Ha.

Just kidding. But would you guys be pissed if the second generation FIT came out in 2009...? It wouldn't be shocking... the FIT's what-- 5 years old? Or will Honda pull a Volkswagen and not send the 2nd gen FIT here for 2 years?

Man. I really wanted to love the FIT. But I just can't get passed the elongated look of the North American model. It loses its charm. I love the squished look of subcompacts. To me, that is appealing. The new Yaris looks a LOT better. But the shifter is nowhere as smooth and the center guages blow.

 

I actually won't be surprised if the redesigned model comes out for the 2008 model year. It all depends on if Honda gets the new Fit out in Japan this year or not.

Not that I mind all that much, I get one that's built on an established platform in one of the best factories that could possibly build it (Suzuka, Japan)

 

Hmmm... could that be why Honda is only projecting 35,000 FITS?

 

Actually, I wouldn't mind it either, but it would still be a year too late. I am not looking to buy one until sometime in Decemeber; January 2007 at the latest. If I could get the second gen then, I would be a happy camper. I think if the Fit sells well in the NA market, Honda would probably want to fully amortize the tooling for the first generation. It may be old for the rest of the world, but it is new to us. If they could get two, three, maybe four more years from existing tooling, it would reduce their production costs, and allow them to make a little more money off their least expensive car. That would also have to be reconciled with the fact that the Fit/Jazz is old for the rest of the world, and the competition is going to continue trying to catch up. The rest of the world will be clamoring for major changes. How much production do you shift for that? How long do you keep making the old model for one market? Tough choices. I'm happy I am not making them.

 

Three year model cycles are quite long, compared to the Chevrolet's of '56-'57-'58 -- really different "fins" each successive year, etc. Maybe it's best to get what you want & keep it awhile, not worrying about always having the newest version.

"Happiness is wanting what you have"

 

I wouldn't be surprised or disappointed if the new models came out in 08/09.

It would be like what Toyota did with the Echo HB.