USA - $2bn, 12 years and three million products, that will be HONDA in Alabama.

Associates at Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, LLC (HMA) celebrated a production milestone this week, completing the 3 millionth Honda vehicle built at the plant in Lincoln.

The production of HMA's milestone vehicle this week comes a little more than 12 years since the start of mass production at the $2 billion facility on Nov. 14, 2001.

"The commitment and dedication of our 4,000 associates has allowed HMA to achieve this production milestone and fulfill our commitment to more than 3 million Honda customers across the globe," said Tom Shoupe, HMA President.

HMA is the sole production source of the Odyssey minivan, the Pilot sport utility vehicle, the Ridgeline pickup truck, the Acura MDX luxury sport utility vehicle and the V-6 engines that power each vehicle. During calendar years 2009 and 2010, the facility also shared production of the Honda Accord V-6 Sedan with Honda of America Mfg. in Marysville, Ohio.

The production breakdown, by model, is approximately:*

• 1.82 million Odyssey minivans
• 1.02 million Pilot SUVs
• 90,000 Ridgeline trucks
• 50,000 Acura MDX SUVs
• 27,000 Accord V-6 Sedans (2009-2010)

Honda Manufacturing of Alabama employs more than 4,000 associates at its 3.7-million-square-foot Lincoln facility and has the capacity to produce as many as 340,000 vehicles and engines each year. Over the past two years, HMA has invested an additional $450 million and added more than 400 jobs in expansion efforts designed to enhance manufacturing flexibility and increase annual production.

Honda marked another major manufacturing milestone this week (Dec. 2) when its East Liberty Auto Plant in Ohio produced its 1 millionth CR-V sport utility vehicle. Auto production at the East Liberty plant, which employs 2,400 associates, began in 1989 and produced its first, third-generation Honda CR-V sport utility in September 2006.

*(All production totals are rounded.)

2014 Honda Ridgeline with new Special Edition

• Ridgeline remains most versatile vehicle in the 4-door truck segment
• Only pickup with standard rearview camera

Building upon a successful model year of double-digit sales growth in 2013, the versatile Honda Ridgeline returns for 2014 with a new, top-of-the-line Special Edition model. The Special Edition model, joining the lineup in November, features model-exclusive 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels with black-trimmed spokes, special badging and the popular black trim package from the Ridgeline Sport. The rest of the 2014 Ridgeline lineup goes on-sale today with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price1 (MSRP) starting at $29,575.

"Honda's commitment to the truck segment is underscored by the new special edition model of the 2014 Honda Ridgeline," said John Mendel, Executive Vice President of Sales at American Honda. "The increased customer interest in Ridgeline this year demonstrates the important role Ridgeline will continue to play in the Honda lineup."

The 2014 Honda Ridgeline features a closed-box, unit-body structure and independent front and rear suspension to deliver a unique combination of truck capability, a spacious five-passenger cabin and car-like ride and handling. The Ridgeline also delivers a maximum tow rating of 5,000 pounds and a half-ton payload rating, all while offering innovative and unique features that include the large In-Bed Trunk� and dual-action tailgate for easy access. Providing more confidence in reverse gear, Ridgeline remains the only pickup truck on sale in the U.S. to feature a standard rearview camera.

Four distinctive Ridgeline models are available now: the Ridgeline RT, Ridgeline Sport, Ridgeline RTS and Ridgeline RTL, which is available with the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System�2. 

TRIM	MSRP1	EPA Fuel Economy Ratings3 (city/highway/combined)
Ridgeline RT	$29,575	15/21/17
Ridgeline Sport	$30,720	15/21/17
Ridgeline RTS	$32,380	15/21/17
Ridgeline RTL with leather	$35,155	15/21/17
Ridgeline RTL with leather and Navi	$37,505	15/21/17
Ridgeline SE with leather and Navi (available November)	$37,505	15/21/17

Ridgeline RT features include:
Unique 17-inch steel wheels, integrated trailer hitch, pre-wiring for 7-pin trailer hook up, keyless entry, power windows and door locks, power sliding rear window, air conditioning, tilt steering wheel, cruise control, trip computer with instantaneous and average fuel economy, 6-speaker 100-watt audio system with CD player and MP3/WMA playback capability, rearview camera, and 60/40 split lift-up rear seat with under-seat storage.

Ridgeline Sport features include (adds to Ridgeline RT):
Exclusive black 18-inch aluminum wheels, black honeycomb grille with black surround and exclusive sport emblem, black headlight and brake light housings, fog lights, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, auxiliary audio input jack, all-weather floor mats and rear privacy glass.

Ridgeline RTS features include (adds to Ridgeline RT):
Exclusive 17-inch aluminum wheels, painted inner grille surfaces, body-color painted door handles, 7-pin trailer wiring connector, 8-way power driver's seat with lumbar support, dual-zone automatic climate control, 7-speaker 160-watt audio system with subwoofer, 6-disc in-dash CD system, steering wheel-mounted controls, auxiliary audio input jack, exterior temperature indicator, all-weather floor mats and privacy glass.

Ridgeline RTL features include (adds to Ridgeline RTS):
Exclusive 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels, fog lights, power moonroof, heated side mirrors, leather-trimmed interior with heated front seats, XM Radio4, HomeLink� remote system, ambient console lighting, 115-volt power outlet and carpeted floor mats.

The Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System�2 with Voice Recognition and Zagat Survey� restaurant information is available on the Ridgeline RTL. It includes XM� Radio4, Bluetooth� HandsFreeLink� and a multi-information display. The navigation system includes a rearview camera display, thus eliminating this display in the rearview mirror.

Ridgeline Special Edition features include (adds to Ridgeline RTL):
Exclusive 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels with black-trimmed spokes and Special Edition badging on the rear tailgate. The model also adopts the black trim package from the Sport model, which includes black headlight and brake light housings, black tailgate and black honeycomb grille with black surround.

The Ridgeline Special Edition also comes standard with Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System�2 featuring Voice Recognition and Zagat Survey� restaurant information, and includes XM� Radio4, Bluetooth� HandsFreeLink�, plus multi-information display and rearview camera display.

Colors choices for the Ridgeline Special Edition are Taffeta White, Crystal Black and Alabaster Silver, all with black leather interior.
Powertrain
The Ridgeline's all-aluminum, 60-degree, SOHC 3.5-liter VTEC V-6 engine produces 250 horsepower5 and 247 lb-ft. of torque6. Variable valve timing enhances low-rpm torque while extending high-rpm horsepower for a broad power band. The 5-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission features Grade Logic Control to help maintain the most appropriate gear when going uphill or downhill to avoid gear "hunting."

A fully automatic Variable Torque Management� 4-wheel drive system (VTM-4�) provides confident operation in rain, snow, ice, sand and mud, while also improving on-road and towing performance by distributing torque to all four wheels as needed. The system operates predominately in front-wheel-drive mode during dry-pavement cruising conditions and continuously proportions torque to the rear wheels during acceleration and low traction situations. The VTM-4 lock button located on the instrument panel allows the driver to temporarily hold engagement of both rear wheels to aid traction in the first two gears at speeds of up to 18 mph.

Standard towing equipment includes an integrated tow hitch, transmission and oil coolers, heavy duty brakes, dual radiator fans and a wiring harness for a 7-pin trailer hook up (pre-wiring only on RT and Sport).

Body
The unit-body architecture is designed for vastly superior rigidity compared to traditional body-on-frame designs and provides the foundation for the Ridgeline's spacious interior cabin and bed, safety performance and class-leading ride and handling performance. Its modern and athletic design incorporates a solid, one-piece appearance with no separation between the bed and the cab. The windshield wipers have a heated wiper zone to enhance wiper performance in winter driving conditions and minimize ice buildup, while large side mirrors enhance rear vision while towing.

A 5-foot-long composite cargo bed with eight tie-down locations provides a payload rating of 1,100 pounds, while four cargo area lights illuminate both the bed and the in-bed trunk. A dual-action tailgate opens down for traditional access to the cargo area or to the side for ease-of-access to the 8.5 cubic-foot In-Bed Trunk�. The Ridgeline is available with a wide variety of accessories and can conveniently accommodate motorcycles or ATVs. The cargo area measures 49.5 inches wide between the wheel wells, 20.7 inches deep and 60.0 inches long (79.0 inches with the load-supporting tailgate in the down position).

Chassis
A MacPherson strut front suspension and fully independent multi-link rear suspension with trailing arms provide a smooth ride and responsive handling. A heavy-duty braking system includes 12.6-inch front and 13.1-inch rear 4-wheel anti-lock disc brakes with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist. The Ridgeline RT has 17�7.5-inch steel wheels and P245/65 R17 all-season tires, while the Ridgeline RTS upgrades to 17�7.5-inch aluminum wheels. Ridgeline Sport and Ridgeline RTL models are uniquely equipped with 18�7.5-inch aluminum wheels and all-season P245/60 R18 tires. The Special Edition model features exclusive 18x7.5-inch aluminum alloy wheels with black-trimmed spokes and all-season P245/60 R18 tires.

Interior
The interior takes advantage of Honda's unit-body packaging efficiency to deliver full-size interior space dimensions while maintaining garage-friendly, mid-size exterior dimensions. The driving position provides ergonomically comfortable access to large and easy-to-use controls.

Between the front seats, a large multi-function console features a sliding armrest and sliding lower tray � each with a hidden storage area. Other console storage areas accommodate large and small items like mobile phones, beverage holders, compact discs and portable digital music players.

The 60/40 lift-up rear seats feature a storage area underneath that is large enough to accommodate a golf bag. Plus, the rear seating area can quickly convert for cargo duty by lifting the seats up to create enough room for a full-size mountain bike with the front wheel removed. The rear seat incorporates three LATCH positions for compatible child safety seats.

Safety
All Ridgelines are equipped with standard safety features including dual-stage, multiple-threshold driver's and front passenger's SRS airbags, side-curtain airbags with a rollover sensor, front-seat active head restraints, Vehicle Stability Assist� (VSA�), a tire pressure monitoring system and daytime running lights.

Awards, Accolades and Ratings
The 2013 Ridgeline received a TOP SAFETY PICK rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), earning the highest-possible score of GOOD in four IIHS tests, including the side impact test and the rigorous roof-strength test. In addition, the Ridgeline is ranked among the best in compact pickup trucks by U.S. News and KBB.com, based on reliability, comfort of ride and refined drivetrain.

2014 Honda Model Changes and Updates - Future Models

Honda Division is entering a somewhat fallow period for new products, since its four big-volume vehicles -- the Civic, Accord, CR-V and Odyssey -- have recently been redesigned.

But there will be plenty of changes to other models, especially light trucks, as well as variants to those four nameplates. And the Fit subcompact platform will become much more prominent in Honda's North American growth plans.

As vehicle redesigns occur, Honda will install its new-generation Earth Dreams engines, which have direct injection and double-overhead cams. Compared to Honda's current four-cylinder engines, the new design will bring at least a 10 percent fuel economy advantage.

Also, Honda is going big with continuously variable transmissions. Performance models and off-road vehicles will retain geared transmissions, but mainstream street-going cars will feature CVTs. A plant opening in Mexico will add up to 700,000 units of CVT capacity by 2017.

Here is a look at Honda's future product plans:

Fit: The redesigned subcompact coming in the summer of 2014 will be built at Honda's new plant in Celaya, Mexico. Honda will install the Earth Dreams 1.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine with 127 hp and 111 pounds-feet of torque, as well as a CVT. Although built locally, expect the new Fit to stick to the global platform.

Fit EV: The next Fit will have a different suspension module for hybrid and EV versions. It likely won't arrive until spring 2016.

Fit crossover: A concept crossover based on the Fit platform, called the Urban SUV, was unveiled at the 2013 Detroit auto show. It is 169.3 inches long, about 9 inches shorter than the Honda CR-V compact crossover. The production version, coming in the summer of 2014, will have the same Earth Dreams engine as the Fit, but could get an added turbocharger for upmarket models. Limited cargo capacity will be counteracted with Fit's fold-flat "Magic Seats" and by stashing the fuel tank under the front seats rather than behind the rear suspension.

Insight: Honda Motor CEO Takanobu Ito is noncommittal about whether Honda will produce a next-generation Insight to go head-to-head with the Toyota Prius. But Honda recently unveiled its next-generation single-motor IMA hybrid system with a lithium ion battery. It is connected to an Atkinson-cycle engine and combined with a new seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. More may be revealed at the Tokyo Motor Show in November.

Civic: Contrary to press reports, the Civic will not receive an Earth Dreams engine until its redesign in spring 2016.

Civic Hybrid: When the Civic is redesigned, the hybrid version will move from its one-motor IMA system to a two-motor system that allows extensive electric-only driving. One motor powers the wheels; the other recharges the batteries. It will be a cheaper version of the same system that is in the Accord Hybrid.

CR-Z: The possibility of a gasoline-powered version of the hybrid coupe is being studied for the next generation arriving in summer 2015.

Accord: After being redesigned last fall, a two-motor hybrid version arrives this summer. The hybrid will team a 124-kilowatt electric motor with a 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle engine for a projected 49 mpg. Expect the next redesign in the second half of 2017.

Crosstour: Balky styling has hindered customer acceptance. Designers are looking at something more akin to an Audi Allroad for the next generation, arriving in spring 2015.

FCX Clarity: Honda's hydrogen fuel cell vehicle will be redesigned in mid-2015. The vehicle likely will be shown at the Tokyo Motor Show in November. Honda recently signed a technology-sharing deal with General Motors to develop the next-generation fuel cell for 2020, but insisted that there will be no badge engineering.

CR-V: Redesigned for the 2013 model year; the next one is expected in the first half of 2017.

Element: There will be no new Element. The CR-V and Fit-based crossover will fill that space.

Pilot: The wheelbase for the recently redesigned Acura MDX, which was increased by 3 inches, will be carried over to the redesigned Pilot when it arrives this fall. But because the MDX has an expensive suspension system, expect some minor cost-shaving changes to suspension components to hit the Pilot's price point. Sheet metal should move away from the "angry robot" look. It likely will get a 3.5-liter Earth Dreams V-6 that generates around 310 hp and 265 pounds-feet of torque.

Odyssey: A freshened version, with an optional built-in vacuum cleaner, goes on sale this summer.

The next generation arrives in fall 2016 on the Acura MDX platform, although expect a lower-cost suspension -- possibly an air-spring setup -- to hit a lower price point. When redesigned, the Odyssey will receive the 3.5-liter Earth Dreams V-6.

Ridgeline: Honda sources insist the company needs to keep a unibody pickup offering, but its styling, fuel economy and sticker price are arguments against it. The current platform runs until fall 2014, but there are no signs of a replacement.

You can reach Mark Rechtin at mrechtin@crain.com. | Read more: at Autonews