Recognizing Honda's commitment to environmental leadership in the area of alternative fuels and hydrogen-powered fuel cell technology, the Honda FCX Clarity was declared the 2009 World Green Car, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today.

At a press conference hosted by the New York International Auto Show and Mobil 1 at the Jacob Javits Center in, New York, the Honda FCX Clarity was named the 2009 World Green Car. The FCX Clarity was chosen from an initial entry list of 22 contenders nominated by 59 World Car jurors from 25 countries worldwide.

"The FCX Clarity is a symbol of the progress we have made with fuel cell vehicles and our commitment to developing vehicles that promote renewable energy supplies and zero-emissions transportation," said Steve Center, vice president, national Marketing Operations for American Honda.

The FCX Clarity, a sleekly styled hydrogen fuel cell-powered sedan currently available on a limited lease-basis, is propelled by an electric motor that runs on electricity generated by an on-board fuel cell stack. The vehicle's only emission is water, and its fuel efficiency is up to three times that of a modern gasoline-powered automobile and two times that of a gasoline-powered hybrid vehicle.

The World Green Car awards were inaugurated in 2003, and officially launched in January 2004, to reflect the reality of the global marketplace, as well as to recognize and reward automotive excellence on an international scale.

The awards are administered by a non-profit association, under the guidance of a Steering Committee of pre-eminent automotive journalists from Asia, Europe, and North America. There is no affiliation with, nor are the awards in any way influenced by any publication, auto show, automaker, or other commercial enterprise.

New dog-friendly transportation concepts designed for the Honda Element add canine-specific enhancements to one of the most dog-friendly vehicles available, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today at the New York International Auto Show.

Developed specifically for the Element, the Dog Friendly? components demonstrate the potential for a dedicated pet restraint system designed to meet the needs of dog owners. A finalized version of the Dog Friendly Element is scheduled to debut this fall. Major components will likely include:

• a cushioned pet bed in the cargo area with an elevated platform;
• second row and cargo area pet restraint systems;
• an extendable cargo area load-in ramp;
• a 12V DC rear ventilation fan;
• second-row seat covers with a dog pattern design (matches the bed fabric);
• all-season rubber floor mats with a toy bone pattern;
• a spill-resistant water bowl; and
• Dog Friendly exterior emblems.

"In an interesting turn of events, cars are now chasing dogs," said John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda. "Factory integration of a cushioned pet bed, restraint systems and other components is intended to transform the Element into the ultimate dog car."

The Dog Friendly equipment, engineered specifically for the Element, is designed to accommodate the transportation of dogs in the second-row passenger seats or in the cargo area. The restraint system concepts were designed and fabricated by Takata Corporation, one of the world's leading automotive safety systems suppliers, exclusively for display on the Dog Friendly Honda Element concept vehicle. The restraint concepts are intended to complement the potential of the vehicle's existing restraint systems by helping to protect the dog and helping to prevent injuries to other vehicle occupants due to an unrestrained dog impacting them in a collision. For convenience, a ramp is included to help dogs access the rear cargo area. The ramp stores underneath the bed platform and can be conveniently accessed when the rear tailgate is down.

Customers who purchase a new 2006 Honda hybrid vehicle on or after January 1, 2006, may be eligible for federal tax credits ranging from $1,300 to $2,100 when they file their 2006 tax returns, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today. The announcement is the result of a ruling by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which calculated the tax credits based on the Energy Policy Act of 2005, passed by Congress last year. Honda's 2006 Civic Hybrid, Accord Hybrid and Insight with automatic transmission are eligible for the tax credits.

The federal tax credits are as follows:

*2006 Honda Accord Hybrids without updated control calibration qualify for a credit amount of $650.

Metro Honda of Union County near Charlotte, Honda dealership in Charlotte, North Carolina (NC)

Metro Honda of Union County near Charlotte is a premier full-service car dealer for new Honda, used Honda and certified pre-owned Honda cars. Browse our website for more details on your favorite Honda vehicle. We specialize in Honda Sales, Finance, Service, and Parts as well as providing high quality service to our customers.

Location of Metro Honda Of Union County

Metro Honda of Union County is near Charlotte North Carolina and its showroom is situated at 4918 Hwy 74 west Indian Trail, North Carolina. The dealership is conveniently located to serve customers in areas such as Charlotte, Albemarle, Alexis, Belmont, China Grove, Concord, Cornelius, Cramerton, Davidson, Denver, Faith, Gastonia, Gold Hill, Harrisburg, Huntersville, Indian Trail, Kannapolis, Landis, Locust, Lowell, Marshville, Matthews, Mc Adenville, Midland, Mineral Springs, Misenheimer, Monroe, Mooresville, Mount Holly, Mount Mourne, Mount Pleasant, New London, Newell, Norwood, Oakboro, Paw Creek, Peachland, Pineville, Polkton, Richfield, Rockwell, Stanfield, Stanley, Waxhaw, Wingate.

Location of Metro Honda Of Union County

Metro Honda of Union County is near Charlotte North Carolina and its showroom is situated at 4918 Hwy 74 west Indian Trail, North Carolina. The dealership is conveniently located to serve customers in areas such as Charlotte, Albemarle, Alexis, Belmont, China Grove, Concord, Cornelius, Cramerton, Davidson, Denver, Faith, Gastonia, Gold Hill, Harrisburg, Huntersville, Indian Trail, Kannapolis, Landis, Locust, Lowell, Marshville, Matthews, Mc Adenville, Midland, Mineral Springs, Misenheimer, Monroe, Mooresville, Mount Holly, Mount Mourne, Mount Pleasant, New London, Newell, Norwood, Oakboro, Paw Creek, Peachland, Pineville, Polkton, Richfield, Rockwell, Stanfield, Stanley, Waxhaw, Wingate.

New and Used Honda Car Models at Metro Honda of Union County

Metro Honda of Union County has an enormous collection of new, used, and certiftied used honda models such as the Accord, Civic, CR-v, Element, Fit, Odyssey, Pilot and Ridgeline.

New, Used and Certified Pre-Owned cars at Metro Honda of Union County

The dealership showcases a large inventory of new, used and certified used Hondas. Browse through the extensive inventory to drive home the car, truck, van or SUV of your choice.

Parts, Service and Online Specials at Metro Honda of Union County

Browse our Parts and Service department to order parts, get a quick Honda price qoutes, schedule service appointments online, or print coupons. You can also take a look at our new vehicle specials, pre-owned specials, and finance specials. Your visit will give us the opportunity to serve you better.

Genuine Honda Parts, Accessories and Service at Metro Honda of Union County

At our dealership you can order Genuine Honda Parts and Accessories, schedule aservice appointments and print Parts/Service Coupons online.

Finance and Value Your Trade

View our online specials, Loan / Lease calculator, Finance Application and Trade-in. Our dedicated sales personnel are available to take you through the hassle-free journey of your Honda buying experience.

The Metro Honda Dealership Charlotte, NC is a member of Metro Honda Automotive Group and Metrohondanc.com family. All Metro Honda Automotive Cars near Charlotte North Carolina used inventory is available at metrohondanc.com.