Tried to make fit cool for USA?
 

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl.../60216041/1003

Found this article, the woman responsible for trying to make the FIT kool, for the youth market....nothing mind blowing, but interesting kinda

Cute article...,I keep getting this mental picture of the older generation; mostly our parents watching F&F or clicking on the various customizations shows on television and watching the expressions on their face.

Their idea still goes back to the american muscle era and they are confused with the riceburner generation.https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/imag...ies/tongue.gif

Note to the "Fit team":
Leave the Fit like it is in Japan, just bring over all the aftermarket parts from Japan with it.

Yes my brotha! The JDM look is what is cool.
My personalization will incorporate a WRC-ish and a Drift racer look when I'm done. There will be no Park Bench Spoiler though!https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/imag...es/biggrin.gif

lol!! I've seen pics of a Fit in Japan that has the Subaru WRC paint scheme (blue with yellow). http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...LEYS/crazy.gif

I'll have to see if I can find a pic of it...

while they'rew at it also bring over the JDM RT4WD!

It seems to me that her job should have been really, really easy, since what a lot of what people do to their cars here is to make them like what is available in Japan. I think enough of us just want what they already have in other places, not something from Japan coverted to "American tastes."

I think the most shocking bit of this article was that they started work in late 2002? Wow, 3.5 years of research?

I don't see what value was added from this research. The Whole "Fit is Go" slogan and stickers look like my middle school cousin made them. I think Toyota got a better marketing team for "Scion Life".

just my $0.02 though.

Quoted for TRUTH!

Honda's official Fit website is so lame compared to the Scion website. The Scion site make's the Fit site look like a crayon coloring book. It almost makes me not want to buy the Fit because of the juvenile stigma associated with the design of the site. If Honda thinks the Fit is a Scion fighter, they totally dropped the ball with the design of the Fit site.

nice find!!! i want to see some picture

Despite being a diehard manual guy, I have just one question: What research does she have to back up the decision to not just bring in the CVT? That had to cost Honda a lot of money in development and certification.

scionlife.com is not affiliated with Toyota or Scion

I'd be interested to know if it was an engineering or marketing decision.

Not for nothing, what did this broad do to climb the company ladder at Honda!?!?!?!?

Seriously, what are her credentials? She claims she went from a job in customer relations to a senior product planner.

So as a "senior product planner" and after 3.5yrs of research, she has concluded that what the American consumer really needs in their car is an iPod adaptor???

Listen, I like what I see with the Fit, but you all have to admit the JDM version is largely better. I just don't understand what Honda was thinking about putting someone in charge of the Fit...someone who claims they are not really a "car person!!!!!" What "dramatic" changes did this person make to the Fit for it to appeal directly to the American consumer???

Geeeze, back to my original question...what did she do to get that job!?!?!?

She probably didn't have any real credentials at all; but upper tier management probably took their best looking person, most youthful-ish dressing, hip kinda gal and deemed her in-touch with the younger crowd.

They told her to visually go out to the hot-spots she deemed hip and see what the trends are at various local hangouts. She probably wasn't even a hardcore enthusiast of this rice generation. Bitch probably doesn't even understand the landmark cars of the era like the civic, integra, accord, corolla, celica, supra,etc. She may not have even watched F&F or know about NOPI Nationals, various car shows, Funk Master Flex, Pimp My Ride, Import Tuners and dozens of other shows about customization.

Well at least Honda is not as far behind as G.M. is; as going apeshit trying to push the Cobalt on this rice generation after years of the Cavalier and Sunfire's failure to tap into it.

How true! Looks like the only car company that comes close to understanding what import enthusiasts like is Scion. Not that I think Scion cars themselves are that great...but the marketing and aftermarket support suggests that someone at Scion knows a thing or two about the likes of the import community.

Funny, I saw a Suzuki X90 on the road the other day. When I got home I had to look that thing up online. Wonder who was in charge of that "product" 10yrs ago!?!?!? :-) That was yet another car that was to "appeal" to the younger generation at that time. Has to be one of the fugliest cars on the road.

Ra's video
 

There's a video with her over at Temple of VTEC...
http://www.vtec.net/articles/view-ar...icle_id=476344
She got alotta of flack over there too...

Okay! I signed up on that board and viewed the video. She seems quite bright and articulate however she did not seem hardcore enough for her assignment in the research. I thought she would be sexier and have that orange dyed import sexy slutty look with a nice tan. I was disappointed!!!! It was a nice general observation and orientation of the fit sport though.


"...,she never considered herself a car person but always liked and drove Honda's."

WTF.., that pretty much summed it up for me. It takes a car enthusiast to bring enthusiasm. This whole underground modding movement is what put honda civics, accords, integra's on the friggin map. It will always be the underground sub-culture where the mainstream corporate dont' hang-out will never understand our true desires and needs.

Leave the girl alone. :) I get the impression you guys are just twiddling your thumbs, waiting for the pricing to be posted.

Me, too!