Right Lane Cruiser
06-05-2009, 08:16 AM
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/Japanese_Flag_30x22.jpg The engine's miserly thirst certainly eliminates pain at the pump. (http://www.nationalpost.com/cars/story.html?id=1664288)
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Insight_2000-2010.gifGraeme Fletcher - NATIONALPOST (http://www.nationalpost.com) - June 5, 2009
The Insight certainly has increased its appeal for the average driver. --Ed.
In the beginning, there was the radically styled Insight. When it debuted in 1999, it keyed on fuel efficiency. To that end, it came with a modest 1.0-litre, three-cylinder engine putting out 73 horsepower and 79 pound-feet of torque, an electric motor (13 hp and 36 lb-ft of torque) and a battery. The combined effects of the IMA hybrid powertrain (Integrated Motor Assist in Honda-speak) and slick aerodynamics delivered great fuel efficiency -- 3.9 litres per 100 kilometres in the city and 3.2 L/100 km when cruising the highway. The downside was compromise -- the original Insight had two seats, token trunk space and not much in the way of performance.
The second-generation Insight earns a proper four-cylinder engine, the fifth generation of Honda's IMA, seating for four adults and more cargo capacity.
The Insight's powertrain is a pretty willing worker that does not give up on the quest for fuel efficiency. The 1.3L iVTEC (intelligent Variable Valve Timing and Electronic Lift Control) engine churns out 88 hp and 88 lb-ft of torque. When teamed with the electric motor and its 13 hp and 58 lb-ft of torque at 1,000 rpm, the system delivers a combined output of 98 hp and 123 lb-ft of torque anywhere between 1,000 and 1,500 rpm. The secret to the Insight's spry off-the-line performance boils down to the continuously variable transmission (complete with paddle shifters) and the early... http://www.nationalpost.com/cars/story.html?id=1664288
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Insight_2000-2010.gifGraeme Fletcher - NATIONALPOST (http://www.nationalpost.com) - June 5, 2009
The Insight certainly has increased its appeal for the average driver. --Ed.
In the beginning, there was the radically styled Insight. When it debuted in 1999, it keyed on fuel efficiency. To that end, it came with a modest 1.0-litre, three-cylinder engine putting out 73 horsepower and 79 pound-feet of torque, an electric motor (13 hp and 36 lb-ft of torque) and a battery. The combined effects of the IMA hybrid powertrain (Integrated Motor Assist in Honda-speak) and slick aerodynamics delivered great fuel efficiency -- 3.9 litres per 100 kilometres in the city and 3.2 L/100 km when cruising the highway. The downside was compromise -- the original Insight had two seats, token trunk space and not much in the way of performance.
The second-generation Insight earns a proper four-cylinder engine, the fifth generation of Honda's IMA, seating for four adults and more cargo capacity.
The Insight's powertrain is a pretty willing worker that does not give up on the quest for fuel efficiency. The 1.3L iVTEC (intelligent Variable Valve Timing and Electronic Lift Control) engine churns out 88 hp and 88 lb-ft of torque. When teamed with the electric motor and its 13 hp and 58 lb-ft of torque at 1,000 rpm, the system delivers a combined output of 98 hp and 123 lb-ft of torque anywhere between 1,000 and 1,500 rpm. The secret to the Insight's spry off-the-line performance boils down to the continuously variable transmission (complete with paddle shifters) and the early... http://www.nationalpost.com/cars/story.html?id=1664288