Updated with statement from America Honda Motor Co.

Honda has confirmed that it was aware of Takata’s defective airbag design as early as 2009, but the company failed to inform U.S. regulators about the potential safety risk until years later.

That potentially damaging revelation was discovered following a review of Takata presentations and internal memos. Those documents revealed that Honda secretly asked Takata to develop a “fail-safe” airbag inflator after it observed four injuries and a death linked to its vehicles’ airbags.

Honda spokesman Chris Martin confirmed to Reuters that the automaker requested the design change, but add that the redesign was to “protect against the possibility of future manufacturing errors – it was not an acknowledgement of a larger design flaw in the inflators.” Martin added that Honda did not inform U.S. regulators of the design change request.

The new airbag inflator design, which featured additional gas vents that helped funnel pressure away from the driver, was first installed in some vehicles in 2011. Honda still uses the same airbag design today.

Reuters reached out to the NHTSA for comment on Honda’s legal obligation to inform the administration about the airbag design change, but spokesman Bryan Thomas declined to give a statement. It remains unknown at this time if Honda’s actions broke any laws.

The news, however, could put Honda in the legal cross-hairs of several liability suits. Honda, along with Takata and several other automakers, are facing federal, state and potentially class action lawsuits stemming from the defective airbag design.

“You can’t say, ‘It’s a supplier problem, not ours, so we don’t have to talk about it,” Peter Henning, a corporate law professor at Wayne State University, said. “They are responsible for every part on their car and also responsible to report a problem with any part on that car.”

So far Honda has recalled 8.5 million vehicles due to the airbag defect, with the vast majority of those occurring in 2014 or later.

Statement from Honda: “Honda categorically rejects the assertion that a redesigned airbag inflator component is evidence that the prior inflator design contained a safety defect. As technology evolves, Honda and other automakers regularly work with suppliers to make design changes.

It was Honda’s understanding at the time that all inflator ruptures were due to Takata manufacturing errors associated with a previous inflator design. Thus, Honda’s request to Takata to incorporate a change into a new airbag inflator design, was prudent on our part. Importantly, we are aware of no customers experiencing rupture events with the new inflator design.

Regarding Honda’s reporting obligations, Honda does have an obligation to report safety defects to NHTSA, and we fully comply with this requirement. However, it is not NHTSA’s expectation, nor the industry practice, that automakers will automatically report every new inflator design to NHTSA.”

The Chevrolet SS sport sedan may live to see a second generation if some folks at General Motors have their way.

It has been widely expected that the demise of GM’s Holden manufacturing operations in Australia would mark the end of the rebadged Commodore, but an interview with GM’s Al Oppenheiser by caradvice.au seems to indicate that there may yet be hope for the nameplate’s future.

When asked point-blank by the caradvice.au correspondent whether a replacement was coming along that could take over where the Zeta-platform SS leaves off, Oppenheiser said, “[m]aybe.”

Essentially, the SS has two things going for it. For one, it is meeting GM’s meager sales expectations, meaning that while it doesn’t sell in any meaningful volumes, in Oppenheiser’s own words, “[i]t sells what it’s supposed to.”

Secondly, the sedan may have a significant proponent in GM’s Mark Reuss. Reuss, currently in charge of global product development, was previously the managing director of Holden. When the product planner has a soft spot for specialty cars, that can be good news for enthusiasts.

Nothing is guaranteed of course, and Oppenheiser stopped well short of promising anything. For now, the SS soldiers on in its current form as a 2017 model. What happens after that is anybody’s guess.

H/T to Ed. Photo by Andrew Ganz.

Honda has confirmed that it was aware of Takata’s defective airbag design as early as 2009, but the company failed to inform U.S. regulators about the potential safety risk until years later.

That potentially damaging revelation was discovered following a review of Takata presentations and internal memos. Those documents revealed that Honda secretly asked Takata to develop a “fail-safe” airbag inflator after it observed four injuries and a death linked to its vehicles’ airbags.

Honda spokesman Chris Martin confirmed to Reuters that the automaker requested the design change, but add that the redesign was to “protect against the possibility of future manufacturing errors – it was not an acknowledgement of a larger design flaw in the inflators.” Martin added that Honda did not inform U.S. regulators of the design change request.

The new airbag inflator design, which featured additional gas vents that helped funnel pressure away from the driver, was first installed in some vehicles in 2011. Honda still uses the same airbag design today.

Reuters reached out to the NHTSA for comment on Honda’s legal obligation to inform the administration about the airbag design change, but spokesman Bryan Thomas declined to give a statement. It remains unknown at this time if Honda’s actions broke any laws.

The news, however, could put Honda in the legal cross-hairs of several liability suits. Honda, along with Takata and several other automakers, are facing federal, state and potentially class action lawsuits stemming from the defective airbag design.

“You can’t say, ‘It’s a supplier problem, not ours, so we don’t have to talk about it,” Peter Henning, a corporate law professor at Wayne State University, said. “They are responsible for every part on their car and also responsible to report a problem with any part on that car.”

So far Honda has recalled 8.5 million vehicles due to the airbag defect, with the vast majority of those occurring in 2014 or later.

Volkswagen and Porsche have announced recall campaigns for the 2011-2016 Cayenne and Touareg.

The pedal assemblies used in both SUVs may have been installed without a necessary circlip on the pedal pivot pin. If the pin slides out of position, the hinge can fracture and allow the brake pedal to become dislodged.

“A customer may not be able to properly actuate the brakes with a dislodged brake pedal,” VW said in a statement. “A non-functional brake or reduced braking power could result in a crash.”

VW claims to be unaware of any field failures in the US, though ‘single events’ have been reported overseas. The defect has not been blamed on any accidents or injuries with the Cayenne.

Service technicians will simply inspect the assembly and verify proper installation of the circlip. The campaign affects around 135,000 vehicles in the US market, including 88,300 Cayennes and 46,700 Touaregs.

Volvo has announced US pricing and launch details for its new S90 flagship sedan.

The S90 T5 Momentum edition carries an MSRP of $47,945 (including $995 freight), marking a $3,500 jump from the existing entry-level S80 sedan.

The T5′s 2.0-liter turbocharged Drive-E engine is expected to deliver 250 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. A leather interior comes standard, along with a nine-inch touchscreen and Volvo’s ‘Thor’s Hammer’ LED headlights.

For a bit more power and grip, buyers can step up to the T6 AWD Momentum package for $53,945. Its engine takes advantage of both turbo- and super-charging, pushing output to 316 horsepower. The package also adds heated front seats, an upgraded driver information display and dual tailpipes.

The prices appear to competitive with popular segment rivals. BMW’s 528i starts at $51,995 (including freight), with a bit less horsepower than the T5. The Mercedes-Benz E350 is a better rival to the T6 with 302 horsepower and a $53,575 MSRP, however all-wheel drive is a $2,500 option. One of the closest alternatives, in terms of price and drivetrain, is the Audi A6 with 252 ponies and a $47,125 price tag.

Volvo hopes to gain an edge with its technology suite. The S90 is claimed to be the first car in the US to offer semi-autonomous capabilities as standard. Pilot Assist holds a lane and controls vehicle speed in traffic at speeds of up to 80 mph.

Reinforcing the Swedish automaker’s safety prowess, the S90 will also come standard with an advanced automatic emergency braking (AEB) system that reacts to large animals and other vehicles. Another standard feature detects when a vehicle is about to leave the road, intervening to keep the car on the pavement.

Customers can begin placing orders now. The first wave should arrive in showrooms this summer.

Live images by Brian Williams.

Toyota has revealed a limited-edition Corolla at the New York auto show, celebrating five decades since the popular nameplate was first introduced.

Based on the 2017 Corolla SE, the 50th Anniversary Special Edition features a few unique details to stand out from the basic model.

Buyers can opt for an exclusive Black Cherry paint, and all configurations feature 17-inch wheels that combine a machine finish and contrasting dark gray inserts. A special 50th anniversary badge adorns the exterior.

The interior features a black color theme with Black Cherry (red) contrast stitching on the seats, steering wheel, shift boot and center armrest. Occupants will know they are entering a special Corolla when they step on the 50th Anniversary Edition floor mats.

The Corolla claims the title of the world’s all-time best-selling car. More than 43 million examples have been sold globally in the past 50 years, starting at home in Japan in November 1966 before moving to the US in 1968. The company now sells around 1.5 million per year, built at 16 global factories.

The 50th Anniversary Special Edition will go on sale this fall. Only 8,000 examples will be headed to US showrooms.