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Honda planning a second Vezel for developing markets

The new Honda Vezel was designed as a global product. Unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in November, the compact crossover is already going on sale in Japan, will soon reach Europe and will eventually hit the North American market as well - albeit with a different name and engine lineup. But it won't be sold everywhere.
According to Autocar India, the Vezel was originally earmarked to reach the emerging market on the subcontinent, but the declining value of the rupee has apparently forced Honda to rethink its strategy. Instead, the Japanese automaker is now expected to develop a second compact crossover - one more cost-effective to produce locally - for sale in India and other, nearby developing markets.
The new model would be based on the Brio, a hatchback that's smaller than the Fit (on which the Vezel is based) and built in India, Thailand and Indonesia. Honda has already enlarged the Brio's platform to create the Amaze sedan and Mobilio minivan. Building a crossover on the same platform would reportedly require some re-engineering - particularly around the wheel wells - but would apparently still be more cost-effective than importing the Vezel.

Honda China struggling with high-end Accord because Chinese covet German cars, too

It's not particularly unusual to see cheap cars in China, or those with designs stolen from foreign competitors, but increasingly the best-selling vehicles there would be very recognizable to just about any auto enthusiast. There appears to be one fact of life whether looking at car buyers in Sacramento, Stuttgart or Shanghai: People who can afford to buy premium cars often look first at the Germans.
Honda recently thought that it could challenge this perceived wisdom by including a premium Accord in the ninth-generation sedan's Chinese launch last year. The market-exclusive version was priced against the Audi A4. The venture failed, miserably.
According to Automotive News China, sales for the new Accord in China are down 37 percent through May of this year. Honda's overall sales are actually up by about 11 percent there on the strength of smaller, less profitable models. However, the company is still off its forecast 19-percent rise.

Honda shines the spotlight on Project Drive-In success

Project Drive-In, a Honda-sponsored campaign to save drive-in theaters across the country, is beginning to bear fruit, as the first theaters have been informed that they'll be getting free digital projectors. Many theaters still use 35-millimeter film, which is being phased out rather aggressively in the movie industry. The move to digital, meanwhile, requires nearly a six-figure investment, forcing many drive-ins to close up shop for good.
The first phase of the campaign saw the public vote for their favorite drive-in, with the top five getting a free digital projector, courtesy of Honda. There's some touching reaction videos of the owners being informed that they'd won down below. The next phase in the program takes place on Indiegogo, where Project Drive-In is trying to raise $100,000 for the drive-in that's gotten the next highest number of votes. If the Indiegogo campaign reaches that figure before its expiration on October 7, it'll make the donation and reset the meter to save another theater.
Take a look down below for the video from Honda on Project Drive-In, and then do yourselves a favor, and head over to the Project Drive-In Indiegogo campaign, and make a donation.