WHITE HOT GT JOINS ACCORD RANGE
High spec sporty model unveiled alongside ‘Price Fighter’ SE
Two new versions of the Accord will be launched in September to help Honda battle for honors in the competitive D-sector saloon market.
Sales of the Accord are on the increase in 2007, with fleet sales already up by 68 per cent – and the car continues to win industry awards for its refinement, handling and practicality. But customer feedback has urged Honda to launch two new grades of the model in the UK.
“The Accord always finishes near the top of owner surveys, which shows that its drivers love the car,” says Bernard Bradley, Head of Sales for Honda (UK). “But our dealers tell us new buyers – especially those from the corporate sector – want a version that combines the advanced technology offered by high-end models, with more of the sporting features from other Accords in the range.”
The result is the new Sport GT, an Accord that delivers sharp, nimble handling with performance car styling and high-grade equipment.
The new Accord Sport GT 2.2 i-CTDi features as standard:
- Dark Chrome door handles and front grille
- 17-inch (Saloon) or 16-inch (Tourer) alloy wheels in Dark Graphite finish
- Premium White Pearl paint option – exclusive to this model
- Sports suspension
- Rear boot spoiler, smoked headlights, and foglights
- Carbon-effect inlay fitted within the dashboard and centre console
- Red illuminated dials
- Voice-activated Satellite Navigation system
- Premium Audio system that includes a 6CD changer
- Cruise control
- Bluetooth Hands Free Telephone
- Tourer fitted with rear section privacy glass
The Sport GT is on sale from 1 September, priced from: £20,767 (OTR).
‘Price Fighter’ SE
The new diesel-engined Accord SE – powered by Honda’s much-lauded
2.2-litre i-CTDi engine – has been developed as an entry-level diesel Accord, specifically to act as a ‘Price Fighter’.
Bernard Bradley continues: “This new keenly-priced car continues the theme of Accord, which has always been to offer a high-spec saloon with the quality you’d expect from a Honda – but at an extremely competitive price, with low running costs. If you’re talking about value for money, the Accord SE beats most cars in the sector, even the new arrivals.”
The diesel SE may be priced at a highly competitive £18,600 (OTR), but it’s remarkably well-equipped – with 16-inch alloys, stability assist, 6-speed gearbox and Bluetooth Hands Free Telephone all fitted as standard.
Not only that, but with the cleaner, low-consumption 2.2-litre i-CTDi engine on board and the low list price, benefit in kind is reduced – meaning lower costs for company car users.
Our blog-pals over at Jalopnik managed to obtain a whole set of images from Brenda Priddy & Co who caught the 2008 Honda Accord Sedan and its Coupe sibling without a trace of camouflage during a photo shoot for a Canadian brochure. To be honest, I’m not at all impressed by the ’08 Accord’s unoriginal design -not that it will influence buyers in any way, but aren’t you tired of Honda's looking like Hyundai's which look like Toyota's? The coupe kinda looks better, though obviously less aggressively designed than the 
