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Honda Insight tops Japanese sales charts

05/11/2009, 8:50 AM

By Andrew Ganz

Honda’s new Insight has become the first-ever hybrid to top the monthly sales charts in Japan. Despite years of Toyota Prius hype, the less-expensive Insight – the cheapest hybrid on sale in that market – became the first-ever hybrid to take the top sales position last month when 10,481 units were sold.

Starting at $19,000 in Japan (1.89 million yen), the Insight topped all other new car sales excluding minicars (vehicles with engine sizes smaller than 660 cc).

“The all-new Insight has been very well received by a wide range of customers due to its excellent environmental performance, easy-to-use packaging, light and comfortable driving and affordable pricing,” the automaker said in a statement.

The all-new Insight won’t have a fresh, direct competitor until the redesigned Toyota Prius hits showrooms next week, albeit at a higher price.

The Insight recently went on sale in the United States priced at $19,800, making it also the least-expensive hybrid offering.

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05/11, 9:00 AM

posted by:

A4

If you glance at that picture fast enough it almost looks like a DeLorian…

05/11, 9:04 AM

posted by:

moparsalesman1

@ A4 WTF?

05/11, 9:05 AM

posted by:

moparsalesman1

I know its Monday but give me some of whats in your coffee.

05/11, 9:15 AM

posted by:

shane train

Yeah, and if you glance at Oprah fast enough she looks like Beyonce.

What the hell is the shutter speed on your eyes if you can glance that fast?

05/11, 9:28 AM

posted by:

Borat

shane train, that made my Morning.

05/11, 9:36 AM

posted by:

Struggle

Oprah looks like she ate Beyonce

05/11, 10:19 AM

posted by:

idrinorbarsaku

struggle,
that was the funniest thing I have heard in a long time….LOLOLOLOLOLO…thank you

05/11, 10:26 AM

posted by:

elviososa

if you glance at the picture of an A4 fast enough it almost looks like an ASS…

05/11, 10:28 AM

posted by:

CADDY-V

That is how much this car sucks 8 posts and no one has talked about it.

05/11, 10:35 AM

posted by:

Bavarian_818

LMAO @ elviosa!!!!!

05/11, 10:53 AM

posted by:

Bubs Solo

#1 selling car in Japan… Is the Japanese market still closed to the rest of the worlds auto manufactures? Yeah?? Then who gives a sh1t??

05/11, 11:00 AM

posted by:

zeeck

I want whatever jobs you guys have, I would love sit around on this site all day and get paid

05/11, 11:09 AM

posted by:

Mutant@DCX

1. Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
Easily the Best musical ever made it is also one of the best movies ever made and one of the best films about Hollywood. This film stars Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O’Connor as three actors trying to cope as Hollywood changes from silent pictures to talkies. The film features memorable numbers like Singin in the Rain, Good Morning, Make ‘Em Laugh, and Moses. It also includes a dance number with Kelly and Cyd Charisse.

2. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
A perennial favorite shown every Easter about a Kansas farm girl who goes to a magical place called Oz. Technicolor never looked more spectacular and the film’s fantasy world stands up well to the tests of time. No one did it better than Judy and here she is showcased singing Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

3. My Fair Lady (1964)
A wonderful musical from the heyday of the musical in the early 60s. The film won the best picture Oscar in 1965. Here Professor Higgins, Rex Harrison, turns ****ney flower girl Eliza, Audrey Hepburn, into a princess for a day. This film features I Could Have Danced All Night and Wouldn’t It Be Loverly.

4. The Sound of Music (1965)
The indominable Julie Andrews the queen of the 60s musical in her biggest film. This one is a bit high on the saccharine but you can’t beat the score with Rodgers and Hammerstein gems like The Sound of Music, My Favorite Things, and Climb Every Mountain. The film sets up a governess and her numerous charges against the Nazis in Austria and won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1966.

5. Funny Girl (1968)
This one is a loose autobiography of comedienne performer Fannie Brice and stars Barbra Streisand and Omar Sharif. This one is a surprisingly serious film and features song like Don’t Rain on My Parade and People. It was Streisand’s first film but she already had quite a presence for this role she won the Best Actress Oscar in one of the Academy’s few ties with Katharine Hepburn for Lion in Winter.

6. Mary Poppins (1964)
The other great Julie Andrews film, this one didn’t win the Best Picture Oscar but it did win a Best Actress award for Andrews. An unforgettably imaginative film about an English nanny and her two charges the film features songs like Chim-Chim-Cheree and Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

7. Meet Me in St Louis (1944)
The second film from the stellar Judy Garland Meet Me in St Louis is a sweet musical about the Smith family and their trials and tribulations in 1903 leading up to the world’s fair. Garland never looked better as filmed by her future husband Vincente Minnelli. The film features the charmingly light The Trolley Song as well as the perennial Christmas favorite Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.

8. An American in Paris (1951)
Another Vincente Minnelli creation this one starring Gene Kelly as the American in question who meets a lovely and mysterious girl, played by Leslie Caron, in Paris. This is another George and Ira Gershwin score accentuated by Kelly’s amazing dance numbers. There are a number of timeless classics in this soundtrack including Our Love is Here to Stay, I Got Rhythm, and S Wonderful. An American in Paris beat out A Place in the Sun and A Streetcar Named Desire to take home the Best Picture of 1952 Academy Award.

9. West Side Story (1961)
This story of two rival gangs in New York and a pair of star crossed lovers was an update of Romeo and Juliet. This film seems a bit dated but it still has one of the greatest soundtracks thanks to Leonard Bernstein and Steven Sondheim. The soundtrack includes Maria, America, Tonight, I Feel Pretty, and Somewhere. The film won a staggering 10 Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director.

10. Shall We Dance (1937)

05/11, 11:10 AM

posted by:

leftwingagenda

riiiight…this car really sucks, that view doesn’t show a total loss of grip on reality, no it doesn’t…the hybrid wave keeps coming, keep sticking your head in the sand and pretending it ain’t happening…the insight is actually pretty sweet in terms of technology…

05/11, 11:24 AM

posted by:

Struggle

The 2 cars I would actually consider buying in this hybrid-o-panick futurama would be:

1. Fusion
2. Insight

Reasoning:

1. Fusion has more room, looks way better and is domestic.
2. Insight is cheap for a bateery box, and I have always had superb luck with honda’s.

There ya go.

05/11, 12:47 PM

posted by:

jackjimturkey

if this thing hits 88 mph, you’re gonna see some serious stuff!

05/11, 12:51 PM

posted by:

A4

wtf indeed

05/11, 1:18 PM

posted by:

zfenderguy

Let’s see if these *******s can do 90!

05/11, 1:19 PM

posted by:

zfenderguy

In all seriousness, good for Honda. A fine piece of engineering and design should reap it’s rewards.

05/11, 2:48 PM

posted by:

shane train

I don’t get all the bashing on this car. They took the Prius formula, and they sucked out all the bad parts of it.

They even managed to remove some of the elitism.

Lower price, better lines, I mean, in the market that it’s in, what more do you people want? A twin turbo?

Those of you who knock on the performance of this car, you’re looking at the wrong numbers.

IT’S GOOD AT WHAT IT’S MADE FOR AND THAT’S WHAT MATTERS.

Come on.

 
 
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