while the LX and EX included a 2.3L I4 VTEC engine rated at 150 bhp (110 kW). All 4-cylinder models came with a 5-speed manual transmission standard, and with a 4-speed automatic as optional equipment. The DX remained the value-oriented trim with no audio system, manual windows, manual locks, no cruise control, rear drum brakes, and 14" steel wheels. The DX Value Package added a radio-cassette player, air conditioning, and cruise control; this was known as the Accord DX in Canada where it was the base model of the lineup. The LX trim added power windows, power locks, door courtesy lights and 15" steel wheels; an SE (special edition) package available since 2000 added ABS and 15 inch alloy wheels. The EX trim added a power sunroof, a single-disc radio/CD player, alloy wheels, keyless entry, rear disc brakes, ABS and upgraded cloth. Leather seating was a factory installed option for the EX. All V6 sedan and coupe models received a new 3.0L V6 SOHC VTEC engine rated at 200 bhp (150 kW) and 195 lb·ft (264 N·m) (from the Acura 3.0 CL). The EX-V6 received standard leather trim, ABS, automatic transmission, and fully automatic climate control. Some dealer-installed options included: gold finish kit, gold finish exhaust tip(s), gold finish wheel center caps, 6-disc in-dash CD changer, tape deck, fog lights, wing spoiler, alarm system, sunroof visor, car cover and accessory chrome wheels.
In 2001, both the American-market Accord sedan and coupe underwent a minor facelift. A new front fascia, rear bumper, side skirt alteration, new taillights and wheel designs freshened the Accord's look. The interior saw few changes with the exception of some fabric and audio configuration changes. The LX and LX-V6 now included a standard CD player, and the EX 4-cylinder now included a 6-disc in-dash CD changer with cassette player while the EX-V6 offered that stereo plus automatic climate control. All V6 models also included a traction control system that could be disabled by a switch, the first Accord to have such a system included. The Special Edition returned to the coupe and sedan models for its final model year, 2002. It included all the features of the LX, but added exclusive alloy wheels, ABS, keyless entry and a single CD/cassette radio. In the Philippines, only the sedan was available and offered in VTi and VTi-L trims. The VTi model was fitted with a 2.0L I4 VTEC engine rated at 152 bhp (113 kW) while the top VTi-L trim was fitted with a 2.3L I4 VTEC engine rated at 157 bhp (117 kW). Both models are availavle with either a 5-speed manual transmission or a 4-speed automatic transmission.
Honda made the decision to continue this generation of Accord an extra year. Previously, the Accord ran four years on a single body-style and facelift before being redesigned. The typical Accord generation cycle was a 2:4 trend, with a newly released model running for years 1 and 2 unaltered, then getting a facelift for years 3 and 4 before a major redesign. This generation would run a total of 5 years in a 3:5 trend, with the facelift occurring in year four. Accord sales remained steady despite the additional year.
Despite the Accord's reputation for reliability, the V6 models were plagued by transmission failures and prompted class action lawsuits against the company (4 cylinder models were also affected, but not to the same extent). This caused Honda to extend the warranties for the 2000 through 2001 models to seven years or 109,000 miles (175,000 km). 1998, 1999 and 2002 cars were considered for extended coverage on a case-by-case basis. No formal recall occurred. In Canada, recall letters were sent out to owners who fell within a certain VIN range; this warranty was later re-extended for some owners to seven years in length.
Beginning in 1998, Honda Accord keys were equipped with immobilizer microchips. In 1999, the Accord was given foldable mirrors. In 2002, the Special Edition was added and the DX Value-Package was re-introduced.
The 1998 Accord was also assembled in New Zealand at the very end of overall CKD car production due to the abolition of import tariffs on built cars which made local assembly uneconomic. 1,200 examples of the car (the mid-sized U.S. sedan version) were built before the Honda New Zealand factory was closed; the very first Honda-owned factory operation to be closed down) and the equipment (which included a paint shop acquired from Nissan when that automaker closed its Australian manufacturing unit in 1994) was shipped to other Honda assembly units, mainly in Asia. Small numbers of Accords were imported (right hand drive) from the U.S. before sourcing switched to Thailand once Accord assembly began there. The Thai factory continues to supply New Zealand with the latest generation Accord and now also ships that line and other Honda models to Australia and elsewhere in South East Asia.
Concerns over airbag safety plague the Japanese automaker. The company announced it was recalling vehicles citing driver's airbags that deploy with too much force during collisions. Honda says 2,430 faulty airbags were installed as repairs to customer vehicles after a collision. But since the company cannot accurately track down which Honda received the flawed airbags, Honda broadened its search to include the 2001–2001 Accord. Since November 2008, Honda has recalled some 1.7 million of its cars for airbag concerns. At its last similar expanded recall in February 2010, Honda said the too-powerful airbags have been involved in 12 incidents, including one fatality.
Source: wikipedia
Mugen MotorsportsMugen Power
Single-seaters -- Working with Honda, Mugen has gradually expanded its sporting involvement to all levels of the sport. In 1986, Formula 3000 was introduced into Japan and Mugen joined forces with Honda to build an F3000 engine. It was introduced in the 1987 season and leased to 14 teams. The following year, Mugen won four of the top five places in the Japanese F3000 championship. In 1989, Mugen entered European F3000 with the MF308 engine and won the championship with Jean Alesi, driving an Eddie Jordan Racing Reynard. The same year the company produced its own prototype 3.5L V8 Formula One engine, codenamed MF350.
In 1988, Mugen started tuning Honda engines for use in Formula Three, winning the Japanese series with Akihiko Nakaya, and in 1990 expanded their business to Europe. The same year, Mugen won its first Formula Three championships in Europe, taking the French title with Eric Hélary, and the British crown with Mika Häkkinen at the wheel of a West Surrey Racing Ralt, which repeated the title in 1991 with Rubens Barrichello. As F3000 became a spec-series in Europe starting in 1996 with the Lola-Judd combo, the Japanese series responded by making Mugen the sole supplier to the Japanese championship, now redubbed Formula Nippon. M-TEC lost the supply contract for the 2006 season, with the rules changing to allow Toyota associate TOM'S to join Mugen as engine supplier. Mugen continues to enjoy success in the Formula Three circuit with its tuned 2.0 L Honda engines, having won 9 titles in Asia (8 of which in Japan) since 1988, as well as 19 titles in Europe (15 of them in Britain), and 13 in Latin America. |
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