The sad thing I noticed while viewing this, is how breakthrough and market-changing the models first shown were...then as you progress through the time continuum, not so much. It's sure putting a lot of weight on the NSX II's shoulders.
Thanks to Daniel (is he being rebranded too, or did someone forget the Rodrigues?) for the captions.
It's not easy to admit defeat, and I think (and hope) that Honda has realised what some of us have been saying; strong sales have disguised a big problem and they're now taking the long-overdue action.
Let's hope they get the right solutions to become dynamic again. I'd be a sadder world without them and they do have a lot of strengths.
With Honda recent offerings, general lack of leadership and directions ( tier 1, not tier 1 aspirations). With models like Zdx, crz, crosstour, current Rl sales flop, 4th gen TL design mess, 9th gen Civic cheap interior, etc., lower expectations are the way to go with them. Its amazing Ito and his beancounters cohorts are still employed.
CB77 wrote: The sad thing I noticed while viewing this, is how breakthrough and market-changing the models first shown were...then as you progress through the time continuum, not so much. It's sure putting a lot of weight on the NSX II's shoulders.
Yep, it was pretty off-putting to see in an official Honda commercial. Honda themselves can't even pretend that this is a 6-7 year issue.
notyper wrote: Seems like internal corporate. But I say actions speak louder than words. Talk all you want, but Honda's been talking a lot the last 6-7 years.....
SC
It is not internal corporate, it has been on Honda's Japanese homesite for several weeks, and they even build up expectation by releasing the making of a few weeks before. It still occupies n2 ranking on that website video views.
It is also online on their youtube channel, and as I wrote elsewhere, Honda's most seen video ever on that channel.
These kind of "corporate adds" may seem strange for other countries, but in Japan Honda does it from time to time.
DCR wrote: I was expecting to see a few more exciting models sprinkled in there. Is there a Type-R anywhere in there?
Some very iconic models though.
I think there might have been a deliberate choice not to include Integra/Civic Type-Rs etc.
I think you are missing the point of the ad. I explained already what I believe is "the message" in my original post (link), and why there are no R's, no S2000, no title wining F1 cars, etc.;
Hope you are able to see it despite my personal opinion on other matters, which is also stated there, but it's not what I'm discussing here and I know you don't share.
Also, keep in mind that the ad length is fixed to 60s, and that has to cover "the Honda of up to now"...
The brief description basically says :
The lineup of vehicles are treasures of Honda and have never been assembled together in history. The entire staffs nervousness and understanding that this is a one shot deal was overcome by the "Never Give Up/I wont Lose" theme of the commercial. please enjoy the 60 second fruits of effort.
DCR wrote: I was expecting to see a few more exciting models sprinkled in there. Is there a Type-R anywhere in there?
Some very iconic models though.
I think there might have been a deliberate choice not to include Integra/Civic Type-Rs etc.
I think you are missing the point of the ad. I explained already what I believe is "the message" in my original post (link), and why there are no R's, no S2000, no title wining F1 cars, etc.;
Hope you are able to see it despite my personal opinion on other matters, which is also stated there, but it's not what I'm discussing here and I know you don't share.
Also, keep in mind that the ad length is fixed to 60s, and that has to cover "the Honda of up to now"...
I'd not seen that & I think you've got the synopsis about right.
I'd very much got the point of it, hence being surprised about their frankness.
I'll expand my point about the Type-Rs; partly it's deliberate because despite their inconic status, it's hard to categorise them as icons from a Honda perspective as they'd already got a Civic & an NSX (and a Prelude, although that represents the "Prelude" to all the new technologies it introduced) so it's difficult to say the Type-Rs actually brought anything new. Other than 'just add lightness'. Secondly, I realise it's an area Honda has difficulty getting back to and would possibly rather dissociate itself from. It's difficult to 'just add lightness' any more.
Whether they need to address that or not is probably beyond the remit of this discussion.
The proof's in the pudding - don't show me an NSX and try to sell me low end crap like they've been pushing over the last few years. Recover your identity and honor by recovering your spirit in the vehicles you build/sell.
Nick Graves wrote: Thanks to Daniel (is he being rebranded too, or did someone forget the Rodrigues?) for the captions.
[...]!
Not sure of what I missed, but where exactly am I being "rebranded"?
originally the description just listed you as Daniel Garcia. It was a cut and paste error
And amusingly, for a few minutes, your name was displayed as "Daniel Garcia Godriguez" but that has been corrected as well. ;-)
I see...
But don't worry guys, by now I'm pretty much used to the fact that only Spanish and relatives have two family names (one from father family and the other from mother family), and that the rest of the world doesn't really understand it!!!
To be honest, myself I pretty often cut it short to Daniel Garcia, and forget about my mother... Makes life easier when abroad, so that people don't think I have a middle name and start calling me strange things... Also useful when filling forms and so on .... :P
Actually, I was surprised to see my full name in there... Danielgr would've be equal fine, and though I had the initiative this was a collective TOV effort (several members included). Fact is I don't care so much if people actually watch it. Having people in TOV helping each other to create some content was a refreshing and rewarding experience by itself, kind a makes one wonder if this is not what an "enthusiast community" should be all about...
CB77 wrote: The sad thing I noticed while viewing this, is how breakthrough and market-changing the models first shown were...then as you progress through the time continuum, not so much. It's sure putting a lot of weight on the NSX II's shoulders.
Honda's cars from the '70s and early '80s were certainly ground breaking products to us in the US but mainly because of the cars being sold by the Big 3 at the time. Comparing a '70s Civic to a '70s Corolla, a better comparison, came down to better packaging and styling for the Civic. Toyota, Datsun and Mazda simply produced smaller versions of the RWD cars made by the Big 3. Compare that Civic with an Austin Marina/America and the issue is less about packaging and more about the car starting when you turn the key.
As for performance, how many of the cars shown in this piece could be considered performance cars? Performance for me relates to how efficiently an engineering solution goes about solving a defined problem. It's clear that Honda could build an 1100hp RWD car because they already have.
notyper wrote: Seems like internal corporate. But I say actions speak louder than words. Talk all you want, but Honda's been talking a lot the last 6-7 years.....
SC
I agree, there were lots of talking in past several years. starting from the 5AT saga, A-vtec, to NA Diesel without piss, and it just went lower and faster. I disagree to list earth quake and flood as major issue for Honda. I felt Honda as shift or missing corporate value late. Honda still sell products that generate profit, they also generate lots of bad review and distance themselves further away from "the drivers", and "PULL UP!! PULL UP!!" alarm went without notice for a while, so, why this video now?
maybe one of following happened?
1. Honda suffering financially big time like RIM/late Nortel missing target (that lead them to air such video). and this is a PRELUDE...
2. someone high up of food chain arrived in office, can't find the passion in the showroom after having 3 cup of coffee? (make sure he did not visit museum....)
3. Head of Marketing can't get free pass to nigh club when he arrived in the flagship.....
I certainly hope the lost boys now found there way home, the hope is high from within and out--"dream" and "passion"
Powered by Honda wrote: This ad makes me sad for Honda's future and makes me realize its over since no Type-r and s2k were shown.
They completely are going to forget the "honda of yesterday" and abandon their roots and hertiage. The 9th gen civic is great example of this fail.
agree, it make me sad as well.
i hope we did not took it for the wrong... maybe this video means Honda to accelerate their change to the "other side" (bye bye the old...)?
danielgr wrote: I see...
But don't worry guys, by now I'm pretty much used to the fact that only Spanish and relatives have two family names (one from father family and the other from mother family), and that the rest of the world doesn't really understand it!!!
To be honest, myself I pretty often cut it short to Daniel Garcia, and forget about my mother... Makes life easier when abroad, so that people don't think I have a middle name and start calling me strange things... Also useful when filling forms and so on .... :P
Actually, I was surprised to see my full name in there... Danielgr would've be equal fine, and though I had the initiative this was a collective TOV effort (several members included). Fact is I don't care so much if people actually watch it. Having people in TOV helping each other to create some content was a refreshing and rewarding experience by itself, kind a makes one wonder if this is not what an "enthusiast community" should be all about...
Actually, it can be more than three names.... How about Maria Luisa or Marco Antonio?
Of course, if you're baptized then by default you have first three first names: Yours, your father and your God father...
Hmm.. I'm lucky, I only have five names (three first names, two family names)... but my cousin Maria Luisa has six.
To top it off, when I came to the US I swapped my family names in American order: my mother's family name is now my "middle" name... and my Christian names appear only in my Baptism certificate.
Aaaahh Spain.. we may be a small country but we got the BIGGEST... names.. (*) and don't you yankees forget that. ;-)
Flip side.. Japanese only have two names.. At least my wife wife's family name is loong.
...
(*) Y'all thought I was gonna say 'cojones' huh? ;-D
danielgr wrote: I see...
But don't worry guys, by now I'm pretty much used to the fact that only Spanish and relatives have two family names (one from father family and the other from mother family), and that the rest of the world doesn't really understand it!!!
To be honest, myself I pretty often cut it short to Daniel Garcia, and forget about my mother... Makes life easier when abroad, so that people don't think I have a middle name and start calling me strange things... Also useful when filling forms and so on .... :P
Actually, I was surprised to see my full name in there... Danielgr would've be equal fine, and though I had the initiative this was a collective TOV effort (several members included). Fact is I don't care so much if people actually watch it. Having people in TOV helping each other to create some content was a refreshing and rewarding experience by itself, kind a makes one wonder if this is not what an "enthusiast community" should be all about...
Actually, it can be more than three names.... How about Maria Luisa or Marco Antonio?
Of course, if you're baptized then by default you have first three first names: Yours, your father and your God father...
Hmm.. I'm lucky, I only have five names (three first names, two family names)... but my cousin Maria Luisa has six.
To top it off, when I came to the US I swapped my family names in American order: my mother's family name is now my "middle" name... and my Christian names appear only in my Baptism certificate.
Aaaahh Spain.. we may be a small country but we got the BIGGEST... names.. (*) and don't you yankees forget that. ;-)
Flip side.. Japanese only have two names.. At least my wife wife's family name is loong.
...
(*) Y'all thought I was gonna say 'cojones' huh? ;-D
Powered by Honda wrote: This ad makes me sad for Honda's future and makes me realize its over since no Type-r and s2k were shown.
They completely are going to forget the "honda of yesterday" and abandon their roots and hertiage. The 9th gen civic is great example of this fail.
The video talks about surpassing everything they have done until now, and that they are determined to do so. Some of the undertones are difficult to translate, but I see nothing that implies "abandon" anywhere. That might or might not be the case, but not from this CM.
Type-Rs are just variants of existing models. Notice they used an original NSX instead of a NSX-R (I might be wrong, but there's no red badge).
Also, in the start of the video, is that a picture of the S2000 where the Insight is on the actual commercial?
Maybe they planned to include it, but the Insight is a better measure in terms of breakthroughs, and they had to cut the S2k out due to time constraints?