Honda Pays Homage to Famous Film in Super Bowl XLVI Commercial

01/30/2012 - TORRANCE, Calif.,

Award-winning actor Matthew Broderick is starring in a fourth-quarter Super Bowl commercial to promote the all-new 2012 Honda CR-V.

"Matthew's Day Off" is part of an integrated, multiplatform advertising campaign that began earlier this month to support the launch of the all-new Honda CR-V. The campaign encourages the active, hip Gen-Y audience transitioning between their carefree twenties and their more focused thirties to conquer their aspirations by completing their own "Leap List."

"Our primary goal is to support the launch of the all-new CR-V, a pillar vehicle in the Honda lineup, while representing the inherent fun and youthfulness of the Honda brand," said Tom Peyton, Honda brand manager, American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

Playing off the Leap List concept, "Matthew's Day Off," directed by Todd Phillips (The Hangover, Due Date, Old School), stars Broderick playing himself while drawing on his well-known coming-of-age character that the CR-V target audience grew up watching.

"As with our other CR-V commercials that began airing this month, this fun commercial reminds viewers to go out and embrace life — do the things you want to do, not just the things you have to do," said Joe Baratelli, EVP, ECD at RPA, Honda's longstanding agency of record.

Hidden in the commercial are dozens of "Easter eggs" reflective of the original film. Fans are encouraged to watch the spot closely to see how many references they can find. For example, an iconic vest that was worn in the original movie is visible in a department store window that appears briefly. To view the commercial and comment on the "Easter eggs," viewers can go to http://www.facebook.com/hondacrv.

To build anticipation for Honda's Super Bowl commercial an eight-second teaser, "Coming Soon," was loaded onto YouTube on Jan. 26 and amassed nearly four million views. A pre-game release of a 2-minute 23-second extended version of "Matthew's Day Off" will be supported by public relations, search marketing and social media. In addition, Honda fans will get a sneak peek of the Super Bowl ad on Honda's Facebook page and Google+ page, which was just launched last week. Fans are encouraged to use the hashtag #dayoff online when talking about Honda's Super Bowl commercial. Momentum will continue the week after the game with several large portal takeovers featuring "Matthew's Day Off."

About the 2012 Honda CR-V
On-sale nationwide, the all-new, fourth-generation 2012 Honda CR-V introduces an upscale styling direction, greater fuel efficiency, and added features and functionality. Compact on the outside and roomy inside, the CR-V represents an ideal balance for size and capability in the entry SUV segment. The all-new five-passenger CR-V offers improved car-like interior comfort, a smoother and quieter ride, and even more innovative features than the previous model.

About Honda
Honda offers a diverse lineup of 12 cars and trucks that include the mid-sized Accord, compact Civic, 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 GX (compressed natural gas-powered vehicle), Civic Hybrid, CR-Z (sport hybrid coupe) and FCX Clarity (fuel cell-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 began U.S. production of motorcycles in 1979 and automobiles in 1982.

HONDA CIVIC NOT JUST A PRETTY FACE

Looking Good: Honda's new model is not just a pretty face

A new Honda Civic is about to arrive at my house. They tell me that I am the first motoring writer in Britain to be awarded this privilege, yet I faintly fear the moment.

Few car manufacturers can equal Honda’s genuine genius for producing cars whose design is as sensationally innovative as their engineering. No manufacturer, however, can match Honda’s record for following up a classic with a clunker.

Remember the Prelude? The fourth generation of that sports coupé, produced between 1992-1996, was one of the most perfect implementations of automotive art ever to emerge from mass production. Gorgeously feline and athletic in its looks, it was a knockout to drive and so soundly put together that it routinely topped the polls for reliability and owner satisfaction.

So what did Honda do? It canned it after four years and came out with a fifth generation which had all the grace and charm of a butcher’s block. The gods wept.

What about the CR-X? The second generation of that cute two-seater sports hatchback, produced between 1988-1991, was the most enchanting and exhilarating little car of its time. It overflowed with energy, originality and verve.
What did Honda do to follow up that triumph? It replaced the CRX with a targa-topped miscarriage of a car called the CRX Del Sol. The replacement had so few of its predecessor’s magnetic qualities that the two bore almost no discernible connection. It was almost as if Honda was a stranger to its own genius.
Now here comes the new Civic. The reason its approach makes me anxious is that the last Civic was extremely good. The eighth generation Civic (2006-2011) was so radically original in its looks that it shook up the entire market for Golf/Focus-size family cars.
Its continuous, aggressively curved line from front bumper to back was more the catwalk style that you might expect from Citroën; and, in its high performance Type-R form, that Civic became the number one choice among hatchbacks for drivers who fancied themselves.
What, then, has Honda wrought upon such an admirable piece of work? Answer: it has actually improved it.
Instead of binning that excellent design, it has mildly muted its shape. An inch here, an inch there, a shorter wheelbase – and the car emerges that bears a recognisable connection with its forebear but is also distinctly different.
Gone is the continuous line of acrylic glass that stretched around the nose from headlight to headlight. Gone, too, are the jelly bean hues of the instrument display along with the plethora of bar graphs and readouts that made you feel that you might be sitting at a Wall Street trader’s desk rather than a driving seat.
Instead, we now get simplicity, clarity and a sympathetic recognition that we have better things with which to occupy our minds than mastering a car’s information system.
In its dynamic set-up, the previous Civic was not as radical as it looked – an unusual imbalance for a company that has never gone for the fur-coat-no-knickers approach. This new one corrects the balance with a six-speed gearbox, sharper handling and a neater ride.
Contrary to their long-established traditions, then, Honda seems with the new Civic to have taken a very good car and made it better.

THE OWNER of a Honda hybrid has won a small claims court case in the US against the car maker which could trigger a flood of similar actions across the world.

Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Douglas Carnahan awarded Heather Peters 9,867 US dollars (£6,244), saying Honda misled her about the car's expected fuel economy.
"At a bare minimum Honda was aware ... that by the time Peters bought her car there were problems with its living up to its advertised mileage," he said in the judgment.
Ms Peters, a former lawyer from California, opted out of a class-action lawsuit to try to claim a higher payment for the failure of her Civic hybrid to deliver the 50 miles per gallon that was promised when she bought it. She is now renewing her legal licence after a 10-year lapse so she can represent other Honda owners who have the same problems.
Honda spokesman Chris Martin said the company disagreed with the judgment and planned to appeal.
Ms Peters had hoped to inspire a flood of lawsuits by the other 200,000 owners of the Civic hybrid model sold in 2006. She said if all 200,000 owners of the cars sued and won in small claims court, it could cost Honda two billion dollars (£1.2 billion). The upside of small claims court is that there are no legal fees and cases are decided quickly. Individual payments are far greater than in class-action cases.
Honda's proposed class-action settlement would give aggrieved owners 100 to 200 dollars (£63-£126) each and a 1,000-dollar (£633) credit towards the purchase of a new car. A judge in San Diego County is due to rule in March on whether to approve Honda's settlement. Members of that action have until February 11 to accept or decline the deal.
Ms Peters claimed her car never came close to the promised 50mpg and achieved no more than 30mpg when the battery began to deteriorate. She still owns the car and wanted to be compensated for money lost on petrol, as well as punitive damages, amounting to 10,000 dollars (£6,320).
In his 26-page ruling, Mr Carnahan included a long list of misleading representations by Honda that he said Ms Peters had correctly identified. Among them were that the car would use "amazingly little fuel", "provides plenty of horsepower while still sipping fuel" and that it would "save plenty of money on fuel with up to 50mpg during city driving".
Most of the damages Ms Peters was awarded were for extra money spent on fuel, both in the past and future, the cost of the car battery, and the decrease in the car's value because of its problems.

Honda has announced plans to offer a four-cylinder Crosstour in the United States.

Starting with the engine, there's a new 2.4-liter unit that develops 192 hp (143 kW / 195 PS) and 162 lb-ft (219 Nm) of torque. It is connected to a five-speed automatic transmission which should enable the model to return 21 mpg city / 29 mpg highway (US).

Two trim levels will be available, but both models are nicely equipped with automatic headlights, a moonroof, privacy glass and 17-inch alloy wheels. Inside, there's air conditioning, power windows / locks, Bluetooth / USB connectivity and a seven-speaker audio system. Moving up to the EX-L variant adds heated front seats, leather upholstery and dual-zone automatic climate control.

Pricing remains a mystery, but the model will likely start at less than $30,000.

Source: Honda

Read more: http://www.worldcarfans.com/111122139199/2012-honda-crosstour-gains-four-cylinder-engine#ixzz1meRBLRS2

2012 HONDA PRODUCTS

The 2012 Honda Products

THE HONDA PILOT SUV

250-hp, 3.5-liter i-VTEC® V-6 engine• 5-speed automatic transmission• ULEV-2 CARB emissions rating1• EPA-estimated fuel economy2 (city/highway/combined):
2WD: 18/25/21 mpg; 4WD: 17/24/20 mpg• Variable Cylinder Management™ (VCM®)• Active Noise Cancellation™ (ANC)• Hill start assist• Variable Torque Management® 4-Wheel Drive System
(VTM-4®) (available)• Heavy-duty radiator with 160-watt fans (2)• Heavy-duty power-steering-fluid cooler• Heavy-duty automatic-transmission-fluid cooler (4WD models)• MacPherson strut front suspension/multi-link rear suspension
with trailing arms• Six airbags• Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure• Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with traction control• Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)3• Daytime Running Lights (DRL)• Tailgate with lift-up glass hatch• Remote entry• Acoustic windshield• Rear privacy glass• Integrated class III trailer hitch • Pre-wired for trailer harness• Power window, door and tailgate locks• Cruise control• Illuminated steering wheel-mounted cruise controls• Tilt and telescopic steering column• Map lights (all rows)• 60/40 split, flat-folding, sliding and reclining, 2nd-row bench seat• 60/40 split, flat-folding 3rd-row bench seat• 12-volt power outlets (front, 2nd-row and cargo area)• 229-watt AM/FM/CD audio system with 7 speakers,
including subwoofer• MP3/auxiliary input jack