Honda Ridgeline Truck Unveiled at 2005 North American International Auto Show
All-New 4WD Honda Truck Will Debut as 2006 Model
DETROIT--
The Honda Ridgeline truck made its world debut today at the 2005 North
American International Auto Show as American Honda Motor Co., Inc.,
announced plans for the launch of its innovative new truck at Honda
dealerships nationwide in March of this year as a 2006 model. Developed as a
next generation truck, the Ridgeline takes advantage of an innovative
new truck body construction and a steel reinforced composite bed to
deliver true truck capabilities including half-ton hauling and
5,000-pound towing, along with next-generation truck styling,
performance and packaging. The Ridgeline boasts the pickup truck
segment's first four-wheel, fully independent suspension system combined
with an advanced fully automatic four-wheel drive system to deliver
superior ride and handling versus traditional truck designs, and a
number of exclusive new features including a Dual-Action tailgate and
the industry's first In-Bed Trunk(TM). "The
truck market is evolving and we think Ridgeline is at the leading edge
of the trend," said Dick Colliver, executive vice president of
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "The Honda Ridgeline delivers all
the capabilities of a truck with none of the traditional truck
trade-offs. It combines Honda innovation, Honda engineering and Honda's
commitment to environmental and safety leadership in a next generation
truck package." Highlights of the new Ridgeline truck include: * Fully Integrated
Closed Box Frame with unit body construction Fully-Integrated Closed Box Frame Honda engineers
developed a new truck body construction, a fully integrated truck frame
with two longitudinal frame rails and seven high-strength steel cross
members that create a fully boxed, deep channel, ladder frame structure
fully integrated into the upper body of the vehicle. Body bending
rigidity is more than 2.5 times stiffer than the best performing
body-on-frame compact truck competitor and rear torsion rigidity is more
than 20 times stiffer. Fully 93 percent of the Ridgeline's frame
components are exclusive to this model. Steel
Reinforced Composite Bed with In-Bed Trunk and Dual-Action Tailgate For
hauling, the Ridgeline features a steel reinforced, five-foot, composite
truck bed (6.5 feet with the tailgate down) designed to carry up to a
half-ton of cargo. An exclusive new Dual Action tailgate features a
high-strength steel frame and has the ability to flip down or swing out,
providing easier access for loading and unloading of bulky cargo or
loose materials such as gravel or mulch. Designed as the hub for Honda
motorcycle, marine and power equipment product activity, the Ridgeline
can haul a full-size ATV or two of Honda's largest off-road motorcycles.
Due to its wide bed and minimal wheel arch intrusion, the Ridgeline can
also carry 4-foot wide sheets of building material flat on the floor,
something no other compact or mid-size truck can do. Incorporated into
the floor of the bed is one of the Ridgeline's most innovative new
features: an In-Bed Trunk. Accessed by lifting up the hinged rear
portion of the bed floor, the In-Bed Trunk features 8.5 cu.-ft. of
secure, lockable and water resistant storage space. The spare tire is
stored in a sliding tray inside the trunk and can accommodate a
full-size spare tire. Next-generation
Powertrain The Ridgeline's
powertrain is designed for excellent all-around performance, including
towing, with class-leading fuel economy and ultra-low (ULEV) emissions.
Its high-output, 3.5-liter VTEC V-6 engine produces 255 horsepower and
252 lb.-ft. of torque. Unique in the class, the Ridgeline provides a
standard 5-speed automatic transmission and fully automatic four-wheel
drive system. The Ridgeline's
standard Variable Torque Management 4-Wheel Drive System (VTM-4WD) is
designed for excellent all-weather handling, traction and off-road
ability, and can transfer up to 70 percent of available torque to the
rear wheels. The Ridgeline delivers EPA-rated fuel economy of 16/21 for
city/highway driving and is the first pickup to meet stringent Ultra-Low
Emissions Vehicle (ULEV) standards in all 50 states. Honest 5,000-pound
Towing In addition, the
Ridgeline was designed to handle the kinds of towing and off-road duties
most common to truck users. The Ridgeline has a long list of standard
equipment geared for towing duties including transmission and power
steering coolers, pre-wiring for trailer connections, a dual fan
radiator, heavy-duty brakes and an exclusive fresh air intake system.
This gives Ridgeline the ability to tow 5,000-pound loads with two
passengers and their cargo, with only the addition of a trailer hitch. Spacious
and Versatile 5-passenger interior Inside,
the Ridgeline boasts a spacious, five-passenger cabin with interior
space similar to that of a full-size truck, including the most generous
rear seat legroom for a four-door pickup. The versatile second-row bench
has storage space under the seat large enough to hold a set of golf
clubs or other oversized items, and features a 60/40-split lift-up rear
seat allowing for storage of even bulkier items like a full-size
mountain bike. With its improved packaging efficiency, Ridgeline
delivers all this space and utility in a more maneuverable and
garage-friendly mid-size truck package. Other interior highlights
include large and easy to manipulate audio and HVAC controls, a
steering-column mounted shift lever and an available voice-activated
navigation system. Safety Leadership In keeping with
Honda's industry-leading "Safety for Everyone" initiative, all
Ridgeline models come equipped with a long list of standard safety
features including 4-wheel anti-lock brakes with Electronic Brake
Distribution, side curtain airbags with rollover sensor and Vehicle
Stability Assist with Traction Control. Unit body construction allows
for dispersion of collision forces through more load bearing channels
than a traditional body-on-frame design. North American
Development and Production Honda R&D
Americas' Ohio and Los Angeles Centers were responsible for the design
and development of the Ridgeline. The Ridgeline is Honda R&D
Americas' fourth light truck development following the Acura MDX, Honda
Pilot and Honda Element. Production of the Ridgeline will be done by
Honda of Canada Manufacturing. This is the fourth exclusive new light
truck model launch by Honda's Alliston, Ontario, plant, beginning with
the previous generation Odyssey and followed by the MDX and Pilot. The Ridgeline will be available in three well-equipped trim levels, the RT, RT-S and RT-L. Standard features on all models will include a 5-speed automatic transmission; VTM-4WD; Vehicle Stability Assist with Traction Control; side curtain airbags; ABS with EBD; power windows, mirrors and locks; air conditioning; cruise control; lockable In-Bed Trunk; Dual Action tailgate and towing package. Pricing is not yet finalized, but is expected to be in the range of $27,000 to $32,000. Approximately 50,000 trucks are expected to be sold in the first 12 months. |
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