Document text
This car has future Insight Photo by Steve Johnson Jay Blanchard, general manager of Lithia Honda, shows off the dealership's Honda Insight, the first production car to combine a gasoline engine and an electric motor. The car, which retails for about $20,000, gets an estimated 61 miles per gallon in town and 70 on the highway. Honda's gas-electric hybrid arrives in Rogue Valley By DAVID PRESZLER If you're tired of the toll high gas prices are taking on your budget, the Rogue Valley's two Honda dealerships have a deal for you. The Honda Insight, powered by a combination of electricity and gasoline, arrived at Medford's Lithia Motors and Grants Pass' Jim Sigel Automotive Center over the weekend. The Insight is the first gasoline-electric hybrid available in America and gets 61 miles per gallon in city driving and 70 on the highway, according to Environmental Protection Agency fuel economy tests. It also meets low emissions standards and is hailed by Honda as "the world's cleanest, most fuel-efficient gasoline-powered automobile." Each of the Rogue Valley's Honda dealerships received a shiny, silver Insight as part of a limited national rollout. The cars were detailed Monday and will be on display this morning. Jim Sigel says the Insight's arrival already has sparked lots of curiosity around his dealership. "We've got a lot of people looking at it," he says. "It's definitely a cutting-edge car." Jay Blanchard, general manager at Lithia's Honda dealership, says two Lithia customers have placed deposits to secure first dibs on the car. The first customer on the list was out of town Monday but Blanchard hopes to have him in for a test drive this week. Sigel says no one has laid claim to the Insight at his dealership. He is, however, hoping to keep it on display for a few days so potential buyers can get a look. The factory suggested price on the Insight is $19,295 without air conditioning and $20,495 with it. The cars at both Rogue Valley dealerships have air conditioning. The Insight has a lightweight body made of aluminum and plastic, as well as an aerodynamic shape to maximize fuel efficiency. The car features a three-cylinder, 12-valve gasoline engine and a compact electric motor. The motor assists the gasoline engine, adding torque, especially at low rpm levels. The engine also temporarily shuts off when the car is idling to conserve fuel and minimize emissions; it restarts when the gas pedal is pushed. Unlike earlier electric cars, it does not need to be plugged in and it runs on regular unleaded gasoline. The Insight has 73 horsepower at 5,700 revolutions per minute. So far, technicians at the two dealerships have been the only local residents to drive the Insights. Sigel said his technicians reported a smooth ride and compared the car's power to that of a Geo Metro. Blanchard said his technicians found it more powerful than they expected. "They told me that this car will do 100 miles per hour," he said. Only a limited number of the Insights are being made available by Honda. Sigel said he was told that less than a half dozen were available in Oregon. Though the two-seater isn't for everyone, Blanchard and Sigel both expect the car to do well. "It might start off slow but I don't think there's going to be any problems selling the ones that are out there," Sigel said. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA