Honda Car Forum

The new $15 million Acura Design Studio officially opened its doors today,
assuming a key role in the development of new concepts and designs that will
lead directly to future Acura products. With state-of-the-art design technologies
and a work layout focused on improving collaboration, the new design studio
represents the next step in the advance of the Acura brand.

Designed to achieve a high level of energy efficiency, the studio also is
expected to be certified as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED) building by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). A number of measures
were adopted in the design and construction of the studio, with the goal of
achieving LEED gold certification.

"This Acura Design Studio will help conceive and design the future of
Acura," said Toshihiko Nonaka, president of Honda R&D Americas (HRA).
"Our goal here is to create emotional designs that create a strong and
distinct image for Acura products."

A number of Acura models, including the Acura MDX luxury sport utility vehicle
and Acura TL luxury performance sedan, have been designed, developed and engineered
by HRA. Moving Acura design activities into a state-of-the-art independent studio
provides a more clear focus to advance the unique character of the Acura brand.

"The effort to distinguish Acura in the marketplace begins with design,"
said Dick Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
and the Acura Division. "The Acura Design Studio will be critical in our
efforts to deliver products at the right times and ahead of the competition."

Key technologies in the Acura Design Studio include a computer-generated virtual
simulator that enables design stylists to display virtual vehicles in a one-to-one
ratio. Other features in the facility design include the parallel arrangement
of the interior and exterior design areas on the styling floor to better enable
collaboration of designers involved in a new vehicle.

As the latest expansion of HRA product design and development capabilities
in North America, the Acura Design Studio joins the Honda Design Studio in Torrance,
Calif. and the Advanced Design Studio in Pasadena, Calif. to further HRA's
existing Los Angeles Center for research and design.

A celebratory groundbreaking for the Acura Design Studio was conducted March
27, 2006, marking the 20th anniversary of the creation of the Acura brand. Acura
was the world's first Japanese luxury nameplate and the first Japanese
luxury automaker to design, develop and manufacturer its vehicles in North America.
Today, nearly two-thirds of all Acura vehicles sold in America are researched,
designed, developed and assembled exclusively in North America.

In the effort to achieve a Gold rating by the USGBC, the Acura Design Studio
includes many energy-saving attributes such as an Energy Star reflective roof
to reduce heat gain and lower air conditioning requirements; reclaimed water
used for landscaping; and an intelligent lighting system that makes greater
use of natural light. Honda has other LEED gold certified facilities in Gresham,
Oregon and Raymond, Ohio.

HRA began its operations in California in 1976 with local market research activities
and has steadily grown its capabilities over the past 30 years to include all
aspects of new vehicle design and development.

With the addition of the Acura Design Studio, the company operates 13 major
R&D facilities in North America with more than 1,200 designers, engineers
and support personnel engaged in the development of automobiles, motorcycles
and power equipment products for North America and global markets. HRA's
major centers include the Los Angeles Center (Torrance, CA) responsible for
market research, concept development and styling design; the Ohio Center (Raymond,
OH) responsible for complete product development, testing and support of North
American supplier development; and two dynamic test facilities in California
and Ohio; and the North Carolina Center (Swepsonville, NC) responsible for power
equipment R&D.