Honda Introduces Insight, First 70 mpg Vehicle in History - Pace Car for the NESEA Tour De Sol -

    American Honda Motor Co., Inc., recently unveiled its all-new Insight, the
first gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle available in North America.  The
Insight's breakthrough environmental engineering conserves natural resources
and produces ultra-low emissions.  It is the first mass-produced
gasoline-powered vehicle in history to achieve more than 70 mpg (the world's
best fuel economy for a gasoline-powered automobile).  The Insight can travel
600-700 miles on a single tank of gasoline, significantly reducing the amount
of money Americans spend on gas and cutting in half the number of visits to
the pump.
    The Insight is also the official pace car for this year's NESEA Tour de
Sol, the U.S. Electric Vehicle Championship, which caravans from New York City
to Washington D.C. during clean air week, May 12-18.

    Robert Bienenfeld, Manager of Advanced Environmental Vehicles, American
Honda Motor Co., will be in New York City on Friday, May 12 through Sunday,
May 14, and is available for live, in-studio or taped interviews.

    The Insight utilizes Honda's innovative Integrated Motor Assist (IMA(TM))
hybrid system in combination with a rigid and lightweight aluminum body
structure, world-class aerodynamic design and advanced ultra-low emissions
technology.  Meeting California's stringent Ultra-Low Emissions Vehicle (ULEV)
standard, the Insight is the cleanest and most fuel-efficient gasoline-powered
vehicle ever offered to American consumers.

    Robert Bienenfeld is available to discuss the future of environmental
technologies and alternative fuel vehicles and all the breakthrough features
of the new Insight, including:

    -- Light and rigid aluminum body, almost 50 percent lighter than a
       comparable steel body with world-class occupant protection
    -- The world's most aerodynamic mass-produced automobile
    -- The lightest, most-compact, 1.0-liter 3-cylinder gasoline automobile
       engine in the world
    -- Electronic power -- the Insight never needs to be plugged in like
       electric vehicles on the market today
    -- Honda engineers have applied for more that 300 patents on the Insight
    -- Honda's environmental heritage, beginning with the 1974 Civic, the
       first vehicle to meet all Clean Air Act standards while running on
       regular gasoline
    -- The future of environmental technologies and alternative fuel vehicles

    Press materials will be provided in support of your interview.

    TO BOOK AN INTERVIEW OR TEST DRIVE, PLEASE CALL LYNNE GRAY AT 949/559-1993
OR ANNE BRYAN AT 310/569-7134