The De-dimensionalized Weapon – The Development History of the Honda Inspire Series

 The De-dimensionalized Weapon – The Development History of the Honda Inspire Series
Original: Honda Magazine, Japanese Car Enthusiasts Magazine, 202024-11-02 11:01:16

Borrowing the term "dimensional reduction strike" from Liu Cixin, let’s talk about the Dongfeng Honda Inspire, which seems to be a bit overlooked 🤔. After all, it's a good car; it’s part of the tenth-generation "U.S.-spec Accord" lineup. In terms of configuration and mechanical performance, it’s no different from GAC Honda's Accord, even continuing the U.S.-spec Accord’s CV chassis code. But is this the Inspire we know today? Why does it always feel somewhat awkward? Why does it share a similar fate to the neighboring Toyota Camry and Avalon? Let’s dive into the development history of this "de-dimensionalized" Inspire. 🚗💨

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The First Generation Inspire: A Derivative of the Accord 🔧

The first-generation Inspire and its sibling Vigor (CB5) are both derivatives of the Accord, although they belonged to different sales networks.

The first-generation Inspire was born in 1989 as a model derived from the Accord chassis. There were many derivative models of the Accord, such as Honda's Vigor, Saber, Acura’s TL, and even the early Prelude coupe was sourced from the Accord lineup. 🤯 Many readers might wonder why Japanese cars extend so many model names from one chassis. This is not unique to Honda; Toyota was especially adept at this practice. Haven’t you seen the various Corolla models of the 1980s and 1990s flooding the market? This is related to the dealership systems of car manufacturers, and the logic is quite simple. For example, if I am a Honda dealer with 100 stores nationwide, and each store can sell 1,000 Accords a year, the total sales would be 100,000 units. But if I want to avoid direct competition or price wars, I might approach Honda and propose, "Why not customize an Accord for me with specific configurations? The annual order would be 100,000 units, but only I can sell it." This is known as an exclusive sales mechanism, and the creation of models like the Inspire and Vigor is a result of such mechanisms. The Inspire was owned by Honda Verno in Japan.

First-Generation Technical Details 🔍

When the first-generation Inspire was launched, the concept of the U.S.-spec Accord did not exist, so its chassis was still the same as the Accord, with a CB chassis code. However, it featured an inline five-cylinder engine, which was not available in the Accord lineup.

Image Caption: The early first-generation Inspire had a compact size and unremarkable power, resulting in moderate sales. However, the mid-term revision that used the Legend’s body and added the G25A engine saw strong sales growth. 💪✨

The layout of the first-generation Inspire was entirely in line with the common layout of the 1980s and 1990s Accords. Note that before the U.S.-spec Accord appeared, the sunroof buttons were on the outside of the driver’s side, which many CD5 Accord owners may recall. 🕹️

The Second Generation: U.S.-Spec Re-imports Begin 🇺🇸➡️🇯🇵

The second-generation Inspire’s identity and status were already clear by 1995 when Honda's main market was the United States. Acura was gradually gaining popularity in the local market, and re-importing U.S.-spec models back to Japan was becoming a common practice. Acura's 3.2TL and 2.5TL JDM versions were sold under the Inspire and Saber, managed by different Honda dealership networks, and were produced at Honda’s North American factory in Marysville, Ohio. Compared to the first generation, the second-generation Inspire maintained a similar body size to the Legend, with front and rear double wishbone suspension. In terms of power, it retained the G25A (UA2) and G20A (UA1) engines and introduced a 3.2-liter C32A engine (UA3) in July 1995. 🔧💨

The Third and Fourth Generations: Transitioning and Advancing Technology 🛠️🔋

The third-generation Inspire appeared only three and a half years after the second generation, meaning the second generation never had a facelift. The third generation, launched in October 1998, was also produced in the U.S. The biggest change was the retirement of the G-series inline five-cylinder engines, replaced entirely by J-series V6 engines.

Image Caption: The UA4 Inspire 25V featured a J25A six-cylinder engine with 200 hp, while the UA5 version, the 32V, offered 225 hp. ⚡🚘

The fourth-generation Inspire debuted in June 2003, merging with the Saber series that had always accompanied it in the Japanese market. The exterior was nearly identical to the U.S.-spec seventh-generation Accord, and production was relocated from the U.S. to the Saitama factory in Japan. The powertrain offered only one engine option: the J30A with advanced technologies, including the VCM cylinder deactivation system. 🔋🌿

Fifth and Sixth Generations: Expanding Influence 🌍🔝

The fifth-generation Inspire, introduced in December 2007, was even larger and featured the J35A engine with 280 hp. By 2012, after 23 years, the Inspire was discontinued in Japan, marking the end of an era for a model that was both U.S.- and JDM-oriented. 🏁🕰️

The sixth generation, currently only available in China, signifies the global reach and importance of the Chinese market for automakers. 🚀🇨🇳

Image Caption: The CV6 China-spec Inspire, mirroring the U.S.-spec Accord, marked a new chapter in Honda's efforts to capture the growing Chinese automotive market. 🏆🚗